Wrestling with a wok in a cramped kitchen can be a recipe for an oily,firey disaster,yet many homeowners are lacking space in one of the most important rooms in the house simply because they cannot afford to move.
However,as kitchen layout expert and showroom manager at ANLO Kitchens Graham Robinson notes,a few savvy changes to your kitchen set up can free up space and introduce more light to a room,making it more practical and enjoyable to cook in.
One of the first moves should be to invest in sleek,compact fixtures and fittings designed exclusively for smaller kitchens.
"The popularity of the minimal,handleless look and open plan kitchens extending to living areas has further helped open up a small kitchen and this trend is gathering pace,with technology satisfying the need for ever sharper details,"said Graham."The slim-line offering provides a solution for the consumer looking to make the most of a smaller room with a sleek,elegant look."
As well as kitting out your kitchen with shallow drawers,slide-in cupboards and compact shelves and racks,wherever possible knocking a kitchen through into your dining area into an open plan combination room is the ideal solution for a cramped kitchen.
And as Houzz expert Kit Pollard noted this week,even just knocking through the peninsula walls that might lead to a doorway or living area can free up more space for cupboard and storage.
"If you can,open up walls separating the kitchen from other parts of the house.Even if you keep a peninsula separating spaces,the change will make the kitchen feel more roomy,"says Kit.
Even if you can't afford a full-on open plan transformation or you're scared to take a mallet to your kitchen walls,you can make the room feel roomier by introducing more light.
As well as minimising any blinds and curtains that might block the influx of natural light,be sure to use your lighting installation to your advantage.
Flush ceiling lights sit snugly in a recess,freeing up precious headroom while providing keen illumination for you to chop,stir and bake by.