Ideas for decorating a 4 square meter kitchen.

How to arrange a very small kitchen?

Kitchens with an area of 4 square meters are usually found in small apartments, old Khrushchev-era buildings, or summer cottages. To make it convenient for you to cook in it in the future, study the recommendations before renovating:

• Leave only the most necessary things in the kitchen. Take stock of your kitchen utensils, equipment, supplies, choose only what you use constantly – do not take up useful kitchen space with unnecessary things that you just feel sorry to throw away.
• Think over a storage system. The secret to order is that each thing should have its place. If nothing fits in a standard layout, make a three-tiered one or order tall units.
• Prefer compact sizes. Reduce the depth and width of cabinets: saving even 10 cm will be beneficial.
• Make a custom-made set. A modern built-in kitchen allows you to use every centimeter of even such a small area as 4 square meters.
• Choose laconic styles for decoration. The absence of unnecessary details, an empty countertop, things hidden behind the facades – help maintain order, visually enlarge the room.
• Prefer light shades. White and other extremely light shades will visually enlarge the kitchen. And if the kitchen set matches the color of the walls, it will simply disappear into space.

Layout options

Initially, you should know one important thing: you will have to choose what is more important – a spacious kitchen set or a solid dining table? Because everything won’t fit on an area of 4 square meters at once.

The design starts with drawing up a plan:

1. determine the location of communications, window openings, doors, and also measure the length of the walls;
2. then decide how big you need the set: on 4 square meters it is possible to have two types – straight or corner. If there is enough space in width, you can make a U-shaped kitchen, one part of which will be a peninsula or a bar counter as a dining area.

The photo shows a bright, compact U-shaped kitchen set

Look at the layout schemes for corner and linear kitchen sets:

Don’t forget about ergonomics and the rule of the working triangle:

• the order of zones in a linear layout: sink, stove, refrigerator;
• leave 40-60 cm between the sink and the stove for cutting food;
• in a corner kitchen of 4 m2, the sink is placed in the corner, but for convenience you need to order a module with a beveled edge;
• to save space on the countertop, the stove is replaced with a 2-burner one.

If the option of replacing the dining table with a counter or peninsula does not suit you, install a small round or square table, maximum 80 cm wide. There is enough space for two behind it.

The photo shows a built-in corner set and a refrigerator in the corner of the kitchen

What colors are best?

Of course, the main color scheme is light. You have a huge selection of shades in your arsenal, including gray, yellow, blue, pink, greenish. Keep this in mind when choosing paint or wallpaper – the undertone should preferably match the furniture and appliances.

Advice! For high three-tier kitchens, the lower and upper floors are made in the color of the walls, and the middle one – in a contrasting color. This way you will achieve depth and create the right accent.

The photo shows an interior in white tones

In a small kitchen, it is acceptable to replace white with gray or beige if they are more suitable in style. The first is used in warm southern rooms, the second – in cold northern ones. Choose the lightest shades possible.

You can use pastel colors in the design – blue, yellow, green. The main thing is that they are not saturated.

Recommendations for finishing and materials

Give preference to plain neutral surfaces.

Often tiles are used over the entire area of the walls – the main thing is that they are small and light. Any shape: boar, square, hexagon. This is practical – after all, the walls are close to each other, there is a high chance of getting even the side farthest from the stove dirty. High-quality paint or washable wallpaper will also do. Photo wallpaper with perspective will help to visually enlarge the room.

Advice! If you want wallpaper with a pattern, choose the smallest, low-contrast one possible. Example: small flowers, polka dots.

Having abandoned the idea of covering all the walls with tiles, do it only on the apron area. Instead of tiles, you can use ready-made fiberboard sheets in the color of the countertop.

The photo shows the walls finished with tiles

For the floor, use classic options – porcelain stoneware, linoleum or waterproof laminate. Do not take the lightest or darkest, medium tones are more practical.

You should not experiment with the ceiling – standard white will be best. If you are doing a stretch one, order a glossy canvas – reflective surfaces expand the space.

In the photo, an apron made of boar

Choosing and arranging furniture and appliances

We will talk about the headset separately in the next section, before that we suggest sorting out the household appliances. Well, now I will tell you about choosing a dining group. If possible, turn the window sill into a dining table. This will be a universal solution, especially if there is a pleasant view outside the window.

Otherwise, I recommend using compact tables or transformable options. A practical option would be a bar counter along the wall or as part of the headset. It is better to choose folding chairs or ones that can be pushed under the table as tightly as possible.

Many people take the refrigerator to another room or hallway, thereby condemning themselves to inconvenience while cooking. It’s better to leave the refrigerator, and choose a full-size model rather than a compact under-counter model.

Advice! Instead of a refrigerator, it is better to move a sideboard with dishes that you rarely use or take out only before guests arrive to another room.

In the photo, the refrigerator is hidden in the kitchen unit

You can place a narrow dishwasher (45 cm) on 4 square meters.

Do not leave gas water heater in plain sight, hide it behind the facade – this will improve the appearance of a small kitchen.

In the photo, the gas water heater is in the corner, and the washing machine is under the countertop

In the photo, an option for disguising a gas water heater

If it is possible to remove the washing machine from the kitchen – remove it! There is no point in taking up space, which is already scarce. Or place it under the lower tier, but in this case you will have to order 2 upper tiers for storage.

A hob with a built-in oven is more compact than a freestanding model. In addition, you can choose a narrow hob with 2-3 burners. And put the oven in a pencil case.

Advice! To save space, buy an oven with a microwave function.

Which kitchen set is suitable?

We have already mentioned that a built-in kitchen is more convenient. You will take into account all the features of a small kitchen area – use every centimeter, arrange everything the way you need. The only downside to built-in kitchens is the price. But a kitchen set is a long-term investment, so it makes sense to spend money now to enjoy the results for many years to come.

The photo shows a compact kitchen set

As for the layout, a small kitchen can be located in one line or at an angle.

• Straight. Compact, there will be room for a dining table. Of the minuses – little storage space, a very small work area. Suitable for those who do not like to cook, have a small number of things to place.
• Corner. More spacious, enough space for cooking. There is enough space below to install a washing machine and a dishwasher. If you make one of the sides along the window, you can leave space for chairs below – thus you will organize a cozy dining area without expenses.

In the photo there is a corner set

Lighting arrangement

There should be a lot of light in the kitchen interior! Even the brightest central chandelier is worse than several individual spotlights or tracks with directional lights.

If there are bulky vertical cabinets above the countertop, take care of additional illumination of the work area – an LED strip will cope with this task perfectly.

The photo shows bright ceiling lights

A tiny kitchen area can be arranged so that it is cozy and functional! Consider our recommendations during the renovation to expand your small kitchen.