Having a small kitchen can be a nightmare. After all, the last place you want to feel cramped is in the kitchen. With very little counter or cabinet space, cooking your favorite meals can become a chore.

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to decorate small kitchens that will give you a little more space and help you feel less cramped in the kitchen. First, you may want to consider replacing some of your basic cabinets with pull-out cabinets. With pull-out cabinets, you can more easily reach all the items you need to store in the back.

You can also improve your cabinet space by installing taller wall cabinets. If you install cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling, you’ll have more storage space. If you want to add interest, you can scale the cabinets instead. This will still give you more storage space.

While you’re at it, you may want to consider putting glass fronts on the cabinets. By allowing the view to move past the front of the cabinets, it creates the illusion that the kitchen is larger. You should also consider using lighting creatively when decorating small kitchens, as adding under-counter lighting will make your space appear larger.

If counter space is your problem, you can free up more space by installing under-cabinet or under-counter appliances such as can openers, microwaves, toasters, and spice racks. Simply finding ways to decorate small kitchens by taking things off your counter will give you more space to work and enjoy your small kitchen.

Too much color or pattern can be distracting and even claustrophobic in a small kitchen. To add character and interest to the kitchen, consider crown molding, details around the range hood, and cabinet legs.

Although most kitchens are rectangular, you can add interest by adding a curved island to soften the “box” of the room.

Important in any kitchen is to use quality materials, wooden cabinets and the best pulls or handles. Open shelves will allow plates and glasses to add color and shape to the room.

Countertop basics include using only one or a maximum of two colors for your countertops to make your kitchen look bigger. Man-made surfaces such as quartz and granite are extremely forgiving and durable under heavy use. Concrete has become popular in recent years and can be stained in any color; however, it is a challenging material because it can crack over time.