Boost Function and Style in Your Medium Kitchen
Medium sized kitchens walk a fine line between being cozy and big. Compared to their more compact galley kitchen counterparts, medium spaces allow for more flexibility in layouts and design. But they still require some creative solutions to make the most of every inch. The key is optimizing your kitchen's workflow while also infusing storage, functionality and style.
Whether you're remodeling an existing mid-sized kitchen or building one from scratch, there are plenty of ways to transform it into an inspiring hub for cooking, cleaning and connecting. Read on to explore layout considerations, storage solutions, island inspirations and design upgrades that can help maximize both form and function.
Optimize Your Layout
As with any great kitchen, optimizing your layout is a pivotal first step for medium spaces. Carefully consider how you use your kitchen now and how you'd ideally like to in the future. How many people are regularly cooking and cleaning at once? Do you frequently entertain large groups? What are your must-have appliances and work stations? Let your lifestyle needs and design wish list inform what workflow and configuration will function best.
Assess Your Needs
Take an inventory of what you currently have in your kitchen and how it does or doesn't suit your household's needs. Look critically at what you actually utilize most frequently and what tends to just take up space. This can help inform what functional elements need to remain top-of-mind in a redesign.
It's also wise to consider what's missing from your existing setup that would enrich your everyday experience. Do you desperately need more prep space? An area to sip coffee comfortably? Seating for impromptu guests? Envisioning your ideal scenario will make it easier to prioritize must-have features in reworking your medium kitchen's layout
Choose The Right Workflow
Classic kitchen layouts like the L-shape, U-shape, galley and island tend to function well for medium spaces of 100-200 square feet. The key is choosing a workflow that feels spacious while retaining efficiency.
The tried and true L-shaped layout makes excellent use of two adjoining walls for optimal countertop workspace and storage solutions. One leg can house cleaning stations while the other accommodates appliances. Just be sure to allow for an efficient work triangle between your sink, fridge and stove. This promotes smooth navigation from station to station.
Maximize Every Inch
While medium kitchens offer more wiggle room than tiny galley kitchens, space is still at a premium. Look for ways to build up rather than just spread out. Incorporate peninsulas or prep, dining and storage islands to add surface area without demanding a large footprint. Floor-to-ceiling pantries, tall cabinetry built right up to 9 or 10-foot ceilings and open shelving all allow you to capitalize on every vertical inch.
Storage & Organization Ideas
Even the most spacious kitchens struggle with storage and organization, so solutions become even more pivotal for medium spaces. From pull-out drawers to custom built-ins, there are plenty of ways to stash essentials while keeping them easily accessible.
Creative Cabinet Solutions
Standard base and wall cabinets only extend storage so far before you start to run out of room for everything. That's where creative cabinet additions and storage inserts come in handy.
Install pull-out cabinets with handy built-in racks to neatly organize pans, trays, cutting boards and more. Spinning "lazy Susan" mechanisms in corner base cabinetry maximizes an often underutilized area. Add divider inserts to wide drawers to neatly stack plates and bowls vertically. Glass door wall cabinets provide both storage and display space for beautiful dinnerware. Even just swapping out a few standard cabinets for deeper pantry-style versions adds ample additional storage.
Keep Essentials At Hand
No one enjoys constantly fishing around for essential gear when prepping meals. Ensure everyday cooking necessities are readily at hand with targeted storage additions built right into your functional work stations.
For swift slicing and chopping, use inserts near cutting boards to neatly store knives close by. Install pot racks that mount to the wall or ceiling just above your stove to keep favorite pans and lids within arm's reach. Utensil crocks, knife blocks and custom built spice storage drawers incorporated right into islands and peninsulas keep accoutrements in easy reach.
Pantry Perfection
Even medium kitchens can likely spare some space for a dedicated pantry zone to help corral overflow. Look for an out of the way corner, nearby closet or section of wall space approximately 5 to 8 square feet in size. Build out the area with floor-to-ceiling shelving loaded with racks, pull out baskets and spinning storage. Top open shelves with ledges to prevent stray items from toppling over.
Islands & Peninsulas
Strategically incorporated islands and peninsulas enrich medium kitchen spaces with expanded counter space, storage and an inviting spot for quick meals.
Island Inspiration
Kitchen islands lend both form and function when thoughtfully added to medium floorplans. Optimal dimensions for medium kitchen islands generally range from approximately 36 to 42 inches wide and 24 to 36 inches deep. This allows for generous workspace without demanding too large a footprint. Look for movable islands on casters for flexibility.
In terms of design, choose durable workhorse materials like stainless steel or rich wood laminates. Incorporate storage solutions like shelves, racks and drawers built right into the base. Top with stone or quartz for an impervious and stylish prep station. Add seating along one side for casual dining or entertaining up to 2 or 3 guests.
Peninsula Perks
Similarly, built in peninsulas flanked by upper and base cabinets create perfect transition points from kitchen zone to dining zone. Utilize one side for small appliance storage, sinks, dishwares or extra seating. Allow the opposite side to overlook nearby breakfast nooks or adjoining dining spaces. Just be sure to leave ample walking room between the peninsula and remaining kitchen workstations.
Design Touches
Once you lock in smart storage solutions and efficient layouts, it's time to overlay personality with design finishes. From surfaces to lighting, it's the details that take your medium kitchen's style to the next level.
Lighting
Abundant natural lighting instantly livens up any kitchen. If your medium kitchen lacks big beautiful windows, supplement with adjustable fixtures instead. For true task lighting, install under cabinet lights to brightly illuminate prime prep zones. For ambience, make a statement by suspending elegant pendant lighting over islands and peninsulas.
Surfaces
Creative mixes of surface materials lend depth, durability and visual appeal. Quartz countertops offer hardness and stain-resistance with nearly endless patterns. Butcher block warms up spaces with organic texture. Elongated subway backsplash tiles and vibrant mosaic inserts infuse color and dimension.
Appliance finishes tie spaces together with uniformity. While white and bisque options blend seamlessly into light toned aesthetic, stainless steel lends a sleek, modern edge. For compactness, consider narrow-body refrigerators and slide-in ranges. Make sure appliances suit the physical dimensions of your medium kitchen as well as the scope of what you'll realistically utilize them for.
At around 100 to 200 square feet, medium kitchen spaces demand a delicate balance between practicality and panache. But implementing storage solutions, islands, workflow focused layouts and upscale finishes helps them rival even more spacious kitchens in both form and function.