5 Zero-Effort Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look (and Feel!) Bigger, According to Designers

1. Prioritize Flooring

Pamela O’Brien, president and lead designer at Pamela Hope Designs noted the importance of flooring when it comes to your kitchen. “You can use flooring as a pathway to draw the eye through the kitchen,” she says. “Installing larger format flooring such as long planks or oversized tile helps extend the space. Keeping the same flooring from adjacent rooms and running it into the kitchen also expands your field of vision.” If you’re not looking to splurge, there are plenty of budget-friendly stick-and-peel floor tile options to choose from.

2. Remove Upper Cabinetry

O’Brien also remarked how upper cabinetry can make a kitchen look much tighter and closed off. “If you have adequate storage in your small kitchen, removing some of the upper cabinets really opens up the walls,” she says. “If you need more storage, you can install a few floating shelves on open wall space. This is lighter than full cabinetry and can be an attractive focal point for sets of pretty dishes or a collection of vases.” In fact, it’s one of the hottest kitchen cabinet trends of 2025!

3. Lighter-Colored Cabinets

Cabinet color is also a big factor here! Teri Simone, the head of design and marketing at Nieu Cabinet Doors, says that one of the most effective ways to make a kitchen feel bigger is by using lighter, warm-toned colors throughout your cabinets and walls. “Off-whites, soft beiges, or gentle taupes can help open up the space while adding a cozy, inviting feel, which is especially important in smaller kitchens,” she says. “In spaces with little natural light, a purer white can help bounce light around the room and create a brighter atmosphere.” 

Alice Moszczynski, an interior designer at Planner 5D, agrees: “A creamy white or pale gray paired with subtle metallic hardware can create some depth and brightness without feeling super sterile.”

4. Have a Focal Point

But if you’re up for it, there are some low-lift, fun ways to increase intrigue in the space, too. Leigh Spicher, the national director of design studios at Ashton Woods Homes, emphasized how important it is to have a focal point in your kitchen. “My favorite way to achieve this in a small kitchen is with a bold choice of appliance color or unique light fixtures,” she says. “I especially love a light backdrop, neutral kitchen, and a bold appliance to draw the eye in.” 

5. ​​Ditch the Clutter

Lastly, one of the simplest things that will make the biggest difference in your kitchen is the lack of clutter. Kathy Kuo, CEO of Kathy Kuo Home, says the most important thing that can make a kitchen feel small and cluttered is a lack of proper storage. 

Of course, you could sign up for The Kitchn Cabinet Cure to declutter your space, but Kuo also recommends “taking full advantage of all your cabinet and under-the-counter space so that all of your kitchen tools and gadgets have a place to be when not in use.” Additionally, she suggests you “think critically about what gets to live on top of your counter and put some thought into a few well-placed decorative touches to help add a bit of polish (think: a vase of flowers or a chic cookbook stand).” These easy swaps can add flair without overwhelming the room.

Do you have any tricks for making your space look larger? Let us know in the comments below!