Small Kitchen Updates, No Renovation Required!

Watch this before you renovate! Small kitchens are more common than you think and sometimes need special consideration! In this video I am diving in and we are talking all about small kitchen and some great ways to update them without a costly renovation!

#kitchenupdates #garrettlechic #interiordesign

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Artwork by Itzchak Tarkay
Wall Color: Valspar "Asiago" 6005-1A

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Welcome to the channel! I'm formally educated with a college degree in interior design. My husband and I started this channel to discuss practical real world interior decorating techniques, and to present a multitude of interior design styles. Our videos explore everything from the ultra luxury to budget friendly designs, and decorating ideas. We want you to have a good time watching our videos, while learning a great deal of useful information. Subscribers are not a commodity to us. They are very respected, and valued members of our channel family!

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[nogames]

This suggestion does take more planning and money to do but well worth it. I made most of my bottom cabinets into drawers. It drastically increased my storage space.

[cvonsutphen]

*Prep Island* . The floor foot print in my kitchen is six feet, sink on one side, cook top on the opposite side. I took a 9 inch wide base cabinet and added a large cutting board to create a 19x27 inch prep area. There is plenty of space to walk around the island and because it is not anchored to the floor it can easily be moved. I literally prepare every meal on this space. *Peg Rails* . I use a peg rail over my coffee station for mugs and one on a blank wall for aprons and baskets that hold produce. Having a magnetic knife strip next to the cook top frees up counter/drawer space.

[TheLhester]

I have a large lazy Susan in my refrigerator. It does have a little wasted space on the corners of the fridge, but you can find all the tall things without taking out the two rows in front of them. Milk should be in the back for the cold, but who wants to dig it out? We have 2 kinds of milk, oj, mayonnaise, whipped cream. Then, when we get something out, we just turn the lazy susan to where the milk is in the back. I love it so much. I also saw an egg drawer that you can hang on the bottom of a fridge shelf, but my shelves have a lip in the back.

[karenokeane]

My birthday is coming up, so I gifted myself with something I've wanted for a long time....a Staub cast iron cocotte dutch oven in the shape of a beautifully ripened tomato. Not only is it an incredibly useful/practical tool for all sorts of meals--replacing a crock-pot, air fryer, casserole, etc---with professional results---but it is BEAUTIFUL to behold, like a piece of art, and it has an honored place on my stove top even when not in use.

[lisaanderson]

I purchased an unpainted furniture cabinet, painted it and changed the hardware to match my kitchen set. Holds large appliances, canned goods, pet food, etc. Made such a difference.

[deniseharrell]

I just bought 2 white wood storage benches from Aldi on clearance for $25.00 each!! Yes! My small and mighty kitchen can now have a food processor hidden off the counters!!😅😅 😅 Don't laugh-- I live for the clearance aisle!

[mrssme]

Love, Love, Love that white jewel box kitchen!!❤

[kathrynbaker]

Loved the suggestions about a “jewel box” kitchen. GREAT IDEA particularly for a small, condo/open concept space. I almost wish I had that situation…😃

[HappyHoney]

I have a small, rolling island. It has a storage cabinet & shelving. It has a fold out leaf. It's fantastic! It gives me a place to store baking/canning supplies and utensils, small kitchen gadgets (like my coffee pot, rice cooker, popcorn maker and bread machine.) It gives me a nice additional working surface and I can move it around, if I need to. I don't know how I'd function without it.

[j.m.]

I am fortunate to have a garage so I purchased an inexpensive flat pack vinyl tall cabinet from a big box store, put it together, and use for overflow storage. Baking pans, stock pots, extra foil and other wraps, anything not used daily.

[dev]

I feel like someone has been peeking in my windows! LOL

While my old home has a decent sized kitchen at 18 x 18, it has 4 doors, a window, and a fireplace. There is an adjoining dining room. Overall, the kitchen has little wall space for cabinets (there is a wonderful island with 3 counter height stools). I put an antique wardrobe in the hallway and fitted it with shelves. It houses all the large pots and serving dishes that I rarely use.

At 6:50, you showed an image of a magnetic knife wall unit. While you talked about using the wall for storage, you didn't specifically mention it. This makes a huge difference in my kitchen - I don't have a knife block on the counter and it protects the blades by not putting them loosely in a drawer (no room for an in-drawer organizer). On the counter, I have a ceramic crock that contains my most used cooking utensils. It's easy to clean, looks good, and takes up little room.

I'm not a huge fan of those canisters that all of our parents had unless you use them frequently. They can take up a lot of counterspace, you have to clean them and around them - it seems that sugar get spilled daily.

We have a glass door refrigerator. Because I'm somewhat lax at cleaning out the fridge, this forces me to keep it clean, I use colorful bowls to store produce and food so it provides a lot of visual impact but takes up no additional space.

[dodiegoldney]

Yay! I'm back online just in time for a topic that speaks to me! Garrett, you're my hero! 🥰Everything you suggested is so great, and there is so much organizing gear available now for making the most of vertical space and maximizing storage inside cupboards. There are even magnetic storage solutions if you're really strapped for space. I don't know if I have anything especially different to add, because these are such good tips. I guess I'd say when you are acquiring kitchen tools, cookware, dishes, serving ware, storage containers, etc., keeping things the same colour/metal/wood really helps to minimize visual clutter, especially if you are storing things in the open. I have almost everything in stainless steel, white, black, light wood (the colour of cutting boards), and/or clear glass, and no patterns. Even the dinner plates are white. It might not be for everybody, but for me, it keeps everything feeling calm!

Can't wait to catch up on the other videos I missed! You rock, Garrett! ❤

[JuliaARubin]

I love the jewel box kitchen term! I think that’s what I did, without knowing it 😊 denim blue stain cabinets (to the ceiling with the molding), white speckled granite full slab countertop and backsplash, blue-gray zelige-style tile on the floor and chrome hardware. It’s a smallish U-shaped space. From this day on I’m calling it my jewel box kitchen! I even have art in it!

[jeanvignes]

I have seen a designer friend use a rolling, metal, utility cabinet designed for tools as her kitchen storage for silverware, spatulas, whisks, knives, and cooking spoons, small appliances like a blender wand, etc. They usually have graduated sizes in the drawers and a top that is perfect for a custom cut wooden or bamboo cutting board. My friend’s was that perfect red from craftsman, but I’ve seen them in black or stainless steel, too. Best of all: wheels. You can easily move the cabinet where needed.

[charlotteschaefers]

Garret! After watching this video, I jumped up and made some changes to my rented, small galley kitchen. I covered the oatmeal Formica with black wood grain vinyl, made a backsplash with a patterned peel and stick vinyl. It’s an old building and it’s been painted and upgraded in a lot of ways, but my little inexpensive changes make it so much more fun for me. It’s like set design. If I get tired of it, I can change it up, but now I’m so very happy with my little jewel box kitchen.

[sidanelv-]

A full size dinningroom table that pulls out in sections and closes up into a buffet cabinet. When not in use it looks like regular buffet/storage cabinet which beautiful serving piece is displayed on

[wendykornfein]

Jewel box kitchen....I have one! Now I have a name for it! Thanks!

[rusticrye]

My top tip is to use wall units as base units, as they take up far less floor space.
And if your small kitchen has multiple room doors for access to other areas areas of your home (mine has four!), replace them with glazed doors. Removing those visual boundaries will make your kitchen feel so much bigger. 🙂

[traceywiseheart]

I just remodeled my bathroom. I had recessed shelving installed above toilet and I did a recessed medicine cabinet. My bathroom is small but I remembered to go vertical as well 😂❤. I am telling you that you are teaching me!

[feliciahackney]

So much to use here, because my husband & I get a LOT of cooking done in a small space. Lazy Susan's, I swear by em for pantry and cabinet storage.
Question-my husband gets to go into all kinds of homes for floor measurements-Im jealous cause he gets to see the decor of all these homes and I'd be fascinated. My question, when you & your husband go over to friends' places, are they always trying to get advice from you, or seem nervous to see what you think of their latest change?
Thanks for all the free advice! You're awesome!