13 Simple Ways to Make a Kitchen Look Bigger and Brighter

Co-authored by Kanika Khurana and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 4, 2023 References

When it comes to interior design, perception is the name of the game. While you can’t magically make your kitchen bigger, you can definitely open and brighten up the space with a few decorative changes. Don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to renovate your kitchen without breaking the bank.

1

Choose light colors.

Open up your living space by repainting the walls in a lighter color. Dark colors can make your kitchen feel a lot more cramped and crowded. Make your room a little more spacious with a lighter paint color, like off-white, cream, light gray, or light yellow.^{[1]
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- White can be a simple but powerful way to brighten up your kitchen and make it feel a lot bigger. Try adding white to the walls, cabinets, counters, and ceiling to really open up your space.^{[2]
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2

Get brighter bulbs.

Unscrew your bulbs and check the current wattage. Take a peek inside your light fixtures and see if there’s a recommended wattage. If the fixture allows it, screw a brighter light bulb in place.^{[3]
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- Warm white light bulbs fall somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 Kelvin, and offer a cozy lighting option for your kitchen.^{[4]
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- Bright white light bulbs are between 4,000 and 5,000 Kelvin. They’re brighter than warm white bulbs but aren’t quite as cozy.

3

Avoid big color contrasts.

Keep your kitchen decor light-colored. Don’t mix and match light and dark color schemes in your kitchen. If you’re working with a small space, big color contrasts will make your kitchen feel imbalanced and closed-off. Instead, stick to a light color scheme throughout your kitchen, so your room feels a lot more spacious.^{[5]
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- For instance, don’t have white kitchen walls with black cabinets. Instead, repaint the cabinets white, or another light color.

4

Use accent lights.

Install lights below your cabinets. Accent lighting adds an extra dimension to your living space, and helps brighten up the central counter space. The extra light cuts out a lot of the lighting contrast, which helps your kitchen feel a bit bigger.^{[6]
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- You can also install lights along the top of your counter to create a similar effect.
- Some under-cabinet lights can be installed with magnetic strips or an adhesive. Other types of lights might need to be screwed into your cabinet, or connected to your wiring system.^{[7]
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5

Get rid of clutter.

Place all of your gadgets and appliances in an assigned place. Extra clutter will definitely make your kitchen feel congested. Thankfully, there’s an easy fix—put away all of your tools and supplies as soon you’re done using them. The less clutter you have, the more open and expansive your kitchen will look and feel.^{[8]
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- If your kitchen is pretty small, take advantage of creative storage. Hidden storage racks are a great way to store your items without taking up too much space.

6

Pick smaller furniture.

Make the most of your floor space. You can’t change the size of your kitchen, but you can change what’s in your kitchen. Replace large, clunky tables and other furniture with a small island—this will leave a lot of open floor space, while still giving you a place to get your meals ready.^{[9]
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- You might also like foldable furniture, like a foldable table that you can shrink down when you’re not eating.

7

Prioritize natural light.

Take down your curtains or drapes. It may seem a little strange at first, but bare windows can add a lot of light to your kitchen.^{[10]
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8

Hang up mirrors.

Reflect some extra light into your kitchen with a tasteful mirror. Find some open wall space in your kitchen where a mirror could fit. It doesn’t have to be huge—any size mirror will reflect light and add a little life to your kitchen.^{[12]
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- For instance, you might install 2 large mirrors that take up an entire wall of your kitchen.^{[13]
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- You might hang up a small, circular mirror on the wall as a more subtle decoration.^{[14]
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9

Switch to open shelves.

Remove your cabinet doors to open up the space. Closed cabinets can really make your kitchen feel boxed in and cramped. To expand your space a little bit, grab a screwdriver and remove the doors from your cabinets completely.^{[15]
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- If you aren’t a fan of open shelving, install glass-front doors on your cabinets instead.

10

Pick out striped wallpaper.

Switch to vertically striped wallpaper so your kitchen looks and feels bigger. Vertical stripes help guide the eye in a vertical direction, which can make your room feel a bit larger.^{[16]
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- If you don’t feel like adding new wallpaper, that’s totally fine! Long, straight cabinet handles can also create the same effect.

11

Add a white backsplash.

Brighten up your space with a white backsplash. Pick a backsplash made with subway tile or marble, which will reflect a lot of light. Add the white tile above the entire stretch of your countertop, which helps make your room feel a bit brighter.^{[17]
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12

Play with bold patterns.

Decorate your kitchen with geometric or diagonal patterns. Choose a wallpaper with these types of patterns, or pick out rugs and other furnishings with these designs. Geometric and diagonal patterns draw your eyes in several different directions, which can make your room feel a lot bigger.^{[18]
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- For instance, you might hang up geometric wallpaper, or spread a diagonally-striped rug on the floor.

13

Install reflective surfaces.

Decorate your kitchen with shiny appliances and materials. Add some metallic surfaces to your kitchen, like a stainless steel refrigerator or microwave. You can also add a glass tile backsplash to your kitchen counters, which will reflect a lot of light and brighten up the space.^{[19]
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- Reflected light will make your kitchen feel a lot bigger.
- Don't forget about the hardware! You can make a big impact by updating simply your faucets and drawer pulls.^{[20]
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  Expert Source
  
  Jennifer Butt, MD
  Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist
  Expert Interview. 13 March 2020.}

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you make a small kitchen look bigger on a budget?

Kanika Khurana
Interior Designer
Kanika Khurana is an Interior Designer and the Owner of Kanika Design. With over 12 years of experience, Kanika specializes in remodeling, refurnishing, and color consulting. Kanika holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University, a Redesign and Home Staging Certification, and an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Cañada College.

Kanika Khurana

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

If you're on a budget, focus on your backsplash and countertops, rather than your cabinets. It's a good value because those updates will last a lot longer.
Question

What should I budget for updating my kitchen?

Kanika Khurana
Interior Designer
Kanika Khurana is an Interior Designer and the Owner of Kanika Design. With over 12 years of experience, Kanika specializes in remodeling, refurnishing, and color consulting. Kanika holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University, a Redesign and Home Staging Certification, and an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Cañada College.

Kanika Khurana

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

The exact number will depend on what you're trying to do, but the important thing to know is that you should always budget for 20-30% than you think you need. Once you start taking things apart, there's usually some unseen issue that you'll have to deal with, and it's better to be prepared for that.