Kitchen showrooms are not designed to display unrealistic designs. In fact, you can get many practical ideas to apply in your own home. Some ideas are particularly useful for small kitchens, which seem to have limited space for creativity.

1. Vertical stripes for added height

You probably know that horizontal stripes will make small spaces appear wider. However, you may not realize that vertical stripes would also be suitable for such small spaces.

Just as horizontal lines alter your perception of width, vertical lines also change your perception of height. By applying vertical stripes, you can make the ceiling appear much higher. This will also give your room a more spacious feel, especially if you are claustrophobic.

To produce the correct effect, knowledge of the correct colors to use in creating vertical stripes is essential. According to the requirements of the national VET (Vocational Education and Training) registry in Australia, a designer must be proficient in the use of color for effective communication of desired concepts or ideas. Only with such knowledge would the designer produce the correct effect of greater spaciousness within a small room.

2. Add depth with Venetian plaster

There are actually more ways to create the perception of higher ceilings. In addition to using vertical stripes, you can also add Venetian plaster to the ceiling. Unlike vertical stripes that simply create a visual perception, the polished finish of Venetian plaster would reflect light, making such a ceiling appear much taller than it is.

In case you have a significant budget, you can go all the way and raise your ceiling. Be aware that such a renovation project would be quite expensive.

3. Install luminous material

This installation offers you another option to create the illusion of spaciousness in your kitchen area. The light reflected in the luminous material serves to enhance the brightness, as well as for the perception of greater depth within the kitchen.

The backsplash is a very good point to target for luminous material installation. This is especially true if it sticks out above glass-fronted upper cabinets. You can achieve this by installing white marble, which has a glossy surface that would add even more depth to the surface of the backsplash.

However, the application of luminous materials must be done with caution with respect to the people who use the kitchen. This is especially so as the Government of South Australia provides some recommendations on the application of suitable luminance contrast for the visually impaired or elderly. In this sense, anti-glare surfaces are required; whereas the colors should only provide approximately 30% luminance contrast.

4. Diagonal floors for greater width

Obviously, you will want the feeling of spaciousness not only when looking at the walls and ceiling, but also when looking down at the floor. This is something that could be much more of a concern in narrow gallery kitchen designs.

To achieve the perception of a larger floor space, you must break away from conventional layouts. Why not try installing diagonal floors, which give the perception of greater width, as opposed to conventional square patterns?

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