London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025

Small kitchen storage ideas – your space-saving guide

Small kitchen storage ideas – your space-saving guide

The very best small kitchen storage ideas for when space is at a premium

When mulling over your small kitchen storage ideas, do you choose cabinets to hide everything away, or open shelving so everything is on sight and within easy reach? It really is down to personal choice and you will probably end up with a combination of cabinets, open shelving and drawers.

Larders are great for storing huge amounts of stuff from food to cookware but you may not have space for one. If installing wall cabinets, use the full height of the space and fit cabinets that go up to the ceiling, then incorporate pull-down shelves inside the units so everything is easy to reach. Open shelving can be tailor-made to fit any space, no matter how small.

1. Super Storage


            

Doesn’t everyone dream of having a pantry? You can get so much in them and it’s all in one space. Utilise the space inside the doors too for smaller shelves for herbs and spices. If you don’t want to buy a purpose-built pantry, find a large cabinet, maybe vintage, and create your own.

“In terms of storage for small kitchens, I would usually try work out if a larder cabinet can fit, as this takes away from the need to have lots of wall cabinets which can overcrowd the room and make it feel cramped," says Matt Baker, Kitchen Designer at Harvey Jones. "Adding shelving can be a clever way to still add height and give the room an open and airy feel without looking crowded.”

2.Turn a corner into a pantry


            

Not convinced you've room for a standalone larder? Then give a corner into a pantry-feel with open shelving and Kilner jars. Even in a small alcove you could create this with shelving, and by decanting ingredients into jars they look pretty enough to have on display.

3. Slim Pickings


            

Slimline storage is the perfect solution in a small kitchen, especially shelving as super-narrow as this one. It takes up hardly any space but is SO useful. You can use hooks to hang things from it too.

“Adding open shelves creates additional storage for everyday items and keeps your counters clear,” says Bettina Oshiro, Interior Design Leader at Ikea UK and Ireland.

4. Slide Out


            

Pull-out shelves are great in a small space and because they come right out, nothing gets lost at the back. Clear uprights on the shelf edges stop food from falling off and makes it easier to see smaller jars. These cabinets work well at the end of a run of tall units.

"Pull-out and pull-down cupboard designs are highly efficient," says Daniela Condo, Designer at Life Kitchens. "The pull-out larder is great for tidying away herbs and condiments, whilst the pull down offers greater accessibility for those with high set cabinetry, so that you don’t have to over stretch or grab a stool to access what you need."

5. Box clever


            

Instead of drawers, think about crate-style storage, it’s ideal for keeping vegetables in prime condition. This version is part of the Haddon kitchen by Kitchen Makers but you could make your own by building a frame around re-purposed crates or putting crates underneath a freestanding unit.

6. Make Use of Corners


            

This is a great use of a corner of a kitchen, it’s a deep space so useful for storing bigger items or small appliances like juicers. It includes a marble slab for making pastry with shelves above for, well, anything. There is a custom-built wine rack too.

“Built-in larders, essentially mimicking an old-fashioned pantry, are becoming more and more popular as the centre of the house gravitates more towards the kitchen as a family room," says Jayne Everett, Design Director, Naked Kitchens. "The Brancaster Marshes pantry boasts ample storage with bespoke bottle storage, floating shelving and open lower cabinets.”

7. Tall order


            

Use cupboards that go up to the ceiling to make the most of the space. This kitchen also has wall-mounted base units which makes the room look more spacious. And stylish U-shaped wall shelves are a great design feature.

8. Slim Jim


            

Lockers are brilliant as they are so narrow, at only 35cm wide, and can be used in any room of your home, so won’t look out of place if the kitchen is part of the living room. Plus, pink kitchens are very on trend. They are made from powder-coated steel so they are sturdy and are in a whole range of lovely colours. They come with four adjustable shelves and hooks and you can buy more shelves and also baskets if you wish.

9. Awkward Space


            

A classic example of a tricky area. Even a tiny space like this can be integrated into the kitchen. Slot deep shelves between the wall and a tall cabinet and paint them to match, then use them for cookery books or displaying favourite accessories.

10. Simple Colour Scheme


            

To keep a small kitchen looking neat, choose a colour and use it for everything – china, vases, serving dishes and accessories. One colour palette means it looks cohesive and nothing jars – to pardon the pun.

11. Tight Gap


            

If you have space left over and need to fill a gap, install a narrow pull-out drawer. It’s great for storing oils and condiments near the hob, and slides back in, so you don’t know it’s there. Or you could use similar spaces to store trays.

“Spend a good amount of time thinking about what storage you need," says Chris Webb, Senior Kitchen Buyer at B&Q. "There are so many cabinet sizes now, its easy to utilise all available space. Drawers are essential – use shallow ones for utensils and cutlery and deep ones for pan storage. Shelves can be a feature for your favourite accessories.”

12. Layer up


            

The best use of drawers - a deep, sectioned one at the bottom for pans, a smaller one in the middle for tableware and an even shallower one at the top for cutlery and utensils. Everything is to hand.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
Vietnam Faces Up to $25 Billion Export Loss as U.S. Tariffs Bite
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Indonesia Court Upholds Military Law Amid Concerns Over Expanded Civilian Role
Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch Join Trump-Backed Bid to Take Over TikTok
Trump and Musk Reunite Publicly for First Time Since Fallout at Kirk Memorial
Vietnam Closes 86 Million Untouched Bank Accounts Over Biometric ID Rules
×