The need for small kitchen designs does not necessarily mean that your small kitchen has to be a disappointment. Everything is getting smaller these days: phones, home video discs, MP3 players. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Look at the smallest space available to you as an opportunity to flex your creative muscles. In small kitchens, creativity is definitely needed to make the most of the available space, but at the same time it can be more convenient and make you spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the parts of the house where you might prefer to be. To really make your kitchen stand out, here are six of the best ideas to maximize space and efficiency:

Storage space. If you have less room to move around, you want to make sure you make the most of the kitchen’s ability to store appliances, pots, pans, cutlery, and other items that belong there. Nothing is as frustrating as limited space for movement and storage. So it’s important, no matter what final layout you choose, to include enough storage space for items not in use. To help with this feature, you may want to place an island in the center of the kitchen that is capable of both storage and use. Whether it’s a place to chop onions, prepare meals for the oven, or even a place to grill, the island can combine functionality leaving you with fewer space requirements.

galley up. The galley kitchen design is also a great tool in your small kitchen design ideas toolbox. Aligning cabinets and appliances in a hallway fashion can give you the ability to do a lot in a limited space, thereby cutting down on time. This style highlights a key feature that most small kitchen owners quickly master, and that is the concept of “two birds with one stone.” If you can do more than one task in a given place, be sure to do it.

Compact appliances. Do you remember a little later at the top of this article when it was mentioned that being smaller doesn’t have to mean you are smaller? Well, home appliances are one of the best areas where this compact line of thinking has taken hold. Manufacturers today try to help you save space, because everyone knows that a fan of the kitchen likes convenience as much as functionality.

Small tables, folding tables and stools. The concept of combining functions can be extended to your kitchen dining area. By combining the two, you can give yourself the opportunity to expand. Drop-down tables, small tables, and stools can turn your kitchen from a food lab to a family hub.