Making efficient use of the space can make your kitchen seem much larger than it is.

Finding the right sized kitchen appliances

Smaller and more compact gadgets and appliances are better for smaller kitchens, especially when these gadgets need to stay on top of the counter. Huge appliances can swallow up an entire counter, even when there are only a couple of them. Consider buying a stove with two burners instead of four, and a smaller oven and fridge.

De-clutter and Maximize Storage Space

Any unneeded clutter, whether on the counter or on the floor will definitely make a small kitchen feel cramped. If you get rid of anything that is not essential and put things where they belong when not in use, your kitchen will surely appear larger.

Even after de-cluttering, you will probably need some storage space. Splurging on deeper than normal cabinets or shelving units on top of counters can be great ways to make use of small spaces.

If you’re lucky enough to have very high ceilings, you can hang more overhead cabinets. Hanging a ladder on the wall to reach those high cabinets can be funky and functional. Use any empty wall space for extra cabinets. Glass-fronted cabinets and cabinets and shelves of different sizes can be a great way to use the space and give a great hip look.

Lighting a small kitchen

Lighting under cabinets or under counters can create an illusion of more space, too. Using lights like this as well as mirrors along walls opposite windows can make a small room to look almost enormous. Speaking of windows, the bigger, the better, if you have the choice.

Flooring fit for kitchens

The use of big, glossy kitchen tile can trick the eye, too. The gloss will toss the light around and your vision won’t be broken up by many lines of smaller tiles. In tight spaces, it’s best to use light-colored flooring.

Minimalist kitchen furniture

Smaller, minimalist furniture is best for small kitchens. Use chairs with no arms and place a long table along a wall instead of in the center of the room. If at all possible, use stainless steel, which will cause light to bounce around and make the room feel bigger and look gorgeous.

Using hanging pot racks is a fun way to show off your goods as well as save space. If you’ve got the budget for it, sliding counter tops are terrific space savers. Try utilizing the space over and around your sink for open shelves for fruit bowls and glasses. Don’t be afraid to move furniture and large appliances around to see what works best.

Work with color

The use of contrasting colors such as white walls and dark cabinets can add depth to the room. You could also paint the walls in contrasting colors, for example, by painting a small wall a really bright color while making the rest pale.

A lot of home decorating ideas, especially for smaller spaces, has to do with light and correct utilization of space. Remember that small kitchens don’r always have to be the “everything room” – used for laundry, schoolwork, recipes as well as cooking.

Enjoy your small kitchen in style

In a small kitchen, try to keep everything that doesn’t specifically have to do with cooking out of the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of most homes, so this might make for quite an adventure, but if you utilize as many of these tips as you can, you’ll be enjoying a nice cup of tea with a friend comfortably in no time.

Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies notes that homeowners are redirecting their remodeling dollars away from kitchen and bath remodels, room additions, and interiors. But pros in some areas are still doing a brisk business in two-story additions, often to enlarge a kitchen, add a home office, or build a tricked-out master suite that’s separate from the rest of the family’s bedrooms.

That project is among the most expensive of remodeling undertakings, so contractors are taking care to add value to the home as they add space. Here are 16 tips from pros who are successfully building up and out:

–Use the existing house as inspiration for the addition. Installing a different style of siding, roofing, and windows on the addition will make it obvious that the new rooms were not built as part of the original house.

–Duplicate architectural elements from the main house in both the interior and exterior of the addition—on both floors—to create a sense of unity between old and new. In a home with a bay window and window seat in the existing living room, Ward designed a similar area in the new family room.

–Mismatched windows are a telltale sign that part of the house has been added on. Choose windows in the same style and material—or at least a lookalike material—as the ones on the original structure. Keep the sill lines even on both structures.

–Blend the new flooring with the old. Ward notes that the rich-but-worn look of old hardwood floors is hard to replicate with brand-new material.

–You can also make an addition “match” the rest of the house by remodeling parts of the existing structure so it includes some of the addition’s modern touches. One builder did this to a brick home whose owner wanted board-and-batten shake siding on the two-story addition. He re-sided a pair of dormers on the opposite end of the house, too, so the facade looks balanced and the addition appears to be part of the original structure.

–Likewise, try to replicate the addition’s up-to-date structural, safety, and energy-efficiency improvements in the older part by suggesting that the homeowner bring the whole house—and not just the addition, as required—up to code.

–Incorporate modern materials that look authentic and match the main house but that are engineered to last longer, hold up better to harsh weather, and require less maintenance. Builders are installing high-end, solid-core fiberglass doors and textured fiber-cement siding that looks as much like wood as the years-old material on the rest of the home.

–Convince your clients to upgrade the HVAC. An air-conditioning unit that’s properly sized for the original structure will not perform well if you add more than about 30 square feet to the house. Most clients resist replacing their existing units because of the cost, but that their homes are usually uncomfortably humid later if they don’t—especially if the two-story addition includes an unconditioned garage under new living quarters.

-Consider the “flow” of the house. This is a very big deal. A lot of effort is put into making sure [the layout of the house] still makes sense, once it has an addition, so you don’t have to go to the middle of the living room to get to the new kitchen. Sometimes that means reallocating the space in rooms besides the ones you’re adding on.

–Step the addition forward or back a few feet from the original part to avoid turning the building into a big rectangle. This makes for a profile that’s interesting to look at, rather than one gigantic box. Likewise, making the addition’s roof line a bit lower than the roof on the main house can make it easier to flash.

–Still, the trusses between floors should line up precisely. Otherwise, the floors and ceilings of the addition won’t even out with those of the original structure.

–Plan for a large staircase. If you’re lucky, the home’s existing staircase is located close enough to the two-story addition that a new one isn’t needed. If a new staircase is needed, however, it’s likely to take up more space than you might want to.

–Remove existing walls to create larger rooms. Addition can do more than add rooms; they can transform the small, separate kitchen, dining room, and living room into a single, spacious, open area for cooking, socializing, and watching TV. Vaulted ceilings are popular for additions for the same reason.

–Consider alternative framing members for large spans on two-story additions. Lightweight steel beams are thinner than I-joists or engineered LDL beams and have saved him from exceeding height restrictions. Using thicker framing members can create problems with head clearance at the top of staircases, due to the thicker product raises the elevation of the floor.

–If the addition leaves the backyard too small for a good-size deck, build the deck on the side of the house instead. The majority of people that do additions end up adding a sundeck.

–Educate the homeowner about zoning restrictions. Many clients ask for additions that are larger than local laws allow because they are unaware of regulations restricting them from building too close to the property line or covering too high a percentage of the lot. Some communities have height restrictions for multiple-story additions as well.

—Thanks to Sharon O’Malley of Building Products magazine

The key: “You have to listen to them,” advises Streett, owner of Rolling Ridge Deck in Evergreen, Colo., and winner of multiple awards from the North American Deck and Railing Association. “They’re going to tell you what they want, but they don’t always know what they want. Listen in general terms, and then specifically think about how you can deliver it.”

Even then, notes Justus Lambros, owner of Signature Deck in Maumee, Ohio, not every fabulous deck delivers a prize. “Some amazing decks have won those awards,” says Lambros, another NADRA winner. “You couldn’t just put those decks on the back of a subdivision home. You have to have the right site, the right view. I’ve done only two in my career that would qualify for that type of award.”

Those award-winning decks feature attention to the minutest details—from curves and angles that drop the judges’ jaws to hidden fasteners and above-code framing that add an unseen something to the finished product.

“It’s really easy to build a square deck,” admits Dave Kramer, sales manager for D.G. Liu Contractor in Dickerson, Md., a Chrysalis award winner. “But if you can add a little personality to it, that raises you above the pack. There are a bazillion deck builders out there who can put up a deck fast, but they don’t pay attention to finish details so they can charge less.”

Here are 10 best practice tips from award-winning deck builders:

1. Show off your curves. The hottest trend in deck design is curves, says Mel Karlson, senior marketing manager for composite decking manufacturer Trex. “They add drama to a deck,” says Karlson, who observes that most award-winners incorporate curves on edges and accessories.

Tim Stephens, winner of multiple National Association of the Remodeling Industry Contractor of the Year awards, says a rounded deck is a natural extension of a landscape that features curved planting beds and curved sidewalks. Stephens, owner of Archadeck of West Central and Southwest Ohio, curves the boards’ edges to transition from one level to another, and favors curved deck-top planters and wet bars.

“What we’re going for is the deck not to look like an attachment to the house, but to blend in with the back yard,” he explains.

2. Don’t block the view. Most building codes require railings only on decks that sit three feet or more off the ground. So Stephens skips them when they’ll obstruct an especially spectacular view. To define the deck’s edges, he suggests crafting benches from the same material as the decking. He made one award-winner pop with faux stone bench legs.

Lambros agrees: “Whatever features the landscape has to offer, the deck should be an avenue to enjoy the star attraction, which is the landscape. The deck might be an award-winner, but it shouldn’t steal the show.”

3. Design an outdoor room. More homeowners are building decks to expand their living space—and to bring their lifestyles outdoors. Stephens notes that his clients want an outdoor setup that mimics the indoors: kitchen, living room, dining area. Some designs simply accommodate a grill, a table with chairs, and a few pieces of patio furniture, while larger decks have room for separate, wall-less rooms on multiple levels.

Even in chilly Colorado, homeowners want to use their decks nine months a year, notes Streett, who incorporates infrared heaters, gas heaters, and fireplaces into his designs. “Everybody here has that mindset,” he says.

4. Light up the night. Low-voltage lighting—atop rail posts, along edges, on stairs and between levels—is more than a safety feature required by some local codes. “Lighting is cool,” says Lambros. “It adds a whole other level of enjoyment for your customer.” Plus, he notes: “Most people can afford to do it,” because low-voltage lighting doesn’t require an electrician.

5. Toss in some texture. Incorporate stone, brick, stucco, or another contrasting texture into fireplaces, columns, and architectural details on a wood or composite deck. For a homeowner with contemporary taste, Kramer’s company crafted rails from stainless steel pipe and positioned them horizontally between posts made from Brazilian ipe like the deck. Streett has borrowed textures from the home’s interior to repeat on the deck, like distressed wood and exposed beams on outdoor deck roofs.

6. Minimize maintenance. While wood remains dominant in decking, more and more award-winners are constructed of composites. Stephens says most of his clients request it because it’s low-maintenance and comes with a warranty against fading and splintering.

Kramer advises builders to heed manufacturers’ specs for installation—even for out-of-sight framing—to keep from voiding the warranty and having to repair or replace a disappointing deck on your own dime.

7. Rally around rails. Rails and posts can be a deck’s “wow factor,” says Lambros, who mixes the components of color-matched pre-fab kits with custom-made post sleeves and dreams up creative alternatives to wood or wood-look rails, like glass and iron. “That will set you apart,” he notes.

8. Frame the picture. Placing deck boards in well-considered alternating patterns gives the builder the chance to make each deck unique. Lambros favors “picture framing” the perimeter of a deck with boards that go in the opposite direction from the decking on the rest of the surface. Other simple techniques: placing boards on each half of the deck diagonally facing the center of the structure or using a lighter or darker color around the edges and at transition points between levels or at steps.

9. Cool things off. A pergola, retractable awning or vinyl canopy can shade a deck and allow the homeowner to use it when the weather is especially hot. It also can add an unexpected design touch and make the deck look more finished. Stephens’ tip: While you can’t use composite decking to build a shade structure, choose a low-maintenance product. “Nobody has the time or inclination to maintain it,” he says.

10. Keep what’s out of sight top of mind. The homeowners might not notice when the builder takes the time to hide fasteners or install joists that are a step above code. But they’ll notice if you don’t, says Kramer, when they feel the boards bounce or snag a bare foot on a popped-up nail.

Thanks to Sharon O’Malley, contributing editor at Building Products magazine.

Deck Trends

1. Curved elements, like rounded deck edges, soft corners, and curved planters.
2. Multiple levels, often divided into functional areas for cooking, conversation, and eating.
3. Two-story decks with plenty of room on the paved bottom level for furniture and entertaining and with drainage on the elevated deck so rain doesn’t drip downstairs.
4. Outdoor kitchens, which more homeowners consider functional, convenient—and a status symbol.
5. Low-voltage lighting for safety and ambiance that can also extend the use of the deck into the night.
6. Water features on the deck or nearby to create calming white noise and add a point of interest.
7. Fire features like fireplaces or fire pits that sit a couple of feet up from the walking surface, especially those with the latest gadgetry, like gas burners that fire up pea-gravel or glass rocks in place of wood logs.
8. Sound systems designed for outdoor use with speakers built into rail posts and jacks for weather-safe home theater equipment.

Most roofs can be traced back to a half a dozen or so basic designs. Each style has specific characteristics based on the time period it was built. Some homes may have combined more than one style. This may be intentional or a good indication that additional structures were added.

Flat Roof: These consist of a horizontal plane with a slight slope for drainage. You find these more on contemporary and modern homes.

Shed Roof: These consist of a half-gabled roof with a single slope. As with the flat roof, these are seen more in contemporary homes. Most of your simple room additions will have a shed roof on them.

Gable Roof: These are typically on ranch and colonial style homes. They have a front to back slope and meet at a center raised peak. Both right and left ends are shaped like triangles. Pitches vary greatly depending whether it has an attic or is used as living space.

Gambrel Roof: These are subtypes of the gabled roof, with two dual-pitched gables. The broken roof slope form two sets of planes on each side, with the outer plane much steeper in pitch. This is the one most people think looks like a barn, which is called Dutch colonial style.

Hipped Roof: These consist of four slopes down from a ridge to the eave overhangs. A rectangular ranch or colonial will have a trapezoid front and back and triangles on each end. The above Four Square has equal sections and a matching front porch.

Mansard Roof: This is a subtype of the hipped roof. These are four-sided, dual-pitched roofs with a steep lower slope and an almost flat top.

Saltbox Roof: These consist of two upper steep pitched, front to back planes, with an extension of the rear roof section. This would typically be over a first floor structure and at a lower pitch.

ILLUSTRATION: Rene Eisenbart

Ranch or Rambler Style houses have one level with all the main living spaces on that. Most have a front to back gable roof but some had a hip style (see roof styles).

The Raised Ranch or Split Foyer home has two stories. The lower story is at ground level or partially submerged below grade. From the main entrance, a half flight of stairs leads to the upper main living areas and half flight leads to the lower.

Colonial or Federal homes have two stories and are rectangle shaped. The have simple front to back sloped gable roofs, center hall/entry and stairs.

A Split-Level Ranch is typically divided into three parts. Each section is a half level off from the next. The lowest level is usually a basement but sometimes is like the above photo. Main level entrance combines the living room, dining room and kitchen.

Cape Cod Houses have a full height main level capped by a sleep pitched roof. This type of roof doesn’t allow for full height ceilings in the upper level, so they are typically sloped. All but some of the really old Cape Cods have front facing dog house dormers.

Bungalow or Craftsman houses come in many styles. The California Bungalow shown here has heavy square columns and a simple concrete foundation. They have one and a half stories with most of the living spaces on the ground floor. The roof is low sloped and sometimes has large shed dormers.

Victorian Houses were two and a half stories with wrap around porches and decorative architectural trim throughout. The gable roofs were steep, but not too steep. Most have rear ‘T’ shaped additions that were added as families grew larger.

Tudor Revival houses have the appearance of a medieval building with decorative half-timbers, steeply pitched roof and large chimneys. Exterior is masonry or stucco and has tall narrow windows with small panes.

A McMansion or Neoeclectic home can be difficult to describe because it combines many styles. The shape of the roof, the design of the windows, and decorative details may be inspired by several different periods and cultures. They are large and most were built in 1990 through early 2000’s but have been dated back to the 60’s.

Prairie style houses have low sloping roofs and horizontal lines. The eave overhangs are large, chimney is central and the one floor plan is open.

Spanish Mission houses had stucco siding, arched entry porch, large square pillars and roof parapets. The roofs were typically tiled with ornamental drainpipes.

Because they are built with adobe, Pueblo homes are sometimes called Adobes. Mostly found in the southwest these homes have massive round-edged walls and flat roofs. The heavy support timbers come through the walls and become rounded parapets.

Contemporary homes are known for their large windows and unusual shapes. They have open floor plans and are usually built with natural materials.

Modern and Post-Modern houses are symmetrical with horizontal shapes and flat roofs. They have walls of glass and open floor plans.

Neo-mediterrean houses are also called Mediterranean or Spanish style. They have low pitch roofs with ceramic roof tiles, stucco walls and arches above doors and windows.