Keeping tenants happy with a nice kitchen is important to rental property owners, so the maintenance tip from Keepe is about 6 ways to make your rental property kitchens feel bigger.
Rental-property kitchens can be small, and tend to feel cramped.
Luckily, there are ways to make your kitchen feel bigger without physically expanding the space!
Small fixes like a paint change or adding additional lighting can make a huge difference in the way your kitchen looks and feels.
Here are 6 ways to make your rental property kitchens feel bigger:
No. 1 – White paint
White paint reflects light, which makes a room feel bigger and brighter. Try matching the countertops (and table, if appropriate) with a similar light color. It also helps to repaint bulky items to match the walls, which will camouflage them. If the room stays within a relatively similar color scheme, it creates an illusion of infinite space because the eye doesn’t have to jump from light to dark so often.
No. 2 – Patterned floors
Horizontal lines make your eyes move from one side to the other, creating the illusion of a wider and more open space. Hardwood floors are an option for this. Try aligning the panels horizontally when looking from the entrance of the room. Any other floor style with a similar pattern could have the same widening effect.
No. 3 – Lighting
A dimly lit kitchen can make it feel small and gloomy, while a brightly lit one feels open and welcoming. Try to encourage sunlight to enter the room if you can. Think about replacing any curtains with sheer curtains, or maybe removing them altogether. Pendant lights can be used as a source of lighting and a beautiful focal point for the room. Lights above, below and even inside the cupboards can help create the illusion of a bigger room by highlighting a once-dim area.
No. 4 – Shiny appliances
By switching appliances for newer, shiny ones, the light reflects off of the appliances, furthering the illusion of an “infinite” space. The brighter appliances also highlight the feeling of having a fully upgraded kitchen. Maybe this is one reason why stainless steel has never gone out of style!
No. 5 – Lightweight furnishing
Furnishings are always a focal point when it comes to kitchens. When looking to create the illusion of a bigger space, slim and lightweight furnishings are the way to go. Lightweight furnishings give the room a more airy feeling and also helps with the actual physical space of the room. Some options for this include kitchen stools, narrow chairs or slim tables/counter tops.
No. 6 – Organization
As with any room, organization is key. In a smaller kitchen, storage and floor space can be scarce. Taking advantage of vertical wall space can help with removing clutter from countertops. Hanging shelves help with storage and add a sophisticated look to any kitchen. Think about adding magnetic holders for kitchen utensils, like knives, or pegboards for hanging pots and pans.
Here are other recent rental property maintenance Keepe posts you may have missed:
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About Keepe:
Keepe is an on-demand maintenance solution for property managers and independent landlords. The company makes a network of hundreds of independent contractors and handymen available for maintenance projects at rental properties. Keepe is available in the Greater Seattle area, Greater Phoenix area, San Francisco Bay area, Portland, San Diego and is coming soon to an area near you. Learn more about Keepe at https://www.keepe.com
