David Bromstad Makes A Solid Case For Ditching Upper Cabinets In A Small Kitchen

Whether you are looking for a new home or trying to do updates on your current place, the kitchen is one of the best rooms to get a return on your investment. One of the reasons for this is because it's considered to be a room that helps to sell a house. But if you have a compact cooking and dining area, you might be looking for ways to make your small kitchen look and feel more spacious than it actually is.

In an episode of HGTV's "My Lottery Dream Home," host David Bromstad offered up a great design idea for how to make a smaller kitchen look bigger. His suggestion was to remove the upper cabinets and utilize an island for storage. The kitchen he offered this suggestion for was a more enclosed space that felt cut off from the rest of the home. So by removing the upper cabinets here, it would make the space feel connected. While this suggestion might feel specific to this kitchen and home, it's actually an interesting idea for any kitchen that has a small footprint.

Not having uppers in a kitchen might seem odd at first, but it's a kitchen cabinet trend that creates an open and clean aesthetic. Plus, it's gaining traction, especially in smaller spaces. In fact, Bromstad is not the only designer choosing to skip the upper cabinets in a kitchen. And there are actually a few different reasons for why this design idea works.

One of the big reasons that you might want to get rid of the cabinets that are higher up in your kitchen is because it will make the room look more open, which in turn makes it seem larger. In a smaller space, this is important as you won't feel as confined in the room. In some cases, it can also help to reconnect the kitchen to the rest of your home. This doesn't mean not having any storage space on the walls, but rather having one or two open shelves instead, which can also be used as a decor feature.

Ditching the upper cabinets can also make the space feel brighter. Often it seems like upper cabinets can make work surfaces darker, as they can cast shadows on countertops, unless you have under cabinet lighting in your kitchen. Without the upper cabinets in the way, it allows for more light to enter the room and it will help to brighten up the space where you work.

Another reason why more people are getting rid of their upper cabinets is because it actually makes your kitchen feel more modern. It's a way to create a room that gives off minimalist vibes. Without the cabinets along the upper part of the wall, you could create a design focal point with your backsplash. However you want to make your kitchen your own, channeling David Bromstad and eliminating the upper cabinets could give you a space that feels completely refreshed, while also making it feel larger and more connected to the rest of your home.