When you are fighting for every square inch, think slim. Each design element needs to be as simple and as thin as possible. This means tops, sides and depths of cabinets should kept on the minimal side. Avoid extra thicknesses and heavy design details, such as complicated moldings on doors or on the tops of cabinetry. For tight kitchen or bathroom design, keep in mind that you can create a leaner look by keeping counter surfaces down to three quarters of an inch to a single inch in thickness. Stay away from a thick two or three inch surface if you wish to create a light feeling.

Do inches really matter that much? Yes! The more detail you include on your cabinet doors and drawer fronts, the more the eye must cope with at first glance. This basic painted white Shaker style is easy on the eyes. The thin glass top on the island is as minimal as can be. Frosted glass on door fronts softens what is stored behind the doors. While it is difficult to discern the exact material on the backsplash, it might be brushed stainless of a polished solid surface. You could also use clear mirror in a situation such as this one and the material would serve to expand the actual area. Simple does it!

Often people struggle with such a simple approach, wondering if they will regret it later. Is plain old white too boring? Over the years, you cannot go wrong with basic white and light floors. There is always the option to change wall paint with ease if you are looking for a little more pizzazz without committing to strong color for the elements that are costly to change. Consider ways to add a pop of color in accessories and art instead.

While it is not a requirement of small space design to stick to white, know that you will not be sorry if you keep the individual parts of your interior is white or off white. We are speaking of floors, cabinetry and woodwork such as base molding, crown molding and doorjambs. With simple, straight lines you cannot go wrong!

Other ways to make a tight space feel bigger include artful use of mirrors. Because it can be costly to purchase custom floor to ceiling mirrors, give thought to the idea of hunting for a gently used large mirror. You can always paint a wood frame mirror white, or if you like the frame as is, leave it in tact. Large mirrors might be leaned against a wall instead of hung, but be careful to do this if in the presence of infants and toddlers. Be certain to secure a heavy mirror to the wall. These days it seems to be popular to arrange multiples of a small unit size of framed mirrors on a wall. For example, you might buy twelve framed twelve by fourteen inch mirrors and hang them in a regular pattern. The result is an entire mirrored wall with some interesting detail, and one that is affordable.

Another small detail to employ might be to create a higher than typical toe kick. You can achieve a sensation of the cabinets floating with a European style kick. Perhaps you can hang the cabinets on the wall and create a cantilever instead of resting a cabinet right on the floor. Europeans use this technique to provide an illusion of space achieved when you can see the floor run under modular units. European style toilets and sinks often are hung on the wall for this reason.

Try to run cabinets up to the ceiling, because that also serves as an elongating trick. If you want a two tone color scheme, keep the lower cabinets in the same tone as the floor. In that way the floor will flow up.

Photo Credit: Plain and Fancy Custom Cabinetry

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego-based interior designer and author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email to [email protected] To find out more about Christine Brun and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.