Dakota Johnson’s small kitchen makes the most of a compact space
Actress Dakota Johnson’s small kitchen – renovated by Emily Ward and Louisa Pierce, the incredibly talented design duo behind Josh Brolin, Johnny Galecki, and Emma Robert’s exceptional properties – is nothing less than a triumph.
Increasing the sense of space in rooms that are small in stature is a design issue everyone wants to solve, but small kitchens hold so much potential. They are some of my favorite spaces to design and decorate.
Whether you’re working around a tiny U-shaped kitchen or a compact corner of an open-plan space, there’s no reason to compromise on an aesthetic scheme. Dakota Johnson’s bijou room is the perfect example of how to design a small kitchen that plays up to its proportions.
Shop the edit – decorative items for countertops
Made exclusively for Anthropologie, this hand-painted stoneware basket is a decorative take on the practical storage basket. Whether placed on the table or tucked into your fridge, its sweet design is sure to bring a touch of whimsy to your day.
Used in cooking and for infusing hot drinks, as well as for their aroma and medicinal purposes, herbs have so many benefits so it’s worth growing your own – and this planter is the perfect place to create a miniature indoor herb garden.
Brass Detailed Metal Bread Box
Keep your bread fresh with this statement Bread Box. An oval shape and slight ribbed detail give a delicate touch to its metal form. Finished with an oval brass “BREAD” stamp, and matching brass handle, this box looks just as good styled in your open shelving as it does filled with your favorite breads.
The design firm Pierce & Ward, which has offices in L.A. and Nashville, helped execute Johnson’s wish list, which was to curate a home that was paid homepage to its mid-century history, and with pockets of unexpected color. Dakota Johnson’s ‘pea green’ kitchen cabinet color is a testament to this. Surprisingly, it doesn’t shrink the space at all, only enhances the sense of intrigue.
Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward are not the only designers who love the challenge of working with smaller spaces. Interior designer, Guy Goodfellow takes great satisfaction in enhancing small rooms, too.
‘Somehow I get more pleasure out of the ingenuity needed for the little spaces,’ he says. ‘In tiny kitchens, you want to make the most of every possible little corner. Then, if you can, disguise most of the kitchen elements, as the space will seem much bigger.’
Build storage upwards to draw the eye towards the ceiling, and use glass-fronted cabinetry to help light bounce around the room, similar to the one in Dakota’s space. Practical necessities like washing machines, ironing boards, fridges, and fridge freezers can be hidden away in decorative cupboards.’
If your room is even smaller than Dakota’s, one trick is to half sink a kitchen space into a wall and cover it with cabinetry, so when closed it’s disguised, and you only have to fold back the doors to access the kitchen elements.
Make use of the inside of the doors, too, like by adding a pin board for all the daily ephemera, so again they’re hidden away when the room is used as an entertaining space but on show when it’s in a more practical usage.
Finally, take the time to consider the natural flow through rooms. Where possible remove doors and architraves to improve the flow. Built-in furniture will make every nook and cranny work as hard as possible, and glass-fronted cabinets or panels will allow light to bounce around the space.
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