In many homes, the kitchen is the most important room of the entire house.

It is somewhere to cook, eat and get together with family or friends. As houses come in all shapes and sizes, you may be faced with an awkward or unusual kitchen space that is hard to design or decorate.

Therefore, those who want to spruce up their most used room could find these design tips pretty useful – especially if that room is an unusual shape!

Dealing with unusual ceilings

Some older houses may have different ceiling heights or a ceiling that is completely sloped. This can make it pretty difficult when trying to fit higher objects such as cupboards, shelving and cookers. When it comes to unusual ceilings, it is all about making use of the space you do have.

Make sure that you plan the higher objects to be fitted in where the ceiling reaches its highest point, with the smaller objects and appliances at the lowest points. Sometimes it may be a case of sacrificing wall cupboards for those that are lower down. You may find that some furniture can be specially made for slanted ceilings, although this can be quite pricey.

Make sure that you bear in mind headroom as well. You can test out various areas of the room by simply standing in them and giving the kitchen a ‘trial run’. See where it is difficult to manoeuvre and where the easier areas with more space are, for a better idea of where certain appliances should go.

Corners and curves

Some kitchens are nicely presented with lots of curving corners and unusual nooks and crannies.

These can look fantastic but can cause a nightmare when it comes to the design and decoration of the room. If you have plenty of corners in your kitchen then you will need to make the most of them.

This ensures that there is no ‘useless’ space in the room and gives you more opportunity for storage, appliances and other bits and bobs. You can find plenty of corner cupboards, reasonably priced, that are designed to fit in at 90 degree angles. These can be used as display cupboards for glasses and so on, or just as storage.

If you have curves instead of corners, then these are the perfect areas for knick knacks, bits and bobs and smaller appliances. Things such as kettles, bread bins, toasters and so on can be neatly placed in the curved areas of your kitchen to maximise the space. If you have small alcoves, or nooks and crannies, then make use of those too! You could seal them off with a door to create a small pantry, or place some artwork there to brighten the place up. Never leave unusual spaces empty, as that is what makes your kitchen so special.

An unusual kitchen space doesn’t have to be a pain when it comes to design and decorating, it is all about maximising what you have available.

Giving the kitchen a ‘trial run’ with the old furniture in, or even empty, can give you a great idea of the best spaces for certain appliances. Also, make sure that any unusual features are highlighted, even if it is just with a small piece of artwork or knick knacks.