Studios and one-bedroom apartments in Phuket Town, Patong and Rawai often have compact kitchens along one wall or in a corner. With careful planning, a small kitchen can do almost everything a large one can.
Choose the right layout
A straight or galley kitchen makes the most of narrow rooms. An L-shaped kitchen fits corners and can include a small breakfast ledge. Keep the work triangle short and uncluttered.
Build up, not out
Tall cabinets to the ceiling add storage without taking floor space. Use the top shelves for items you rarely need, and keep everyday items between hip and shoulder height.
Slim and integrated appliances
A 60 cm or even 45 cm dishwasher, a two-zone induction hob and a combination microwave oven save space. Integrated fridges keep the kitchen looking calm and uncluttered.
Light colours and good lighting
Light fronts and worktops reflect daylight, while under-cabinet LEDs light the worktop at night. Handle-less fronts keep the look simple and the walkway clear.
Make every centimetre count
Send us your room measurements. We will design a compact kitchen with storage planned to the centimetre.
Hidden surfaces and clever storage
In a small kitchen, extra working space can fold away when you do not need it. A pull-out board below the worktop, a chopping board that fits over the sink and a fold-down ledge on a side wall all add surface for cooking without taking floor space.
The plinth is useful too. Shallow drawers in the space under base cabinets hold baking trays, cleaning cloths or spare bags. Make sure they are sealed and sit on raised legs, because mopping water reaches this area first.
Inside cabinets, use internal drawers rather than deep shelves so nothing is lost at the back, and a pull-out bin under the sink with separate sections for general waste and recycling. A slim pull-out beside the hob holds oils and spices exactly where you need them.
Making room for the washing machine
In many Phuket apartments the washing machine has to live in the kitchen. Plan for it from the start, so it sits in a proper space instead of beside a cabinet that was never designed for it.
The machine needs a water inlet, a drain with a trap and a dedicated socket, ideally close to the sink so the plumbing is simple. Leave a few centimetres of space at the sides and back for vibration, and check that the worktop above can be removed or lifted for service.
A washer-dryer saves space, but a vented or condenser dryer releases warm, damp air. In a small humid apartment, keep the kitchen window open or the hood running during drying, and never box a machine in so tightly that it cannot release heat.
Keeping food dry in a humid flat
Phuket's humidity affects food as much as cabinets. Rice, flour, sugar, coffee and spices soften, clump or attract ants quickly in a small kitchen with little air movement.
Plan a shallow pantry pull-out or a tall unit with internal drawers sized for clear, airtight containers, so you can see what you have at a glance. Keep this storage away from the oven and the side of the fridge, where heat speeds up spoilage.
Avoid closed cabinets directly above a kettle or rice cooker, where steam rises straight into the shelves. A short section of open worktop or a small open shelf for these appliances keeps moisture away from boards and food. If you are away for long periods, choose sealed containers for everything in the pantry, not only the items you open often.
Studio kitchens that blend in
In a studio, the kitchen is always in view, even from the bed. Choosing fronts that match the wardrobe or living furniture makes the kitchen look like part of the room rather than a separate block.
Some owners hide the whole kitchen behind tall doors that slide or fold back into side pockets. When closed, the room looks calm; when open, the full kitchen is available. Plan sockets and lighting so appliances can stay in place behind the doors, but never close them over a hot hob or a running appliance.
Quiet appliances matter more here than anywhere. An induction hob, a quiet dishwasher and a hood with a low-speed setting keep cooking from disturbing someone resting a few metres away.
Clearances that make a small kitchen work
Small kitchens fail when the gaps are wrong rather than when the room is small. As a guide, try to keep at least 40 to 60 cm of worktop between the sink and the hob, and a landing space beside the fridge for setting down shopping.
Leave about 50 to 60 cm between the worktop and the bottom of wall cabinets so small appliances fit underneath. If space is very tight, wall cabinets can be shallower than base units, around 30 to 35 cm deep, which still holds plates and glasses.
Check door swings on paper before ordering: the fridge, oven and dishwasher doors should open fully without hitting a wall, a handle or each other. Send us your measurements, including window and door positions, and we will plan the clearances for your Phuket apartment.