Small Kitchen Goes from Cramped to Comfortable

Open up the ceiling, rearrange the plan, and this kitchen feels a lot bigger without adding much floor space

A family room with bedrooms above expands the size of a brick bungalow, but the kitchen has to stay basically the same size. These space constraints don't limit the author's ambitious plans, though. Adding just 15 sq. ft. makes room for a 30-in. by 42-in. island; framed and drywalled cabinets for the refrigerator and wall ovens; and a kid-friendly eating nook complete with stain-resistant fabric, storage in the benches, and a bench-back chalkboard. The open feeling of the room is enhanced by a second-floor bridge that rings the new kitchen and connects the upstairs bedrooms; skylights above the bridge bring sunlight to the kitchen below.