"They are fantastic if every element is working hard," agrees leading designer Sonia Simpfendorfer of Nexus Designs, "but small kitchens have different requirements to large ones. The key to success is to call in a professional. You might be surprised just how spacious and stylish your tiny kitchen can be."

So we did and we are. Here are three that are minute in square meterage but big on functionality, proving that even the tiniest kitchen can boast serious style.

Kitchen 1: Hotham kitchen by Carole Whiting Interiors with Whiting Architects

Faced with a nine-square-metre space and a brief stipulating no structural work, award-winning designer Carole Whiting took a pragmatic approach. "To keep it simple," she says. "nine square metres doesn't get you a lot of kitchen - I have designed butler's pantries bigger than this! But if appliances are kept small and compact, and materiality and palette is limited, spaciousness can be created," she says.

Retaining the free space down the centre of the kitchen and building joinery on either side, Whiting created room with a window view for a small dining table, with extra space concealed within the joinery if required. "We kept the working surfaces as they were and wrapped beautiful timber joinery from the kitchen around to the living room then packed it with storage," she says.

By integrating appliances and storage, Whiting was able to create a sleek, hardworking space that always looks tidy. "The fridge is a Fisher & Paykel Integrated 60-centimetre model that fits beautifully into the paneling. Given it is a one-bedroom apartment, we installed a Fisher & Paykel Double DishDrawer dishwasher, and smaller appliances like the kettle and toaster are stowed away so there is no clutter."

Both coherent and contemporary, the space strikes a strong urban personality, feeling both familiar and warm. The porcelain-tiled bench top and limited palette of white and timber set the stage for a single pop of stunning embellishment. "The focus of the room is the beautiful feature light," she says. "That was all that was needed."

Kitchen 2: Port Melbourne kitchen by Nexus Designs

At just 2800mm x 2700mm, this Port Melbourne apartment lacked a proper pantry, under-bench oven and featured a wide fridge alcove that stole valuable space from the cooking zone. "It was your standard compact kitchen," says Simpfendorfer, "operational but not maximised."

The owners, serious entertainers, craved the functionality of a beautiful "house-size" kitchen. "They didn't want to be stuck cooking in an alcove and unable to be a part of the action," she says.

Simpfendorfer had a lightbulb moment. "I decided to waste space to create it," she says. "The kitchen had a recessed cooking zone, so we pulled the joinery forward creating a secret void behind the new joinery, then stretched it across the width of the apartment, carving out 300 millimetres deep storage across the wall."

The extended space allowed the 5300-millimetre wide apartment to be used as "kitchen space". "We built a massive island bench, liberating the cooktop from the back wall to the side, so the cook could interact with her guests."

Simpfendorfer says the appliances largely informed the design process. "Most are standardised sizes, but fridges are problematic," she says. "Ditching a clunky fridge for a narrow one and some under-bench freezer drawers is a worthwhile investment. It's a game changer."

Kitchen 3: Brunswick kitchen by Neometro

For Neometro director Jeff Provan, making clever use of an awkward space takes real creativity. In this new Brunswick apartment he expended every inch to maximise utility, packing in storage and an easily accessible return pantry.

Materials were selected for aesthetic sensibilities and longevity. "Natural materials are long-wearing," he says, "and stainless-steel ages beautifully and provides an industrial contrast to the cabinetry and timber detailing."

Provan says well-designed appliances make small kitchens more efficient. "The invention of dish drawers has changed the spatial requirements within tight spaces," he says. "We also had the provision for an integrated fridge, so the joinery could sit as a functional piece of furniture."

The slenderness of the island bench made it a transitional point, instead of a barrier, between the kitchen and living areas. "Its design suggests space," he says. "The mirror backsplash and simple grey palette create visual depth, and the window connecting to the open-air corridor outside, provides flow-through of air and light. Both elements create a real feeling of airiness in an otherwise small space."