New York City is one of the capitals of small-space living, so it's no surprise you can get lots of kitchen storage ideas from the tiny apartments of stylish New Yorkers. The three homes below are tiny, and their kitchens cramped and narrow, but the small-space experts who live in them came up with smart ways to make the kitchens work.

Here are three smart lessons you should steal.

1. Add storage anywhere you can.

Daniel Lubrano's tiny 425-square-foot Manhattan apartment has a lot of space-maximizing features (like a Murphy bed!), and his kitchen sports smart and efficient storage ideas, too. Thanks to a window, the narrow kitchen is fortunately flooded with light. But it's an even nicer space to cook in because of the storage in unlikely places.

The walls around the counter have steel shelves, a towel bar, and a rustic wood cabinet. The most interesting feature can be seen underneath the window. Although the space isn't very deep, a steel shelf adds another layer of storage, or even a prep area, to the kitchen. Underneath that shelf is another shelf, which holds and covers storage boxes and baskets. The best part is that the area feels clean and uncluttered. You can find similar shelves from IKEA.

2. Create a compact but ultra-handy command center.

In addition to adding storage wherever you can, consider an ultra-compact but super-useful kitchen command center in one spot, like Kate and Will added in their 420-square-foot Hell's Kitchen apartment.

Their kitchen is teeny and narrow, and it's also where they enter the apartment. They didn't have a lot of room to work with, so they created a sleek and smart all-in-one storage spot on the wall. From a knife block to cups for utensils to storage for pots, pans, and lids, this little area is smartly appointed and stylish. We even found the exact same storage unit.

Buy: Wall Hanging Kitchen Rack with Shelves, $20

3. Make it mini.

You may want a giant fridge, but choosing miniature versions of appliances (versus full-size ones) can make a tiny kitchen look and function much better. When Linda bought her Manhattan apartment, she decided to rework the kitchen with smaller appliances, and the breathing room she created really helped open up the space.

Related: How I Found the Right Big Appliances for My Tiny Kitchen