Whether you want to update your home for yourself or make upgrades before selling, kitchen remodeling can be a major overhaul to your home. What makes a kitchen update so vital? Elsewhere in the house, you can update with furniture and décor. A new kitchen involves more permanent decisions.
It’s no secret how important the kitchen is to home life and families. It’s where we convene. It’s where we create holiday feasts and entertain guests. It needs to show your style while being exceptionally functional.
Home values are greatly affected by kitchen remodeling. According to recent research, kitchen upgrade costs are recouped at 85% in California, a higher percentage than most other remodel projects. A fresh kitchen is key to resale value as much as your own enjoyment of the house.
Perhaps your kitchen just needs a facelift. Perhaps you want to demolish and start fresh. In either case, your kitchen remodeling project will require serious thinking about the look and feel, how you want to change the cabinetry, sinks,
lighting, and all the other details big and small.
Kitchen Remodeling Plans: Inspiration
Besides thinking about your budget, your first step should be finding inspiration. Faith Durand of The Kitchn provides a wonderful assembly of kitchen inspirations worth checking out.
As you look at kitchens you love, make notes about what specifically attracts you. Which of these are most important to you?
- Cooking spaces
- Beautiful islands
- Traditional or modern cabinets
- Attention-getting backsplashes
- Statement lighting
As you take notes about what you like, look for common threads. Define what you want, and see how you can make it work within your own kitchen remodeling project.
It can really help to identify a theme or trend. A cottage look offers classic comfort while an old world or European style offers warmth and sophistication. Modern looks with dark wood and stainless steel provide a new classic. Perhaps
black-and-white or another two-tone options suits you. It might help to browse a guide like HGTV’s list of kitchen design trends.
Also, don’t forget how functionality should affect your design. Think about how your family uses the kitchen, and figure out arrangements that will make it fun, easy, and exciting to use your new kitchen. Do you need a utilitarian place for cooking multiple times daily? Is it visible and intertwined with your entertaining areas? Is it more of a kids’ hangout? You can use these handy kitchen remodeling goals worksheet and questionnaire for planning.
Now let’s go over key elements of kitchen remodeling.
Cabinets
Cabinets set the tone for your project. Looking out over your kitchen, the finish and fixtures of your cabinets determine what’s most appropriate for the rest of the details.
Your layout will help determine whether you need stock or custom cabinets. In any event, you’ll need to choose between stained or painted wood and other such
options. To go ultra modern, for instance, your ornately molded cabinets will need to go. To transform your storage spaces, consider demolishing and starting anew.
Factors to consider with cabinets include:
- Shape. Frameless faces match modern design or help with change in decoration. Framed faces will help create a specific look.
- Finish. Many stains are popular and have lasting style, but don’t shy away from painted cabinets if they’re what you want. You can also consider distressed or antiqued finishes.
- Hinges and Pulls. Get creative and add great personality with the simple touch of thoughtful fixtures. Just make sure you’re prepared to match them and live them for a while.
Backsplashes
Backsplashes provide an excellent opportunity to add texture and style. A small budget kitchen remodeling project should definitely include an update to the backsplash, while a high budget project should also pay careful attention here.
Options include adding color and pattern with specialty wallpapers or beaded board, or going with traditional or creative tiling. You can also make radical statements through brick, glass, and various other materials. Better Homes & Gardens offers a guide for kitchen backsplashideas with great inspirations.
Islands
The perfect kitchen island creates a functional workspace while attractively opening up the kitchen to the adjoining space. A major function and style upgrade to your island can be a pivotal aspect of your kitchen remodeling.
While it may seem like you just pick an island and plunk it down, there are actually many considerations. You need to carefully plot out the best island for you. For example, you must consider how oven and dishwasher doors being opened will affect the usability of drawers and prep areas on the island.
Of course, the island will look its best with wonderful lighting and a well-chosen countertop.
Countertops
Stone, laminate, wood, and more: your countertop needs to have the look you crave while also being well-suited to your cooking habits and lifestyle. Here are key thoughts to remember among your kitchen countertop ideas:
- Stone. Able to handle heavy use, hot pans, moisture and more, stone countertops can be elegant and very functional. Light to moderate upkeep is required depending on your exact choice.
- Ceramic. An excellent choice if you want color-matching surfaces throughout and enjoy the cool, non-porous surface.
- Glass tile. A fun touch for island counters but an option throughout the kitchen. Can easily be made from all recycled materials. Potentially fragile, but worth the upkeep.
- Concrete. Durable and lighter weight than stone, concrete is a great choice for a renewable material kitchen remodel. Great color and texture possibilities, too.
- Porcelain. Whether glazed or left natural and stained, porcelain tiles offer a large tile solution (large tiles mean less grout) with great flexibility on price, modulation, and color.
Of course, there’s always the elegant touch of granite and the affordable options of laminate or formica. Check out This Old House’s guide to countertops here.
Lighting
Your kitchen remodeling absolutely must upgrade the lighting to show off the results of your project! Without great lighting, a great kitchen is wasted.
Drum shades and other non-traditional choices for kitchen lighting have become trends and offer great coordination possibilities. If you fall in love, go with it. However, you can’t beat the elegance of traditional quality. Drop lights and pendants are perfect for islands. Track lights feature great style options as well. Envision your ideal usage, and choose lighting that flatters it best.
Appliances
Depending on your arrangements, you likely need to choose your major appliances very early, to plan around them. You’ll need to decide on appliances and cabinets at the same time.
It’s important to remember function as much as style when it comes to appliances. Think about what you want to show off, but don’t make everyday usage of your kitchen a hazard due to awkward planning.
Whether you want to hide your appliances or make them visual centerpieces, kitchen remodeling can make it happen.
Kitchen Remodeling: In Conclusion
The bottom line is that remodeling your kitchen should be exciting and invigorating – for you and for your home.
Keep the big picture in mind. The kitchen doesn’t have to become a hodgepodge, nor should it be a uniform space without character. It’s where you eat, where you recharge, where you live. With thoughtful planning, kitchen remodeling brings new life to your house.
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- Complimentary Consultation and Initial Design
- Architectural Services and Blueprints
- Interior Design (Style, Material Selection, Space Efficiency, Fixtures)
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- Detailed-Oriented, High-Quality Construction
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