A kitchen is the heart and hub in a home. It’s a multi-functional space that is the central place for food prep, entertaining and sharing meals. It’s very much a place for family gatherings. We’ve put together 7 fabulous ideas for a kitchen remodel for you to think about.
7 Fabulous Ideas for a Kitchen Remodel
Could You Expand Your Current Kitchen Space?
Before you renovate your kitchen, look at your current space with fresh eyes. What would make your kitchen a vibrant family gathering space? This might include opening up your kitchen and formal dining room space. Traditional layouts separate the kitchen and formal dining areas, however, if the wall between the two is opened up, it’s amazing how a kitchen can be re-configured to serve you better.
It allows for the wall space to be used differently and appliances re-located for efficiency. The aim should be to design the space between the sink, stove and refrigerator into an area that requires as few steps as possible so that food prep is a breeze.
What About Storage Space?
One primary goal is maximizing your storage for items that are necessary but should be out of sight. Pull out drawers for pots and pans storage are very useful. Corner cupboards can be changed into 2-tier Lazy Susans for storing countertop small appliances such as slow cookers, toasters, blenders and kettles. Removing the small appliances from counter tops gives clear sight lines when entering the kitchen area and welcome feeling of calm not clutter.
Another new feature that is being incorporated into kitchens is a storage/charging drawer for phones and tablets, so they don’t clutter up the counters when not being used. Awkward items such as cutting boards and cookie sheets can be hidden in a divided cupboard of their own, either near the stove or above the refrigerator for easy access.
A kitchen pantry for dry goods (rice, baking essentials, pasta, canned goods) is a wonderful idea. One of the keys to making this space effective is the use of slide out drawers for easy organization and retrieval. The ‘soft touch’ sliders make this easy for all ages to pull out and close the drawers.
Countertops and Kitchen Islands
Looking at maximizing your counter space? A kitchen island or a countertop extension can double as a working/sitting area. If space is at a premium, make sure the counter overhang that is to be used for the sitting area is wide enough for the chairs or stools to be tucked under the countertop/island to streamline the walk around space. This same space can also add extra storage or house a sink or dishwasher. There will be plumbing considerations when you choose this kind of layout, but well worth the re-configuration.
If you have a galley kitchen, a countertop is a great divider for extra storage and seating when space is at a premium. In narrow houses, lengthening the galley kitchen area might be just the answer and removal of the living room wall might allow for a complete opening up of the living space or even consider a glass two way fireplace to give a warm vibe.
Countertop surfaces vary in cost depending on whether you use quartz, marble, granite or concrete. Explore all your options before deciding on the one that fits your needs the best.
Kitchen Finishes
If you are not sure of the look and finish for your kitchen, sites such as Houzz or Pinterest can give you great inspiration. You can make an idea album of the best looks to discuss with your family and contractor.
It is usually a good idea to design your remodeled kitchen to blend with the general styling of your home’s interior. For example, a modern, clean line interior would look best with a sleek white kitchen with pops of colour to blend with the rest of the house.
Choosing your Cabinets Wisely for a Kitchen Remodel
Choosing your Cabinets Wisely for a Kitchen RemodelHeavy wood cabinets would look out of place with the modern finishes in the same living area. If you don’t have a large budget, kitchen cabinets can often be re-surfaced to match the look of your kitchen design, but sadly may not give you the functionality that the new modern cupboard design can give you.
Check out the kitchen showrooms to see the best functional cabinets for your lifestyle. If you primarily cook at home, your needs will be different than a busy family that doesn’t do a lot of meal prep.
Functionality Versus Trendy Kitchen Design
When looking ahead to the life of your new kitchen, simplicity and functionality are the key. A trendy kitchen is soon out of date, but if you use say trendy lighting, over your counter or island space, this can always be changed out later if the style changes radically. If you have your heart set on a funky backsplash, if the styles change, this is a relatively inexpensive remodel versus complete cabinet change outs. These ideas for a kitchen remodel can save you thousands five to 10 years down the road.
Another consideration is whether you intend to live in your house for 10 years or more or if you are moving to a different space in five years. Renovating your kitchen to sell or dwell has a direct impact on what you choose for your kitchen remodel.
Flooring is another consideration. Flooring has changed a lot in the last few years and the new materials allow for a wide range of looks. Before you decide on the new flooring for your kitchen, consider the rest of the living area. Will you be changing the flooring within the next five years or do you older flooring that can be refinished to blend with your new kitchen flooring. A beautiful transition between old and new should be considered in your flooring choices.
Time for New Appliances?
Kitchen renovation time is also the time for brand new appliances that will last the life of your kitchen. When designing your cabinetry, the size of the appliances is crucial to the design. If you have always longed for a gas stove, now is the time to see if that is possible in your kitchen redesign. If you already have natural gas coming into your home, for a fireplace or bbq or hot water heater, it wouldn’t be too difficult to extend the natural gas piping to the kitchen area so that you can have a chef’s dream gas stove.
Talk to your Contractor Before Finalizing your Kitchen Design
Whether you are re-designing the kitchen area yourself or hiring a kitchen designer, always connect with your contractor to discuss the fundamentals of the new design. You don’t want to assume you can remove a wall until you know if it is load bearing or not? It’s time well spent to have your contractor look at the construction of your house in order to make suggestions to as to what you can and can’t do in your kitchen remodel, before it’s too late. If you need help trying to figure out the basic construction elements, contact us via email or connect via phone at 905.966.4446, we are glad to help.