The kitchen has always been a social hub for families and a place to enjoy meals, relaxation, and comfort. With the advancement of contemporary design, kitchens can now be transformed into appealing and functional spaces that strike a balance between color, texture, and lighting. By implementing some simple remodeling tips, you can create a kitchen that is both functional and comfortable to live in, providing a peaceful and relaxing refuge for you and your family.
Tip 1: Always Put Functionality Ahead of Decor
When planning your kitchen remodel, it’s important to consider utility, efficiency, and how you intend to use the space. While having a larger kitchen may seem like a great idea, it’s not always practical if the space isn’t used efficiently. To ensure functionality, consider using the working triangle hypothesis.
Arranging your primary sections, sink, refrigerator, and stove in an equilateral triangle is the optimal layout for efficiency. These three areas are the primary sections of the kitchen that you’ll frequently use when cooking, so it’s essential to space them evenly from one another. By following this approach, you can create a practical and functional kitchen that’s easy to navigate and work in.
Tip 2: Make Use of Intelligent Storage Options
Once you’ve settled on a layout, it’s important to allocate separate spaces for all the unique kitchen products, such as Crock pots, skillets, pitchers, or cake stands with unique designs and lids that can be challenging to store. If you have extra space in a pantry or closet, that’s ideal, but if you need more space in your cabinetry, you can work with your designer to ensure that each cabinet serves a meaningful role in storage.
Your cabinet selection can significantly impact the usefulness and aesthetic of your kitchen. Minimalistic cabinetry, country-style cabinetry, or even no cabinets at all can be viable options. Open shelves are also trendy for displaying dishes, providing both convenience and style. Incorporating deep drawers into your design is practical for storing pots and pans. This approach is far more practical than hiding them in deep, dark cupboards.
Use depth and height in their cabinetry designs. Using refrigerator side panels is now standard practice in our design process, as they hide the appliance’s side while allowing for deeper cabinets above the refrigerator, thus increasing storage space. We recommend that all our tall cabinets and side panels be at least 26″ deep, allowing the countertop to blend into the cabinet side, creating a sleek and seamless appearance.
Tip 3: Maximize the Utility of Your Countertop Space
Countertops are not just functional but also play a crucial role in the overall aesthetics of a kitchen. While personal preference is important, it’s essential to consider how the countertops will impact potential home buyers. Certain materials like quartz, granite, or corian can add value to a home, so selecting classic styles and colors that fit with various redecorating schemes is a wise decision.
In the past, stainless steel was the top recommendation for clients based on factors like discoloration and durability. However, advancements in materials like ceramic, cast iron, and fireclay have made them more durable while still maintaining their aesthetic appeal.
It’s recommended to combine a lighter granite or marble top with a lighter or white sink as they blend well, and the sink won’t stand out when viewed. The goal is not to draw attention to the sink since it’s rarely empty.
Additional Tips for Kitchen Renovation
To help you avoid common kitchen remodeling mistakes, we’ve compiled a list of the most frequent blunders and expert kitchen renovation advice. Whether you’re planning to tackle the project on your own or seeking professional help, it’s essential to steer clear of the following hazards. With the guidance of professionals and expert tips, you can start your new project on the right track.
- Failing to Prepare for Mistakes
It is crucial to budget properly for each category of your kitchen renovation, including cabinets, appliances, flooring, and other items. Make sure to allocate additional funds for unexpected expenses and errors. We recommend setting aside 5 to 15% of your budget for additional supplies, such as extra cabinet handles or knobs, ensuring you have materials on hand for future repairs.
- Making Too Many Changes Once Work Has Begun
To prevent issues during installation, make sure you have a solid plan in place and that all necessary supplies have arrived before any contractors start work. Avoid making significant changes to your design once work has begun. Save any modifications for finishing touches like fixtures, curtains, rugs, or decor that can be easily adjusted.
Making changes to your design after work has begun can cause delays and increase costs, especially if it requires undoing work that has already been completed. Therefore, it is vital to have a clear plan in place and have all necessary supplies and materials on hand before starting the renovation process. This way, you can avoid any unnecessary changes that can disrupt the workflow and cause additional expenses.
- Given That You Require a New Layout
When redesigning your kitchen, it is essential to evaluate your current arrangement and identify your preferences and dislikes. Consider making simple changes to improve the flow, such as purchasing a smaller stove or installing floor-to-ceiling cabinets in existing cabinet areas. Be creative and think about your layout alternatives.
Before making any drastic changes to the layout of your kitchen, take the time to analyze how you use the space and identify any pain points or bottlenecks. For example, if you find yourself constantly bumping into other people in the kitchen while cooking, consider opening up the layout or adding an island to create more space.
- Disagreements Between Appliances and Cabinet Doors
To avoid doors snagging or obstructing one another, ensure that all corner cabinets swing open in the same direction when opening multiple cabinets simultaneously. Follow the triangle rule to ensure appliances do not obstruct corners.
In addition to allocating space for a refrigerator, it’s important to consider the amount of cabinet space needed for dishes, utensils, and appliances. Take inventory of all the items you plan to store in your kitchen and allocate cabinet space accordingly. Consider the frequency of use for each item when determining where to store them, with commonly used items being easily accessible and infrequently used items being stored in higher or less accessible cabinets.
- Underestimating the Amount of Storage Needed
To ensure adequate storage space in your kitchen, consider the size of your household now and leave room for future growth. Allocate space for food storage, dishes, and appliances based on your household’s needs. For example, a family of four would require a refrigerator with at least 20 cubic feet of storage, according to the rule that each individual over four needs 5 to 6 cubic feet of refrigerator storage.
- Cabinet Blocks Should be Kept Intact
Create figurative whitespace on your kitchen walls by combining cabinets with various appliances and accessories. For example, use your stove and hood, a wall-mounted microwave, or open shelving to break up your cabinet blocks. We recommend using cabinets to frame kitchen windows, particularly where the wash basin is located.
When designing your kitchen, it’s essential to avoid creating a monotone look with too many cabinets and not enough open space. To achieve a balanced and visually appealing look, it’s crucial to break up cabinet blocks with various appliances and accessories.
Wrapping Up
It might take a lot of work to consider all the design options and advice while remodeling your kitchen. However, to maintain value and resale power, the most crucial step is to correctly examine practicalities before determining how to add your sense of flair to a classic design.
