Kitchen islands continue to generate appeal among kitchen remodel ideas given their adaptability. For some, a kitchen island expands the functionality for a larger kitchen, particularly if you have multiple people preparing food at once or if you like to regularly host events.
A kitchen island can accommodate another cooking area, another sink or have additional custom cabinets for storage. Many enjoy having an island as an in kitchen seating area that is more integrated and aesthetically compatible with the overall kitchen layout than a table might be.
Kitchen islands come in a range of sizes to accommodate your desires and, given space and preferences, you can even choose to install a double island, with one island serving as extended preparation or storage and the other used primarily for extra seating, giving you the best of both options.
Another great kitchen remodel idea that continues the geography theme is to add a peninsula to your kitchen. The peninsula is essentially a connected island that is connected to the main counter space and can be attached at either end or even in the middle.
Peninsulas are great ideas for those who wish to have extended counter space but who lack the floor space to accommodate a free-standing island. Peninsulas offer many of the same functionalities with regard to expanded storage, sink and even range space.
Most often, peninsulas are simply extended counter space to accommodate further above-counter storage or an extended food preparation area. Many peninsulas also provide a “bar” effect that allows at-counter seating. Peninsulas are advantageous given their greater proximity to the main counter space, which provides greater ease in coordinating food preparation.
Shifting a sink to the corner offers a variety of advantages. First, it provides more continuous counter space, making food preparation and above-counter storage much easier. Second, shifting a counter to the corner of a kitchen helps to make the aftermath of meals, namely dirty dishes, more discreet.
Corner sinks can be integrated into islands and, despite the suggestion of the aesthetic interruption, can accommodate a variety of modern sink styles and hardware to make the most out of this mostly functional part of the kitchen.
Small kitchen owners, have hope: size isn’t everything! Although islands may be the rage, a tasteful, functional and fluid kitchen is accessible regardless of the square footage. A simple fix to upgrading a small kitchen is to use the most recent, and more efficient, appliances and sink fixtures.
Similarly, switching out cabinets and countertops can help to create a more refined look; you can also use floating shelves to diversify the storage and presentation options. Less intrusive remodels can install pull-out storage to expand storage without increasing square footage or to extend the counter or add a small peninsula for increased storage space.
If you’re really up for redefining a smaller kitchen, adding a passthrough between the kitchen and the dining room or removing a wall will allow greater space and accessibility between rooms and may allow for further additions, such as an island.
One of the great things about kitchens is that they can be personalized to fit your tastes and accommodate a variety of uses depending on how you like to use your kitchen.
You may be like many and need to start the day with a cup of joe. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a part of your kitchen reserved just for coffee preparation so that you don’t have to have your coffee maker compete with your other appliances?
A coffee nook or coffee bar can be built in continuously with your main counter space as an extension of the counter tucked under some cabinetry or built into the wall. You can also have a coffee counter built in opposite to or discontinuous with the rest of your counter that can feature additional cabinetry below.
The easiest option that many choose is to include additional cabinetry or a table not built into the counter or the kitchen where you can put your coffee making equipment; this is another great function that an island can provide.
If you have the space and need the storage, a butler’s pantry is a great idea to expand your kitchen’s capacities. Pantries generally feature extra cabinetry or shelving, but modern designs also incorporate the main refrigerator, or an extra refrigerator, as well as additional wash areas or even cooking areas.
Quite often, pantries are designed as rooms adjacent to the main kitchen but disconnected from the dining room area; in some instances, pantries can serve as modified galley kitchens at one of the kitchen. Pantries can also include additional seating and, depending on the configuration of your home, can include increased window or door access that connects with an outdoor area.
If you do a lot of hosting or just like the vibe that a bar exudes, including a wet bar into your kitchen remodel is a great way to spice things up. Wet bars can range from more modern islands that include base cabinets and even extra range space beneath a countertop to the more traditional bar table with raised seats.
Wet bars can incorporate the distinct wine racks you might find at an upscale establishment or have floating shelves along the wall. Generally, wet bars are distinct counter areas in themselves and take the form of an island opposite of the main counter space or a peninsula that juts off of the main counter.
Kitchen RemodelingIf your kitchen is spacious enough, you can even include a wet bar at an opposite side of the kitchen from the main counter area and include wine coolers and specialized refrigerators to keep your beverages at the optimal temperature.
The white kitchen is always going to be on trend and a popular choice. One way to add some creativity to a plain white space is to feature a pop color or a different texture. This can be accomplished by having different color for either your upper or base cabinets or you can add the color by switching up the color of your island whilst maintaining the classic white on the perimeter.
The white helps to lend a bright, clean and modern look to any kitchen and the addition of a pop of color helps to personalize and make the space unique to you and your family.
Don’t feel confined to color as your only way to add some variety, texture and wood grain is also a great way to introduce some personalization into you white kitchen. There are a variety of materials and styles available, for cabinets and all kitchen components.
Whether you’re looking for a monochromatic theme, two-tones or a unique painting, tile or wallpaper design, kitchens make great canvases to showcase your unique style.
Older homes often provide the biggest WOW factor in the before and after pictures. There’s nothing quite like taking a 1980’s kitchen and turning it into a magazine quality gem. But the age of the home can create its own challenges in that you’re not only dealing with simple fixes like color, cabinets or appliances, but structural things like low ceilings, highly compartmentalized rooms and lots of walls.
Older homes will benefit from a healthy renovation budget that allows for the transformative impact of removing walls or raising ceilings, but not everyone is fortunate to have the budget they need to achieve the vision they may have.
Older homes will benefit from a healthy renovation budget that allows for the transformative impact of removing walls or raising ceilings, but not everyone is fortunate to have the budget they need to achieve the vision they may have.
Older homes will require creativity and ingenuity to unleash their full potential and there may be ways to achieve 80% of the result with only 20% of the effort. Thinking of things like only taking down half the wall, installing more lighting or removing empty soffits.
Ultimately it comes down to priority if your budget doesn’t allow for everything and you may make the choice to remove walls & soffits at the expense of new cabinets settling for refacing or painting the existing cabinets.
On average, homeowners see an 80 percent return on investment from kitchen renovation projects. This makes kitchen renovation one of the highest-impact and highest-return investments you can make in your home.
If you’ve been putting off upgrading your kitchen because the idea of figuring out what you need and want seems overwhelming, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to get started designing and implementing your ultimate dream kitchen today.
We tend to think of kitchen renovation as a luxury. While redesign can definitely make the time you spend in your kitchen more enjoyable, that is only one of the many benefits a kitchen renovation provides.
More than three-quarters of homebuyers rank kitchens as the most important space in a prospective home. More than two-thirds of buyers are actively willing to pay more for homes with kitchens that boast upgraded fixtures and finishes.
Of all the rooms in our homes, kitchens age the least gracefully. In part, this is because how we use our kitchens has changed radically over the last hundred years. Even relatively newer kitchens can be completely out-of-sync with the rest of your home and lifestyle.
Did you know that your appliances eat up as much as two-thirds of the total energy your home consumes? Replacing power-guzzling kitchen appliances with newer Energy-Star models can save you a bundle on your monthly utility bills.
The kitchen is the heart of the modern home. Dealing with a kitchen that doesn’t serve you or that perpetually leaves you frustrated is stressful and counterproductive.
