Kitchen Remodels

02 Feb Kitchen Remodels

Kitchens are at the heart of most homes. They are not only a place where the everyday task of meal preparation happens but are also the place where family and friends gather to create, laugh and share. Because they must bridge both functions, it is important that they are well laid-out and they feel inviting. No two homeowners will see these needs the same way, so here are a few things to think about when considering a kitchen remodel.

Kitchen Layout

• Know the Focus: Think long and hard about how you use your kitchen. Do you cook a lot? Is cooking a family affair or are there only a few chefs? Does your kitchen also function as a homework and project center? Do your kids like to do homework at the kitchen island or table? Do you entertain and how? Does the island become a buffet or bar? Are there ways to keep guests from wandering into the “cooking space”? The answers to these questions will surely affect how you lay out your kitchen.
• Kitchens & Living Spaces: Kitchens sharing space with living or dining areas look best when the style is consistent. Consider using the same flooring throughout and similar or complimentary finishes, so that the whole space feels tied together and unified.

Cabinets

• Maximize Storage Space: There are many ways to lay out your kitchen to maximize storage. This too is a personal undertaking. It is important to have those items you use daily within close reach while those things such as appliances, serving pieces or holiday dishes that get used less frequently can be stored farther away from the center of your kitchen.
• Cohesive Style & Finishes: While there are many different cabinet styles and finishes available, it is always a good idea to think about these decisions in relationship with the rest of your home. The more you can blend the old with the new, the more likely you are to be pleased with the final result.

In the lake house kitchen above, my clients were adamant about keeping the cedar boxcar siding throughout the space. My challenge was to find a way to update the kitchen and balance the cabinets with the existing siding. An all-white kitchen against the stained wood seemed too disjointed, so we settled on quarter-sawn oak for the base cabinets paired with white upper cabinets. We chose the quarter-sawn oak because it has a tighter grain and we ran it horizontally so that it did not compete with the siding. The stained wood feels warm and “lake-like” while the white brightened up the area and feels fresh and modern.

Countertops

Countertops are another big decision that needs to be made when remodeling your kitchen. Like everything else, there are lots of choices from granite to quartz to marble, and even ways to effectively combine them.  The first questions to ask are how cabinets will be used and how much they will cost. There can be large swings in prices that often sway final decisions.

• Granite: Though ranging in price, granite slabs can take a lot of abuse, are fairly indestructible, and come in an array of color and pattern movement.
• Quartz: Quartz, which is manmade, is also user friendly and offers solid colors which fit nicely with more modern designs.
• Marble: Marble is the most delicate of the three and often has problems with staining, etching and scratching, but it is a look that many people love. Homeowners are often willing to live with the limitations to achieve the look they want.

When selecting countertops, it is essential that you are honest with yourself about what your expectations are and what amount of upkeep you are comfortable with.

In this modern-rustic kitchen, the dark perimeter countertops provide a sharp contrast to the amazing white quartzite island top. Each countertop contrasts its cabinet color.

Lighting

There are really three types of lighting essential to any strategically designed kitchen.

• Recessed: Recessed lights are a great way to add general lighting throughout your kitchen. They are usually placed to light walkways throughout the space.
• Under Cabinet: Under cabinet lighting can be used for both task lighting for cooking and food prep and for mood lighting. You can incorporate dimmers so they are bright while you work, then dimmed to create a nice overall glow in you kitchen.
• Decorative: The final type of lighting used in kitchens is decorative lighting. This is here you can have some fun to create your own style through pendants or chandeliers. Lots of options and finishes make this a great way to add flare and finish off the overall look of your new kitchen.

In this kitchen remodel, I chose these pendants because the polished nickel finish brought sparkle, and the shape visually blended the more traditional arch over the cook top with the more squared-off cabinets we added.

Kitchens, though challenging to design, have great potential for inventive solutions and layouts—no kitchen will be identical to another, matching the unique needs of its homeowner.