‘Home is where the heart is.’ And the heart is in the Kitchen.
The kitchen is possibly the most important, most invigorating, and most endearing part of any household. It is where you drown your sorrows in a tub of ice cream or cook delicious meals for important events like an anniversary, or a birthday, or a stay-at-home night. Its purposes are endless really.
That’s for your heart.
Therefore, when you think of renovating your house, you need to pay special attention to the kitchen. If you plan on renovating your kitchen already using kitchen design software, then congratulations! You have just made the best choice for your property.
Given how important the kitchen is, we decided to put together some kitchen renovation tips to help you out. Take a look at the outstanding things you can accomplish with some pendant lighting or open shelving that adds the wow factor to the warm space.
Keep reading for 12 well-thought-out remodeling suggestions that you may want to keep in mind to design the kitchen of your dreams, regardless of its size and space.
What do you need to know before remodeling your kitchen?
Before remodeling your kitchen, it’s crucial to consider several factors to ensure a successful and smooth renovation process.
✅ Determine your budget, including a contingency fund for unexpected expenses. Understanding your financial limits will guide your design choices and material selections.
✅ Assess your current kitchen layout and decide if it needs to be changed for better functionality. Consider the kitchen work triangle (the relationship between the sink, stove, and refrigerator) to optimize efficiency.
✅ Decide on the overall style and design you want for your kitchen. Whether it’s modern, traditional, or rustic, having a clear vision will help you make cohesive choices.
✅ Ensure your kitchen has proper ventilation, especially if you cook frequently. A good range hood can help eliminate odors, smoke, and excess heat.
| Laurel Vernazza, Home Design Expert at The Plan Collection says, “A major challenge in kitchen renovation is ventilation. This can usually be done more effectively and with a lower budget when the cooktop is against the wall by installing a hood. Given the health considerations with gas, an installation along the wall is more health-conscious.” |
✅ Consider how your remodel will impact your home’s resale value. While you should tailor the design to your preferences, it’s wise to avoid overly personalized choices that may not appeal to future buyers.
✅ Set a realistic timeline for the remodel. Understand that delays can occur and plan accordingly, especially if you have special occasions or events planned.
12 Kitchen Renovation Tips
1. Form Follows Function
While form is what adds aesthetic appeal to any room of the house, functionality is a priority for the kitchen.
Each section of your kitchen design should be dedicated to easing your work while you cook while still keeping the space clean and organized. All your cabinetry, countertops, shelving, kitchen island, and even the placement of the butcher block should all serve a specific purpose.
How you choose to arrange your kitchen afterward to improve its form should be secondary. The entire space must facilitate a smooth flow of activities. You don’t want to stumble or be delayed when you’re cooking a delicious meal for your family.
2. Kitchen Space Utilization
Before you start renovating your kitchen, ask yourself, what are your priority functions?
Of course, there’s the cooking, but there’s also the cleaning of the dishes. If you’re a non-vegetarian then your focal point would be to keep the kitchen clear of flies and other infestations. You will need special disposal systems, a butcher block, a laminate to keep the tiles and countertops free of backsplash, etc.
Similarly, if you are a bachelor, you probably need a kitchen that is easy to clean and cook in. While the oak cabinets or a farmhouse sink may seem appealing, you need to remember that they may not be a perfect fit for your special needs. Therefore, you need to identify what you absolutely require in the kitchen that makes your work easier and more accommodating.
The important thing to remember when you redo your kitchen is to ensure that everything has a place and purpose in your interior design making the kitchen feel more inviting.
3. Maximizing What You Already Have
During a kitchen renovation or any remodeling for that matter, people tend to believe that they need to change everything to make it brand new.
That really can’t be further from the truth.
Before a kitchen makeover, you must always first take a look at what you have, check the condition, and determine if it can be fixed or revitalized.
Sure the custom cabinets to replace the open shelves storage spaces are appealing choices. But first check if any of the existing features such as the kitchen cabinets, the subway tiles, the faucet, or any part of your existing kitchen design can be repurposed into the kitchen renovation tip you have set your eyes on.
4. The Kitchen Backsplash Issue
A serious concern in the kitchen while cutting or cooking is the backsplash. You spend inordinate amounts of money on those beautiful ceramic tiles and flooring. Do you really want to see them filthy?
We think not.
That is why tile backsplash is a serious concern among homeowners, especially if you have a white kitchen or white cabinets. It may seem like an eyesore to install a backsplash board, so you can put some thought into installing a permanent structure or a temporary drop-down material.
You can also consider using a good wax so all the unnecessary moisture and grime can just roll right off. You will however need to clean those later though, so there’s that.
5. Positioning is Key
Kitchen renovation doesn’t just imply that you have to install appliances and change the tiling. You can change the floor plan or knock down the walls to create an open-planned space or almost anything you want.
You can create an open archway to face the dining or living room. You can also create a breakfast nook in the corner where you can convene with your family every morning to start a new tradition. You can even arrange some bar stools and create a small seating area at the counter to talk to your friends and loved ones while you cook.
A kitchen remodel is an opportunity to shake things up and utilize the space for elevated functionality.
Read also – 20 Best Kitchen Wall Decor Ideas to Design Your Kitchen Wall
6. Plan to Prevent Hazards
When your kitchen makeover is underway, there is one very important thing you need to keep in mind: The potential hazards.
You need to find a balance between keeping it trendy while still managing to install all manners of safety measures.
Of course, you would have already thought of putting the ugly fire extinguisher under the sink or in a pull-out cabinet, but there are also other things to factor in.
For instance, you may want to consider a broad and powerful range hood that will not only get rid of the smell of burning on stovetops, but also the oven, microwave, and toaster. Those smells can be suffocating, and it is best to keep them at bay.
You also need to install windows closer to the gas stove in case of leaks or accidental power-on.
And then there’s the garbage disposal.
You need to ensure that the switch to the garbage disposal is closer to the actual sink because you don’t want to put your hand down there to clear it while someone accidentally turns on the switch.
These are serious concerns that you definitely must consider before you carry out any kitchen renovation tips, and plan them accordingly.
7. Consider all the Outlets
When we talk about outlets, we mean every fixture in your beautiful kitchen. There’s the water outlet, the gas outlet, and even your electrical outlets.
When redesigning your kitchen, you need to take into account exactly where your faucet can fit, and install a sink that allows you to reach it conveniently, without straining your back.
The gas must obviously be placed where the gas outlet facilitates it.
The problem arises with the electrical outlets. You need to place the refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven in spaces with easy access while still ensuring that they do not cause any electrical shortage. The microwave, blenders, coffee machine, and toaster can be placed in ideal locations permanently or stored away in the lower cabinets and used alternatively.
This works well for small kitchen spaces in New York for a ‘form follows function’ style.
In any case, make sure to keep your appliances with open spaces in front so as to avoid any damage to them or yourself.
8. Sticking to Budgets
Maybe we should have mentioned this before, but the first step to interior design or remodeling absolutely anything should start with setting a reasonable budget. Depending on whether you have a large or small kitchen, or if you want contemporary or modern stainless steel appliances, or what kind of paneling and cabinetry you wish to install, you need to choose the budget.
Now if you desire an IKEA-themed kitchen with minimalistic features and over-the-counter woodwork, or a DIY feature then it is ideal to set a small budget for your kitchen remodel.
However, if you’re craving those quartz countertops and designer knobs, or to even expand or change the floor plan for your cooking space, then you will need to set a higher, more reasonable budget that accommodates your interior design ideas.
Basically, setting a budget helps determine just how much you can and should do. This will keep you from falling for any up-sell sales pitches and impulse buys when you’re purchasing your furnishings and fixtures.
| Bob Bakes, Co-Founder and Head of Design at Bakes & Kropp says, “When designing for resale it’s important to design for mass appeal, but that does not mean you should go bare bones, or splurge for the sake of it. Layer in ‘wow’ factors that won’t overwhelm, like a wood waterfall countertop, a custom range hood, or extra thick countertops.” |
9. Saving Money
A kitchen remodel is not about how much money you spend. Even if you set a sufficient budget, does not mean that you have to utilize it to follow all kitchen renovation tips you come across.
A good interior design plan offers you everything you want and need, while still helping you save some money. You don’t really have to purchase cheap furnishings and fixtures for that. However, don’t shy away from a good bargain. It may do more for your kitchen remodel than you think. With the money you save on overly expensive things that can be purchased at a lower price, you can get the noiseless pull-out shelving or the pendant lights that can brighten up your entire kitchen.
Read also – 10 Best Home Remodeling Ideas and Home Renovation Ideas for 2024
10. Don’t get caught up in trends
Yes, we did say keep it trendy before. But what we mean here is don’t try to indulge in the latest trends advertised in architectural or interior design magazines.
While those design ideas are truly magnificent, they may not be ideal for you. Your personal style and preferences are the only factors that must dominate your overall kitchen design.
It’s you who has to spend time cooking in there, not the editor from Architectural Digest.
| Bob Bakes, Co-Founder and Head of Design at Bakes & Kropp says, “In addition to trend cycles, mind policy shifts that indicate a changing landscape. Even with talks of gas-stove bans, we’re finding that homeowners are still drawn to the classic look of a gas stove and range hood, but the discourse does show, however, that homeowners are increasingly conscious of air quality and ventilation. If you do plan to install a gas range, ensure you are taking the proper measures with a well-equipped and properly installed hood. Consult an expert!” |
11. Enhance Your Creativity
Kitchen renovation is your opportunity to explore your creativity in the cooking space. You can the appropriate kitchen renovation tips to fit your penchant for trying new recipes or exploring new cuisines.
These creative choices require special gear, setup, and functional equipment. You may need to arrange your upper cabinets strategically to store various ingredients that you can easily access while the cooking process is underway. You may also need to install better-quality stainless steel appliances to help ease the cooking process.
You can do anything right now to enhance your experience.
| Artem Kropovinsky, founder and principal designer at Arsight says, “The mixing of old with new is distinctive and informative because it gives one an impression that you are combining the past with the present day in terms of appearance which is very harmonious.” |
12. Consulting a Professional Kitchen Designer
Last but certainly not least, we suggest you hire a professional kitchen designer for your needs. Whether you plan on a kitchen remodel for personal use or as a homeowner who intends to sell the property, it is best to get professional help in order to define the proper functionality in the kitchen.
These professional interior designers can help you specify spaces and choose fixtures with expertise. They know what you need and they can help you get it.
Kitchen renovation can be a really exciting and endearing process to explore your desire for a better and warmer home. Using home design software can help you visualize your ideas and make more informed decisions. Even if you don’t plan on using it on a regular basis or selling the house to a potential buyer, it is always a good idea to put some extra thought into the kitchen.
It is the one space in the house that uplifts your mood and offers an opportunity to use your creativity, unless, of course, you’re an artist with a home studio. Still cooking is a therapeutic process that enhances your abilities and soothes your brain with assistance from your olfactory senses. It should be used as an opportunity to find your inner creativity and push the envelope.
How Can You Renovate Your Kitchen The Right Way Using Foyr Neo?
How can you visualize every space in your kitchen, and translate your favorite kitchen renovation tips to reality without leaving anything to chance? With an advanced tool like Foyr Neo.
Here’s what you can do:
Step 1: Sign up for Foyr Neo’s 14-day trial.
Step 2: Go on to the Neo mood board and curate everything you’d love to have in your kitchen.
Step 3: Create the floor plan of your kitchen on Neo.
Step 4: Choose from 60,000+ 3D decor materials and simply drag and drop them into the interior design.
Step 5: Get any material in any color scheme, texture, shape, or pattern and truly customize your kitchen.
Step 6: View the makeover in 2D and 3D, from all possible angles and lighting conditions.
Step 7: Render your design in a few minutes and witness your kitchen in all its glory.
What are you waiting for? Start curating your mood board for your dorm room, sign up for Foyr Neo’s 14-day free trial today.
FAQs
The cost of a kitchen renovation can range from $10,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on the size, scope, and materials used. For accurate budgeting, consider kitchen remodel tips such as setting priorities and getting multiple quotes.
A kitchen renovation typically takes 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the project. Following kitchen remodeling tips like detailed planning and selecting materials in advance can help avoid delays.
Start by hiring a kitchen designer or an architect to create a detailed plan. This is one of the essential tips for kitchen remodeling as it helps ensure that your vision is accurately translated into the final design.
To choose a style, consider your home’s overall design and your personal preferences. Researching kitchen remodel tips, looking at design magazines, and visiting showrooms can provide inspiration and clarity.
Yes, renovating the kitchen can significantly increase your home’s value, often providing a return on investment of 60-80%. Implementing strategic kitchen remodeling tips can maximize this value by focusing on functionality and aesthetic appeal.
