It’s easy to see why kitchen remodels are one of the most discussed topics in the interior design community. Although worth their while in the end, these projects are known to be time-consuming and a bit costly. With that in mind, if you’re going to reinvent your kitchen in the new year, you better know what you’re doing. Let’s look into this collection of prime tips and tricks and see if the experts’ advice can help us reach our goal more easily.
Before you embark on your remodeling project, you need to decide on what’s important for your daily kitchen activities. Do you really need high-end appliances? Are you going to use all the benefits of a gas range? Do you cook a lot of spicy food or do a lot of pan-frying, and how does it work with your current ventilation hood? Do you need your knives and other utensils at hand when you cook, etc.? As you cook, walk yourself through points like these and make notes of convenient details and annoyances you have about your current setup, so you can include or omit them from your New Year’s plan.
Think twice before you decide to move the plumbing fixtures or any appliance for that matter. The experience says that each time you move a plumbing section; you can add $5,000 to your remodeling budget. So if you’re looking into an economic revamp, you may leave the things as they are. Surely, home improvement TV shows make changing kitchen layouts seem like a breeze, while in reality, it is not. If you’re already set on changing the layout, don’t say you haven’t been warned. In any case, make sure you meet with several interior designers and see if what you want to achieve absolutely requires moving the utilities.
Applying contrasting colors on your kitchen walls, floors, and counters not only improves the depth perception, but also provides a clear line of sight when moving in and out of the kitchen, and especially while navigating the work areas. If you prefer the monochromatic look, at least try contrasting tones, as they will still invest a huge deal of visual interest to your kitchen. You can ask a professional to help you with putting the color palette together, but the rule of the thumb is to go with either one neutral shade and one bold color or combine a warm and cool color shade.
Although the natural look of wooden cabinets has its visual benefits, unless they are protected, they won’t be stain resistant, won’t clean up easily, and might crack as a result of kitchen air shifting between steamy humid and hot dry. If you don’t want to make the same mistake twice, choose polyurethane coating for your kitchen remodels. These coatings are extremely durable and come in a range of colors, with manufacturers even giving you an opportunity to pick the color of your choice for an ‘old world’ look with a custom glaze.
Besides making your maintenance much easier, a dramatic backsplash will make an excellent focal point in your new kitchen. If your ceiling is only 8 feet high, consider going with the tiles all the way up, which can be seen in many older homes, as it used to be a regular scheme. A high backsplash wraps the room together and gives it an exceptionally seamless look, as there’s no break where the tile meets the drywall. After all, when compared to the cost of the entire project, you get a great look for a minimal investment.
In many cases, even small changes can make a big difference if done right. A couple of bar stools at the island, pendant lights instead of a boring ceiling light, and open shelving instead of the cabinets, and there you have an industry-inspired cafeteria look that is so popular nowadays. Eventually, all boils down to function vs. aesthetics. If the function is your concern, a well-planned kitchen remodel will solve your problems. However, if you’re just in for updating the looks, try swapping out a few key design elements with those which are trending now. Textiles, accessories, and wall art are items that come with a load of visual impact for a relatively small cost.
While every homeowner knows the value of a well-designed kitchen, it’s the challenge of the project that keeps us from pulling one year after year. However, with 2019 breaking in, these tips might show useful sooner than you think.
