Renovation Tips: How To Make The Most Out Of Your Small Kitchen

Renovation Tips: How to Make the Most out of Your Small Kitchen

Your initial impulse might be to set up an unrealistic financial goal in order to renovate your kitchen. However, this only means that you are not in on the very devious secret of interior design – when it comes to redoing your kitchen space, it is not about big dollars, it’s about knowing how to stretch every little penny. If you want to learn more about it, here are some nifty renovation tips on how to make the most out of your small kitchen, and how to incorporate storage space and large appliances.

Go with glass

If you own a small kitchen and you want to glamour it up a bit, there is hardly a better tool at your disposal than glass. Glass makes any space look bigger, more sleek and elegant. You can fix up your kitchen with glass by focusing on two predominant areas. First off – renovate your windows, make them bigger if you can, and use the smaller framework made of eco-friendly materials that insulate well. The second area is the cabinets – your over the counter dish holders can be adorned with glass doors that will simply make the kitchen appear more luxurious. Glass, especially the recycled kind, is not as costly as it used to be and it will definitely do wonders for you.

More light

A part of this tip is covered in the glass section – the bigger the windows the more natural light you will let into your kitchen. This is the key thing: every area of the household looks better when it is well lit. You can perceive it as a universal “life hack” of course. If your small kitchen does not (and cannot) have window coverage, then you can invite your designated (and reliable) electrician to help you with adding more fixtures into your cooking area. These days, one can easily and cheaply install eco-friendly LED lights that are elegantly concealed within the kitchen space and which, appropriately, follow the contours of the cabinets and counters. Remember: Light is universally good. You only have to make sure that the rest of the kitchen looks attractive.

Appliances – stick to a theme

Making your kitchen look consistent in terms of style can be a tricky endeavor. Trends tend to change over time but there are a few things you can do if you want to feel as if you own an “eternally” tasteful room. First of all, consistency is important. The first step towards design consistency is to choose a color palette – usually two or three predominant colors that complement each other. Since your kitchen will be “adorned” with appliances, purchase the ones that will mesh well with the color and texture of walls and counters. The best course of action is to pick a quality brand like KitchenAid and stick with it in order to get that required consistency. The whole reason that this part is a tricky balancing act is that kitchen areas are, by rule, packed with elements and trinkets, so it’s easy to fall into garish traps.

It has to communicate comfort

A kitchen is a place that serves a very specific function – this is where your meals are being prepared, so it is important to own a kitchen that visually communicates comfort, pleasure and safety. Now, if you own a tight kitchen space, your renovation efforts should be aimed towards make it appear more airy. This means that you should replace your old counters and cabinets with more shallow variants.

Go with brighter colors and adorn your above-counter walls with tiles that are easy to clean and which will always look modern (tiles are a good stylistic hack in general). If you want a kitchen with a simple look yet a nice texture, choose smaller tiles instead of the bigger ones. Leave enough space for a charming little nook where you can have breakfast and adorn it with vintage, country-themed accessories for a warm and comfortable effect and voila – you have the broad strokes of a cozy yet elegant and spacious-looking kitchen and you haven’t spent a fortune on a renovation.

A small kitchen does not mean without ambition in terms of renovation. Believe it or not, you can do wonders with the tightest of spaces as long as you learn some practical insights into interior design. With this knowledge under your belt, you will have all the necessary tools to turn your small kitchen into something remarkable. 

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Fresh Trends in Contemporary Kitchen Renovations

Fresh Trends in Contemporary Kitchen Renovations 

There is nothing that portrays a family home imbued with love and happiness like a beautifully-designed kitchen space where everyone can gather in the morning before the day begins, and share their experiences in the evening. Arguably one of the busiest rooms in the entire household, the kitchen needs to be designed for aesthetics and pure functionality.

If you’re considering renovating your kitchen, you need to keep in mind that form should always follow function, but that there needs to be balance rather than compromise. So, let’s take a look at some fresh trends in contemporary kitchen renovations and how you can create a beautiful, multi-functional space the entire family will love.

Discover Your Perfect Layout

People will often advise you to work with what you’ve got, and to leave the layout as is to avoid costly renovations, structural issues, and other problems down the road. While it is true that it’s easier and more affordable to simply renovate around the existing pipeline and electrical systems, you should never settle for something you’re not completely satisfied with.

Nowadays, you can find amazing kitchen contractors that can completely transform the setting without you ever noticing that the appliances were in a completely different place in the room, so if money is no object, you should definitely work with your designer to rearrange the layout to your liking. Remember, simply utilizing the space in a different way can have a profound impact on the aesthetics of the entire room while creating a functional setting you can fully appreciate.

Invest in Lighting, Air Flow, and Ventilation

Proper lighting is essential in a kitchen, not only for safety reasons, but in order to introduce that homey vibe every household needs as well. Start by layering the lighting strategically, introducing overhead lights first above key areas such as the island, the dining area, and the stove. After that, you can position complementary lights on the walls.

When it comes to air flow, keep in mind that it should not be synonymous with ventilation. You want to use your windows to bring fresh air into the room throughout the day, but your ventilation system to quickly air out the space and eliminate cooking smells, especially in the stove area during the cooking process. The best part is that ventilation systems can serve an aesthetic purpose as well!

Give the Floor a Durable and Aesthetic Coating

When it comes to renovating a kitchen, most homeowners think about the floors at the end when in fact flooring should hold top priority on your list. And it’s not just about form, it’s also about function and how your kitchen floors will be able to withstand the test of time and constant use.

To that end, you want to consider polyurethane coating regardless of the type of surface you have, in order to protect the surface from bumps, drops, spills, and all kinds of corrosive agents that might find their way into the pores. This is especially important for stone, marble, and hardwood surfaces – which will retain their aesthetic appeal with the use of the right kind of coating.

Complement the Color Scheme with a Beautiful Back Splash

Another primary consideration for every homeowner should be the color scheme, how it works with other elements in the room, and how accommodating it is for accentuating features such as the backsplash. To come up with the ideal color arrangement, consider the theme of the room, with your primary colors acting as the foundation for all future work.

This can be something as simple and timeless as a pure white palette, or something as chic and sophisticated as dark charcoal, or you can be playful with a pastel arrangement. Regardless, a great aesthetic and functional addition would be to invest in a striking back splash that will not only protect your wall from spills, but also take the look of the room to a whole new level.

Accentuate the Setting with Natural Materials

Lastly, contemporary kitchen designs cherish a deep connection with nature, as attested by the popular Scandi approach. To keep positive energy flowing through the setting at all times, consider introducing strategic greenery on the windowsills, potted plants in the corners, and standalone flower arrangements on select surfaces such as the dining table or the corner of the fridge.

Renovating a kitchen, however time-consuming and costly it might be, shouldn’t be a stressful or daunting task. Rather, it should be an exciting and enjoyable experience that will set the stage for a lifetime of happiness surrounded by family, friends, and an aesthetic setting that breathes positivity and well-being.

 Guest Contributor, Lillian Connors