Kitchens get a ton of abuse.
They are used more than any other part of the home, yet they must always perform as the hub where a family comes together each day.
This is why setting out to remodel your kitchen can feel like such an intimidating task.
As experienced contractors, we have vast experience in helping our clients create the perfect kitchen that ticks every box. Our clients have trusted us over the years and so we want to share our knowledge with you.
So whether you are looking for a trusted remodeling and construction company to transform your kitchen or you fancy doing it yourself, you are sure to find some great ideas and inspiration in this article.
Planning a Kitchen Remodel
The kitchen is the center of our home. It is where days are started and meals are prepared. It is a vital part of the home where families come together to eat, talk, and be present with one another.
But sometimes, a kitchen that once functioned well can no longer give us the inspiration and capacity to provide for a growing and changing household.
- Have you run out of storage space?
- Are your cabinets tired and starting to fall apart?
- Is the design, color, and finish looking dated compared with the rest of your home?
- Are your appliances worn out and causing regular disruptions to your daily activities?
These are just some of the tell-tale signs that your kitchen needs a remodel.
But where do you start?
The first step is understanding what you want from your kitchen and how it needs to serve your family. This could be on a day-to-day basis or anticipating how you can accommodate larger gatherings around holidays and the festive season.
The first step is to take stock of what is working and what isn’t.
We like to create an assessment based on four main categories:
- Storage
- Appliances
- Activities
- Ambiance
Storage is a simple one. The larger your family, inevitably the more stuff you will need to find a home for such as small appliances, tableware, pantry items, cookbooks, and cooking equipment and utensils. Even for a small family, this tends to represent a lot of stuff so it is always best to plan for more than you currently have.
Appliances vary per household. If you are tech-savvy, you will likely already own a host of kitchen gadgets, or at least have a long wish list of products you’re eager to own. Think about what items could be kept on show and what you would prefer to hide away. Also, build your kitchen design around larger items like ranges, refrigerators, and microwaves, as these will affect the flow and how you maneuver around the kitchen.
Activities are what you will be using the kitchen for, other than cooking, of course! Do you want to include a breakfast bar and casual dining area? Do you want a dedicated coffee station for your morning ritual? Take stock of your household’s daily routine and how frequently you entertain guests.
Ambiance is all down to personal preference. Perhaps you already have a set style that runs through your entire home or you prefer to create a unique identity in each room. Home design and lifestyle magazines are a great way to find inspiration, as is Pinterest. Create a mood board with some initial ideas on any statements you want to make with color, texture, or materials before you start getting bogged down in layout ideas.
Should You Do It Yourself or Hire a Contractor?
This is arguably the biggest question you will ask yourself. In short, the answer depends on the scale of your project, your skillset, your budget, and time availability.
Without a doubt, the simplest and most hassle-free way to remodel your kitchen is by using a reputable contractor like Q&R Construction Services. Contractors like ourselves have significant experience in all kinds of kitchen remodeling projects. As the client, you can lean on this experience to assist with designing the layout and sourcing the best quality materials for your budget.
Fortunately, we have a handy guide on how to hire a contractor for a kitchen remodel if you want to learn more!
If your planned project is relatively simple—using the existing space and units—and is more of a cosmetic makeover with some new appliances, this is achievable without hiring a contractor. We will get into some great remodeling ideas later on in this article.
What you need to consider is your budget and the potential for disruption to daily activities in the house.
As we said before, the kitchen is the heart of a home. That means that any renovation work will likely cause a disturbance and minimizing this is important for many families. If you choose to go the DIY route, we would recommend tackling it bit by bit, ideally spacing tasks out over multiple weekends so that they cause minimal disturbance.
Kitchen Remodel Inspiration
Finding inspiration for your kitchen is easier than ever with Pinterest and just about any home/lifestyle magazine full to the brim with fashionable and trending ideas. The hard part is whittling down your ideas to find something that works for you and your available space.
This is one of the benefits of working with a contractor who provides design services as part of their package. But, you can also experiment with free online tools such as Kitchen Planner.
If you are going for a full renovation, the first place you should start is identifying the type of layout for your kitchen design.
Galley Kitchen
Ideal for creating an efficient kitchen within a narrow space. Cabinets run on either side of the space and the chef works in between them.
Single-wall or Open-Concept Kitchen
Often used for smaller or open-plan spaces, this design keeps cabinetry, sink, and appliances on a single wall.
L-Shaped and U-Shaped Kitchens
The L-shape is a simple design that is suitable for both small and large spaces allowing you to maximize cabinet space and integrate smart storage solutions into the corner. If your space is larger, a U-shaped design positions cabinets across three walls for optimal storage with a farmhouse sink that is usually placed in the center.
Islands and Peninsula-Style Kitchens
Whether you choose an L-shape, U-shape, or a single wall design, an island can be positioned in the middle to increase workspace and house appliances maximizing the available space. Peninsula layouts incorporate an island that is effectively connected to one of the walls. This creates both workspace and potential casual dining space.
Working with experienced contractors can help lead your design to maximize available space and incorporate smart storage solutions regardless of your chosen layout. Our top tip is to begin with the sink when designing your kitchen layout. It is a classic design concept that still rings true today regardless of the layout.
Kitchen Remodel Ideas for Any Budget
It’s easy to be put off by the high costs and disruptions associated with renovations but kitchen remodels don’t need to be large and costly projects.
There are many ways in which you can modernize and re-do parts of your kitchen to make it feel like new again or to increase its functionality to align with your current needs. We have ordered these ideas to reflect their complexity and cost, beginning with the simplest and most cost-effective ideas.
Minimal Storage Solutions
Increase the sense of openness and add breathing space in your kitchen by using shelves instead of upper cabinets. It is especially useful for small kitchens but can be optimized for any size of the kitchen as storage or even display areas to show off your cookbooks. If you’re worried that your crockery, glassware, or pots and pans aren’t aesthetically pleasing, keep them tucked away in lower-level drawers.
Update or Add a Backsplash
Your cooking and food prep area is a tell-tale sign of how worn out your kitchen is. Fortunately, updating a tile backsplash is also a relatively inexpensive and easy way to update the look of your kitchen area. Think outside of the box with different tile patterns and colors to reflect your character and the style you want for your kitchen. You should expect to pay on average between $15 and $35 per square foot.
Refresh Tired Cabinets
Cabinets take up a lot of real estate in a kitchen so when they look dated they can make any kitchen appear tired and uninspiring. With some basic DIY skills and a bit of work, you can transform old cabinets so your kitchen looks alive again. Have a search on YouTube for DIY tutorials.
Replace Your Countertops
Just like cabinets, countertops make a big impression on your kitchen’s overall look. There is a huge variety of options to choose from that suit any budget and they can be a focal point for any kitchen.
Flooring
There is a wide variety of flooring options you can choose from to suit any budget and many options that are DIY-friendly. Choose something that’s easily cleaned like click-in composite wood floor panels or vinyl. You could also go for hardwoods, glazed ceramic tiles, or something more adventurous like concrete for a sophisticated modern look. People often spend between $6 and $10 per square foot on kitchen flooring and vinyl can cost as little as $1.
Create a Multi-Purpose Kitchen Island
Islands are a unique multi-function space that adds additional prep and workspace, a breakfast bar, or to house essential appliances without cluttering up your countertops. They help you maximize space in a kitchen by reducing reliance on wall space for the kitchen surface making them suitable for both large and small areas.
Appliances
There is a reason why installing new energy-efficient appliances is one of the most popular updates for any kitchen. As well as looking great, they help save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. Common updates include a new microwave or range, water-saving dishwashers, or any ENERGY STAR® certified refrigerator.
Kitchen Trends for 2023
For many homeowners, kitchens are an opportunity to inject some design flare into the home. Are you looking for some kitchen design ideas? Well, here are five design trends that are taking off in 2023 and might give you some additional inspiration for your own remodel project.
Designed ceilings
Ceilings are an often overlooked part of a kitchen space with many homeowners ignoring it altogether. For open-plan spaces, you can define the kitchen area with a splash of color (or black if you like) with a clean divide to separate the living and kitchen portions. Drop-down lighting also works great for islands and casual eating areas.
Painted Cabinets
Plain whites and wood tones are an overplayed design. Explore your creative side with brighter colors for your cabinets. You can also create a color palette for your kitchen and paint cabinets in a range of complementary colors to really make a statement.
Butcher Block Countertops
Marble and granite countertops used to be the ultimate sign of kitchen luxury but the honest butcher block countertop is making a resurgence! It’s durable, attractive, and warm. Keep this in mind for your kitchen ideas mood board.
Smart Appliances
Potentially not for everyone, but have you ever thought about connecting your refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher to the internet? We haven’t gone crazy. Smart devices that are connected to the internet enable you to program them remotely so you can always be one step ahead of the school run or dinner guests.
Make it Yours
While having a clean and modern kitchen is the dream for many, they can easily lack character. Make sure to add some sort of period or antique element to your design to add warmth and texture.
If you are looking for trustworthy and expert remodeling professionals in Salem, Oregon for your kitchen renovation, why not contact us for a free consultation?
Q&R Construction Services is here to help you each step of the way.