Kitchen Redsign
5. If the Weather Cooperates, Put Your Grill to Work Here’s a secret: Your grill can do almost anything your oven can. Need to roast meat or vegetables, or bake pizza? Look to the grill. You can even channel your Scout days and use it for foil-packet meals, pans of biscuits and rolls, skillet pies and cobblers and, of course, s’mores. 6. Keep a Stash of Nonperishable Snacks When you’re starving but can’t face putting together a full meal in your makeshift digs, snacks can save your stomach. Peanut butter, crackers, dried fruit or fruit leather, canned goods, trail mix and more can make for quick meals in a pinch.
Keep Paring Down While packing up the kitchen, keep a donation bin nearby. As you touch each item, ask yourself if it is worth packing, storing, unpacking and then finding space for in the beautiful new kitchen. When was the last time you used it? Does it, as Marie Kondo asks, spark joy? Where are you going to put it in the new kitchen? Can you imagine yourself using it in the new kitchen? The answers to these questions will let you know if you should wrap it up and pack it or pass it along to someone who needs it.
Make a List of Items You Need to Have Onsite When Construction Begins Have you ordered the sink and faucet? Do you have your appliance delivery scheduled? The reason for this is that once work starts, life gets a little more chaotic — OK, a lot more chaotic. Things like ordering a sink will slip through your fingers, and you’ll find yourself scrambling when the contractor asks for something.
Style Secret: Sleek Kitchens Midcentury kitchens were intended to represent the wave of the future. Full of showy, shiny new appliances, bright colors and space-age surfaces, they're designed to look streamlined and cutting edge — at least for their time. Simplicity rules: slab cabinet doors, plain countertop edges, no-fuss materials. Make it yours: Even if your kitchen looks like it came from a Tuscan villa, you can give it a midcentury spin without too much difficulty. Remove paneled cabinet doors and install frameless models, dress the floors with cork or linoleum, or choose a brightly patterned laminate and colorful backsplash tiles.
A couple gets crafty in a Craftsman. Chelsea and Kiel Mohrman, avid DIYers, tackled their kitchen remodel on their own. Their bright backsplash adds something new and something blue to the eclectic mix in their kitchen. Its simple pattern lends order to the collections on display in the open shelving, and polish to the assemblage of vintage pieces. Backsplash tile: Hamilton Parker See the rest of this home
Grout size. The thickness of the grout is almost as important to the look as the color, as it can make the grout stand out or disappear almost completely if you choose a wider or tighter tile spacing. For example, this slab tile has extremely thin grout in a color matched to the tile, so the grout lines virtually disappear and the finish appears like a continuous swath of solid luxe stone.
Colorful Tile + Gray Grout Once you move away from stark white or black, pairing vibrant-colored tile with the right shade of grout becomes a bit trickier. It is harder to tell what grout will contrast the tile or blend in. It’s important to look at the color still as having a value — darkness or lightness — that is separate from the intensity of the hue itself.
Recycled Materials for Backsplash Recycled metal tiles can blend a luxe appearance and ecofriendly thinking in the kitchen. Delicious! Here are two final tips: Your ecofriendly tile deserves nontoxic grout. As with most products, look for grout labeled low-VOC or no-VOC. Keep your tile looking great without tons of harsh chemicals. Years ago a sales representative from a boutique tile store shared with me her best tip: a drop of Dawn in some water.
Love the Dark Cabinets w/ off-White Counter top and Metal Backsplash Recycled metal tiles can blend a luxe appearance and ecofriendly thinking in the kitchen. Delicious! Here are two final tips: Your ecofriendly tile deserves nontoxic grout. As with most products, look for grout labeled low-VOC or no-VOC. Keep your tile looking great without tons of harsh chemicals. Years ago a sales representative from a boutique tile store shared with me her best tip: a drop of Dawn in some water.
Glass Tile Glass takes a million years to fully break down in a landfill, and recycling glass consumes just 30 percent of the energy required to produce it from raw materials. Nearly all of Oceanside Glasstile's products contain recycled content, which ranges from 30 to 97 percent of the tile composition. This kitchen makes handsome use of its Elevations series (in platinum). Cost: $40 to $70 per square foot
Love the Look Fireclay Tile has been an industry leader in sustainable tile since 1988, when the company changed to lead-free glazes. Its Debris series combines 60 percent recycled content from both postindustrial and postconsumer waste. The tiles are handmade and molded, which results in a lovely natural color variation. Cost: Starting at $24 per square foot
My favorite interior design style is contemporary with bits of industrial and rustic thrown in for warmth and charm. This kitchen captures that style perfectly with its clean, horizontal lines and minimal ornamentation. The exposed ceiling beams, colorful salvaged-wood-clad island and vintage metal stools are perfect decorative elements. As is the light spring-green glass backsplash, which adds a nice hit of color but keeps to the clean, minimalist and contemporary vibe of the kitchen. Backsplash: Chiaro Tile System glass field tiles in Radium #5 from Grid Architectural Surfaces and Tile
For those looking for a softer, mellower green backsplash, there are plenty of options. If you do go with a lighter and more subdued hue, try selecting one in a glossy finish, because it will add interesting sparkle and texture to the kitchen. These pretty glass tiles pair nicely with the rich dark brown cabinets and light and neutral countertop. Backsplash: 3- by 6-inch Cristallo glass tile in Bottle Green from Olympia Tile + Stone
LOVE these Cabinets w/ Black counter top What a fantastic grassy green color. It really brightens up and enlivens this kitchen, even on a cold winter day. This line of tile is available in a wide range of rich colors as well as interesting shapes and sizes, and it’s also manufactured in part from recycled materials. It works well with a variety of design styles, from traditional to contemporary, and has thus become one of my go-to tiles. Backsplash: Debris field tiles in Spruce Gloss from Fireclay Tile
Wood Cabinets and Black Counter tops w/ Pop of Color on the Backsplash This backsplash has vibrant green hues, but the intensity is broken up due to the subtle shade variations of the handmade tile. I like the mix of greens and wood tones, as it has a very natural, organic feel. Backsplash: 2- by 8-inch field tile in Olive Gloss from Heath Ceramics
LOVE the Wood Cabinets w/ White counter tops This gorgeous iridescent glass mosaic tile would work with a variety of design styles, from traditional to contemporary. And it has a good amount of orangish-red coloration, so it harmonizes well with the orange tones expressed by the wood flooring and cabinets. Backsplash: Tessera glass mosaic tile in Red #077 Iridescent from Oceanside Glasstile
Watery Blue Backsplash Options
Another groutless backsplash option is a paneled backsplash made of decorative acrylic resin. This particular acrylic is manufactured using pre-consumer-waste aluminum flake, solid-surface scrap and recycled acrylic. The deep blue color makes the backsplash really stand out against the wood cabinets, and the pieces of aluminum embedded in the acrylic offer a nice touch of glitz. Backsplash: Recyled acrylic panels in Lazuli 720 from Alkemi
The homeowner fell in love with this tile at the very start of the project, and everything else in the kitchen was selected to work with it. Matte glass tiles such as these have a softer, more muted feel than their glossy counterparts. Backsplash: 1- by 6-inch brick glass tiles in Icelandic Blue, frosted, from the Signature Glass Collection by Akdo
One of my favorite kitchen color trends is a palette consisting of black, white and shades of gray and watery blues. The blue glass subway tile backsplash here adds just the right punch of color. Mix in a wooden or natural cork floor for added warmth and texture.
Metal tiles come in a bevy of shapes, sizes and patterns — basketweaves, herringbones, rocks and dots, to name a few. This bathroom’s cobblestone pattern, by Eden Mosaic Tile, has mixed polished and brushed surfaces that create a retro layered effect. Most metal tile is fabricated and sold on mesh sheets, which helps with installation speed and alignment. Approximately 1-square-foot sheets are the most common. Metal tiles aren’t all made the same, though. Some are made of solid metal, while others have a porcelain or resin body wrapped with a metal finish coating. Be sure to check with the manufacturer on the details of the product. Depending on the area of application, budget and performance expectations, you may want to go with one type over another. The cost for wrapped tile material generally ranges from about $16 to $75 per square foot.
Silver glass Lapazo tile adds a metallic effect in this colorful kitchen. “I really love the effect of an entire wall being covered in tiles and not just having tiles in the space between the counter and the top cupboards,” says designer and homeowner Tammy Bronfen. “I think it is far more pleasing to the eye and has a lot more effect than just a few rows of tiles.” Tour the rest of this home
A hint of sea-foam green creates a garden feel in this crisp white kitchen. Plate glass backsplashes like this one require precision installation as well as exact cutting to accommodate appliances and outlets. Unless you’re a contractor, leave this one to the pros.
This family kitchen has a pop of color thanks to dark turquoise tile, setting off the cabinetry and drawing focus toward the unique double vent hood. Tour the rest of this home
Wood Ceiling and Feature Wall “I love our bedroom because it’s at the elevation of the trees, so it feels a little like a tree house. I even love our guest rooms, because they have a quiet and solid sense about them,” says Mali. Walnut paneling seamlessly extends from the wall to the ceiling in the couple’s bedroom, creating a striking visual accent. Contemporary Bedroom by Jason Snyder Jason Snyder
Balancing the budget. Steve and Meg Gardner made careful decisions about where to splurge and where to save in their Toronto kitchen. Ikea cabinets get a lift from marble and Ceasarstone cabinetry, and 3D tiles draw the eye to the backsplash. The white keeps the backsplash from overwhelming the minimalist space.
LOVE the Look - - - White Cabinets, Black Countertop, and POP of Color w/ the Watery Blue Backsplash. Handcrafted in Haarlem. World travelers Matt Steinglass and Pauline Oosterhof have imported many handmade global goods to their home in the Netherlands, from art to the dining table. It’s fitting that their backsplash has handmade texture and lots of color variation. The tiles’ imperfections are a wonderful contrast to all of the precise lines provided by the counter, appliances, cabinetry and vent hood. Tiles: Zellige in Blue Ciel, Design Tegels
Marble - - - Stunning but not practical Marble Nothing beats the natural beauty of a marble backsplash, which never fails to bring a luxurious look to a kitchen. It’s important to be aware, however, that marble is porous, so it needs sealing and periodic resealing to prevent staining. It also gets scratched more easily than other materials. Pros: Graham Barnard of Matrix Kitchens describes marble slabs as “naturally occurring pieces of art,” because no two slabs look exactly the same. “Choosing which marble to use is immense fun,” he adds. “A trip to the stone yard is always an adventure for the designer and the client.” Cons: Cost can be an issue, depending on the marble you source. What’s more, marble can get stained easily. “You have to accept marble for what it is,” Barnard says. “It’s beautiful, but not maintenance free. However, lots of marbles have wonderful streaks and patterns that tend to help hide any areas of staining.”
Mirrored Glass A mirrored glass backsplash suits all styles of kitchen, often adding a contemporary twist to a more traditional look. Its reflective surface bounces light around, making the space feel bright and often larger than it really is. “If you want mirrored backsplash in your kitchen, then general safety regulations dictate that you must have toughened or tempered glass,” Hendrick says. Pros: Toughened so it’s strong and durable, mirrored glass is also easy to clean. And because panels are available in lengths up to around 10 feet (3 meters), it’s possible to create a seamless look. Cons: Mirror can’t be used behind a gas range, because continuous expansion and contraction of tempered glass created by an open flame can, over time, cause visible cracks to form behind the glass, Hendrick says. “Although easy to clean, mirrored glass needs a regular polish, because marks show up easily,” he adds.
Composite - - - Not heat resistant, Composite (or solid-surface) materials, such as Corian and Hi-Macs, are usually made from a blend of one-third resin and two-thirds natural mineral. Available in a diverse color range, they also offer extraordinary design flexibility and can be seamlessly molded into angles and curves, so there’s no seam between the countertop and backsplash. This makes them easy to keep clean and hygienic, because there are no seams where dirt can gather. Work with a kitchen remodeler to design and install your new backsplash and countertops Pros: Composites are nonporous, easy to care for, hygienic and durable. Joints are inconspicuous, providing a seamless surface. Cons: Composite materials such as Corian can be scratched, but very often scratches can be sanded out. Also, “Corian is not heat resistant, so you can’t install it behind a gas [cooktop],” Hendrick says.
Love the Blue Cabinets Granite Granite is still a favorite for backsplashes, working equally well in traditional and contemporary settings. What’s more, no two slabs of natural stone will ever look exactly the same, so you are guaranteed a unique look. “One of the main factors that will determine the appearance of your granite backsplash is whether you opt for a honed or polished granite,” says Hendrick. “Shiny polished granite is popular for traditional and country-style kitchens. Alternatively, honed granite has a matte finish that’s much more textured yet understated, so it’s the ideal choice for a contemporary kitchen.” If you choose honed granite, test some samples with water and oil, as certain variations of the stone can show wet marks longer. Pros: Granite is easy to clean, very hard wearing and available in a range of different colors. Cons: Among the costlier backsplash options, granite is porous, so it needs sealing to prevent staining.
Slab Backsplash Engineered Stone Also referred to as quartz composite, engineered stone is made of crushed quartz mixed with resin. “Look out for leading brands, such as Silestone and Caesarstone, that make their engineered stone using the lowest percentage of resin,” advises Andrew Macintosh of Andrew Macintosh Kitchens. High-performing engineered stones are heat and scratch resistant as well as extremely tough. To keep costs under control, Macintosh suggests teaming an engineered stone backsplash with matching countertops. “If you do this, the templating and fitting charges are much lower than using a different material and supplier,” he says. Pros: Engineered stone is durable, scratch resistant and nonporous, meaning it won’t stain. It’s easily cleaned with warm, soapy water and comes in a wide range of different colors to suit all tastes. It’s supplied in large panels, resulting in fewer or no seams on a larger wall run. Cons: Installation of an engineered stone backsplash must be done by a specialist. “It is certainly not a DIY job,” Macintosh says.
Glass For those wanting a sleek, streamlined kitchen look, glass is a popular choice, because it can be fitted in large, seamless panels. “You should always ask for tempered glass, which is harder than ordinary glass and will be far less likely to scratch,” advises Siobhan Casey of Casey & Fox. “Also ask for polished edges, so there’s less chance of scratching the surrounding furniture on installation.” The beauty of a glass backsplash is that you can choose anything from a custom piece of artwork screen-printed and mounted on the back of the glass, to a digital image or a painted finish. “I would always recommend that a professional takes care of the painting,” Casey says. “It could be a costly mistake to attempt this yourself without the experience and knowledge of a professional.” Pros: Strong and durable, glass is also easy to clean and install, being either screwed or glued to the wall. While glass backsplashes used to be expensive, the good news is that prices have decreased dramatically in recent years. Cons: Make sure you choose a color you and your family are happy with. “While changing this after installation is not impossible,” Casey says, “it’s not an easy job.”
Darker-colored grouts are definitely worth investigating. Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles Tiled backsplashes are a popular choice, as they offer versatility, practicality and style. Thanks to advances in printing technology, ceramic and porcelain tiles can be produced to resemble natural wood and stone, but with none of the associated performance challenges. The tiles are resistant to scratches, heat and water, and should be reasonably cheap and easy to install. And while they are durable, should a tile become chipped or damaged, you simply need to remove it and lay another. Pros: While tiles are easier to clean than most other materials, and therefore lend themselves perfectly to a backsplash, this is not the only reason they are ideal for the job. “With such a range of shapes, sizes, colors and patterns now available, tiles give you the freedom to put your own creative stamp on your room without compromising on practicality,” says Robin Auld of Topps Tiles. Cons: The sheer volume of styles and finishes can be overwhelming. “Consider exactly how the space will be used to ensure your choice works with your lifestyle,” Auld says. “While pristine white tiles and matching grout may loo...
2. Create a positive entrance. To offset the snow white of walls and trim, try a red or deep orange floor that expresses your home’s happy side. A warm floor color can impart the red light of the sun without shrinking the room.
Gallery Kitchen w/ style. Love the bold color cabinets w/ white counter tops and matching Slab backsplash. In a kitchen renovation project of my own, I needed only one slab of material to dress this galley kitchen, making the compact size an advantage in creating a big look. Because the backsplash reaches the upper cabinets, it feels like a full-impact effect, even though the actual material square footage is low. I then backed the stove and fridge niche in a subdued material (sheets of smoky gray mirror) to let the stone speak for itself. Another trend is to use a short backsplash, often just a few inches high, to give the sense that the material is traveling up the wall while protecting the wall from dings and dents where it’s needed most. In fact, you may prefer this look for its more understated nature. You can then combine this low-lined look with a secondary tile wherever you need a little more coverage, such as behind the stove.
A slab backsplash is simply a backsplash made of a continuous material (or in cases like this one, a few large pieces with the occasional break for an appliance or a cabinet). The solid surface creates a different visual effect than, say, tile. When matched to the countertop, it creates an especially big, bold look. The minimalist sensibility of unbroken planes makes the slab backsplash a key ingredient in many contemporary or transitional kitchens, balancing a modern form with a timeless traditional material for the best of both worlds. Plus, a stone treatment on the wall is naturally more eye-catching than one on the counter, as the eye gravitates to vertical surfaces first.
Backsplash Quiz You got. . . . Stone/engineered quartz slab! Stone/engineered quartz slab: No grout lines for you! You favor a seamless backsplash that’s also durable and easy to clean. Slab backsplashes can be made from the same material as the countertop, or you can change it up and go with a different coordinating stone or engineered quartz material. This is one of the more expensive backsplash options, running the gamut from $45 to $200 and up per square foot installed, but the finished product is super clean and elegant looking.
Pop of Color Houzz Quiz: Which Kitchen Backsplash Material Is Right for You? With so many options available, see if we can help you narrow down the selection Jennifer Ott Surprisingly, there are even more options for kitchen backsplashes than there are for countertops, which can make homing in on the right material a challenge. One strategy to make the selection easier is to first pick your kitchen countertop material. This should help narrow down your options for the backsplash considerably, as you will have to limit your search to materials that will partner well with your chosen countertop. Of course, if you happen to fall in love with a particular backsplash material, then use it as your starting point and select a countertop that will pair well with it. Otherwise, answer a few questions below and see if we can suss out how you should clad your kitchen backsplash. Be sure to share your results!
LOVE the Look of this flooring. White paired w/ sparkle of mosaic tiles 7. Inset Stripes: When You’re Already the Perfect Shape Got a space that doesn’t need to be any longer or wider? Congratulations! Why not celebrate it with this breezy pattern that sees thin stripes set between a simple brick layout? One of the best aspects of this pattern is that it can let you use a coveted mosaic tile in a luxe material, but in a small dose mixed between more budget-friendly plain tiles, so you can splurge a little and save a little at the same time.
5. Striped: When You Want a Space to Look Long and Roomy Just like in fashion, thin stripes in interiors can be used to create long lines, which creates an optical illusion of extra length. In the case of a striped floor, the result is a space that looks extra large, especially if you have the stripes run along the longest axis of the room. This bathroom is ample already, but with this classic black and white tile pattern it looks positively vast.
LOVE the Stainless Steel counter top at the sink!
Shelf over Stove and Maybe even the sink for items required daily. I love the way this kitchen corrals the open storage containers onto a little tray, giving a subtle sense of organization. It’s a little detail, but it makes the eclectic tools feel collected and tidy.
Create layers. Another way to make the best use of deep drawers is to break them up internally into layers. You can either use a built-in drawer divider system or find a layered drop-in unit. A tiered organizer like this can create compartments smaller than an individual drawer to gain maximum space efficiency. Just keep in mind that the upper layer will partially cover the lower layer (or will need to be slid individually), so you should put the most-used items on the most reachable tier.
You can store flatware vertically too. Cleverly retrofit a deeper drawer into a cutlery drawer by dividing it into small, deep compartments like this. Just be sure you don’t store sharp items this way, or you may dull the blades (and risk accidents as well).
Consider going vertical. Want to tidy up your cutlery drawer without having to assign each piece an individual place? Try a drawer with vertical cutlery bins that let you simply drop in pieces with long handles (such as spatulas and slotted spoons) and pull them out easily. You’ll be able to see each piece, and you won’t have to remember exactly where you got it later.
Give depth some (deep) thought. Besides considering the width of the drawers, don’t forget to think about the depth. Drawers are often 6 to 8 inches deep (on the exterior face) by default simply because the cabinet has been split evenly into three to four drawers. However, a 4- to 5-inch-deep drawer (again, on the face, which translates to just a few inches inside) is all you need to store well-organized utensils. Using more and shallower drawers keeps items from getting piled on top of each other and lost in the mix. Traditional Kitchen by Templer Interiors Ideally, you should look at the collection of utensils you have (or plan to have) and map out exactly how much space they will need. This takes some extra effort upfront, but you will end up with a much better allocation of space than by simply choosing drawers in an arbitrary width. You can try laying out your utensils on a dining table to get a visual picture (and some measurements) of how much space they ideally would get.
Step One: Eliminating Before you can organize any part of your home properly, you need to do some culling, and this is especially true in the kitchen. Drawers can quickly become filled with unused tools and gadgets, so take a hard look at the items you own and find as many as possible to give away or box up. Traditional Kitchen by Benjamin Blackwelder Cabinetry You may never get your collection of utensils down to the perfectly minimal arrangements shown in these photos, but the more items you can eliminate, the easier it will be to store and find the truly useful ones. Never use the little dessert spoons that came with your cutlery set? Only used that special spatula (designed to perfectly flip a single egg) the one time? Stash these items away in less reachable spaces such as upper cabinets to free up more prime cabinet real estate.
They say the key to organization is a place for everything and everything in its place. This is true for even the smallest items, such as your kitchen utensils. These include your everyday flatware as well as the many small but mighty cooking tools a serious chef requires. Here are some of my favorite options for storing your utensils, in any space and on any budget.
Built-in Dish Drain w/ Deep Square Sink Four holes. Here, the faucet is centered on the sink, the handle is 4 inches to the right of the faucet, and both the soap dispenser and air switch are 8 to 9 inches from the faucet. It’s OK to think outside the box and not space your accessories evenly, as in this design.
No surprises! The faucet and accessories look just like the layout sketched out in the prior image. Design tip: Most faucets need only one hole, but others, such as bridge faucets, require two or three. The water supply for a bridge faucet, as shown in this image, come from the two separate holes that bridge, or meet, in the center of the faucet. Some bridge faucets have a third foot directly under the faucet spout, but this is merely decorative and does not require drilling.
Before your countertop fabricator drills the holes, you’ll want to know your needs. The number of holes you need will depend on the type of faucet and accessories you select. Careful planning beforehand will ensure proper spacing and aesthetically pleasing results, especially since faucets and accessories come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Let’s take a look at your options, starting with an important question: What accessories do you need? Traditional Kitchen by ScavulloDesign Interiors What Are My Accessories? Air gap. Depending where you live, you might be required by code to have an air gap, which helps prevent raw sewage from backing into your dishwasher. It can be seen above the countertop as a small cylindrical fixture mounted parallel with the faucet. Soap dispenser Air switch. In lieu of a wall switch to turn on the garbage disposal, an air switch is conveniently mounted on the countertop. It uses air pressure instead of electricity to activate the disposal to reduce the possibility of an electric shock when you have wet hands. Water filter faucet. If you’re concerned about the quality of your drinking water, a filter will provide clean drinking wat...
6. Corner Pantries Rather than using many small drawers or pullouts, sometimes the best solution is to use a corner space for a full-height pantry cabinet. This reduces your counter space but gives you plenty of room for storing dry goods. The deeper and larger the cabinet, the easier the interior will be to access, but the more floor and counter space it will eat up. If you’ve got a sufficient prep space on one side or at an island, losing a little counter space on one end of your kitchen may not negatively affect your workflow at all.
Use Color and Texture for interest Depending on your counter material, an angled top can be a large extra expense — for example, when using a prefab rectangular counter slab in stone or butcher block. Or it can eat up too much precious floor space or not fit well around an island. But this drawer option allows you to keep your counter to a basic L-shape while still getting handy drawer space. Contemporary Kitchen by Glenvale Kitchens Glenvale Kitchens Corner drawers like this work well for storing small items that can fit into the odd angles, making them a good place to store cooking utensils, seasoning jars and other small items.
The odd, blobby shapes of shelves like this allow them to smoothly swing out of the cabinet without bumping into the sides or corners. This reduces the square footage of shelf space a bit but makes it much easier to dig out medium-size appliances such as mixers and blenders or large pots without struggle.
5. The Ideal Me vs. the Real Me This one isn’t so much a trade-off as a reality check. It’s worth mentioning that some clients have fantasies that a remodel can change their habits — or even their personalities. But my observation has been that if you are already a messy cook, the chances of a new kitchen transforming you into a clean-as-you-go type are pretty slim. Rather than plan a kitchen for the person you wish you were, focus on solutions that take your true habits into account. For example, a messy cook who is embarrassed when guests are around might want to add a separate cleanup sink where he can hide dirty dishes while making a meal. Or, if clutter is a constant problem, a homeowner might want to create a hidden drop zone for papers, cellphones, pens and other detritus that kitchen counters tend to attract.
4. Speed vs. Patience Any home improvement project takes time — that’s just part of the process. And once the kitchen is demolished and construction is underway, any delay can be difficult, particularly if you are living in the home and dealing with the mess. When you are in that situation, the risk is that you will be tempted to say yes to anything just to get the project done and your home back to normal. This happened with one of my clients, who decided to use a second-choice backsplash because it was in stock, whereas her first choice had a month lead time. On the other hand, a different client had trouble finding a backsplash tile she liked, so she finished her kitchen and skipped the backsplash altogether. Three months later, she found the perfect tile and brought the tile installer back. I am sure you can guess which homeowner was more happy with her kitchen remodel. When making a large financial investment that you are going to live with a long time, I recommend that you go slowly, taking the time to find the right people to help and weighing your decisions carefully. That being said, speed can be a necessary evil. Perhaps you are remodeling for a special event, such a...
5 Trade-Offs to Consider When Remodeling Your Kitchen 2. Cost vs. Value As you may have discovered if you’re considering a remodel (or in the midst of one), everything from cabinets to sinks to appliances comes at a variety of price points. How do you decide when it’s worth it to splurge for a high-quality item and when it’s best to save your dollars? Here are some questions to ask yourself: • Will the investment improve your everyday life? • Will the product solve a pet peeve? • Will the addition of this element make your house feel like a home? • Will the purchase increase the value of your home? In each of these cases, you may decide that the cost of a feature for your new kitchen is worth it because of the value it brings. For example, a better dishwasher might eliminate the need to prerinse dishes. Perhaps you hate scrubbing dishes, can afford an upgrade and would cherish any minute of spare time away from the sink. Or perhaps you feel quite the opposite: You don’t mind scrubbing dishes at all, and this investment wouldn’t be worth the pennies spent. Framing your choices as cost vs. value — in terms of your experience in your kitchen, and possibly the resale value of your...
Inadequate room for trash and recycling. Including sufficient trash space to suit a household’s needs is something that’s often overlooked. Often a trash bin is present and fits neatly within a cabinet so that it maintains the kitchen’s clean aesthetic (and conceals smells). But the reality is that the container is too small and fills up too quickly, meaning constant emptying. Or another common problem is that there’s no provision for separating and storing recyclables. As with many of the other design problems covered here, this one usually comes about because the designer hasn’t understood the homeowners’ requirements, dictated by how many people are in the house, how often they cook, their style of cooking, and whether recycling is important to them. Providing a container with a larger capacity, one with separate compartments (as pictured) or a kitchen waste disposal unit are effective solutions to consider.
Badly spaced cabinets and appliances. It’s important that cabinets and appliances, while well-positioned for easy use, are also well-spaced. For example, walkways should be about 36 inches wide so that doors and drawers can open clear of one another. Similarly, they shouldn’t be too far apart: For the sake of a smooth workflow, you shouldn’t have to take more steps between appliances than is necessary. Similarly, it’s important not to place wall ovens and microwaves so high that you can’t safely remove hot food from them. Think also about which way your cabinet and appliance doors open. For maximum ease of use, and where it’s possible, these should swing according to the surrounding kitchen space.
Not enough storage. One of the most common kitchen design problems resulting from poor planning is insufficient storage. This can easily lead to clutter, mess and frustration. Yet even in really small kitchens, generous upper and lower cabinets should be achievable — you just need careful and sometimes imaginative planning to fully maximize the space. Kitchen corner units, for example, can make use of otherwise unused space. In this tricky kitchen, the lower cabinet in the left corner could have been closed off completely by the oven. Instead, a cabinet door swings open to the left. In cases like this, pullout corner organizers keep contents accessible. Similarly, drawers offer more generous storage for pans than cabinets do and are easier to access. Another option for a small kitchen is upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling, with a stool nearby for reaching the highest items. There are also lots of clever storage options to consider, such as secret drawers or hidden spice racks, and many kitchen storage options are specifically designed for smaller items, such as gadgets, handheld appliances and utensils. Carefully thinking about your storage needs from an early stage of t...
Budget Friendly Meanwhile, at the other end of the budget spectrum, pullout systems integrated into a standard door cabinet can turn any underused space into a garbage pullout with room for multiple bins without a total renovation. Plus, for dexterous chefs, they can be pulled and pushed by foot to facilitate disposal even when hands are full.
Adriana Anairda Were doing a kitchen remodel and wolf cabinets just arrived. I cannot emphasize the poor craftsmanship of these cabinets. Purchased York in pained white finish, they look like someone threw on one coat of primer, theres dings, theyre sanded very poor, you can actually see the wood grain and circular saw sander mark. Terrible, terrible quality and they were not cheap. Please do yourself a favor and stay away. Youre better off w/chinese lowest grade. November 11, 2016 Lily Spider Adriana, did you get the Wolf Classic or designer? November 11, 2016 malba2366 Wolf cabinets are very poorly built cabinets made to satisfy a checklist i.e. they all have soft close, dovetail drawers etc. If you are shopping in this price range I would strongly recommend you visit Ikea and look at what they offer. The boxes are extremely well made, the hinges/glides are high quality Blum. If you spend a little more and get doors from semi handmade rather than the stock ikea doors you can put together an amazing kitchen for the price you will pay. Don't get hung up on things like plywood vs mdf etc...it makes no difference once the cabinets are hung. From what I have seen Timberlake cab...
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