There are few things more fun and exciting for a homeowner than undertaking a large-scale remodeling project. Kitchen remodeling holds a special place in many people’s hearts, so read on for some great ideas on how you can design this crucial space in your home.
Traditional cultural influences of the mine
Several popular kitchen remodeling trends of the last few years can be traced back to older decorating eras. Ornate French designs filled with grand stone archways, wide-open windows, detailed facades, and floral prints all offer plenty of kitchen ideas. The traditional English mansion replaces the ornate French style with a stately look that incorporates high ceilings, dropped chandeliers, glass-enclosed cabinetry and light, open layouts.
Perhaps the most commonly seen traditionally influenced design scheme of the last decade has been the Farmhouse style kitchen. These kitchens rely heavily on the use of wood, metal, and stone. They often feature a combination of heavy stone (like granite) and wood countertops, burnished metal accents, and appliances like refrigerators that are hidden behind antique wood paneling. Unlike French and English influences, traditional Farmhouse-style cooking exudes warmth.
Use colors!
Most kitchen designs work with a very limited floor space. But when coming up with kitchen remodel ideas, it’s important to remember that there’s nothing forcing you to stick with beiges, browns, blacks, and whites.
Incorporating slightly neutral colors (like burnt reds that look like browns and ultra-dark blues that might as well be black) is a good start, but there’s nothing stopping you from going further. Light blues and greens, bright reds, oranges and yellows, pops of purple in the trim…all of these colors can easily find their place in a well-planned kitchen remodeling project.
Your kitchen doesn’t have to look like a kid’s playhouse, but you don’t have to be puritanical with your designs, either.
Open your kitchen plans
If you have the space, or if you can create the space, then you should consider working with an open plan kitchen design.
Instead of hiding your kitchen in the corner of your house, tear down the walls and free up your space. Many open kitchen layouts blend directly into the living room or dining room, making cooking a much more social experience. For the most part, open kitchen layouts feature a counter or island that helps provide a small separation between the two adjoining rooms and provides a space for others to sit and socialize with you while you cook.
While most chefs and cooks appreciate the respite that open kitchen remodel ideas provide, they are ideal for entertaining and parties at home.
Consider sustainable kitchen ideas
There are many ways that you can use your remodeling project as a way to help reduce your environmental impact.
For starters, you can use sustainably harvested wood for your cabinets, countertops, and flooring. Bamboo is an increasingly popular and viable eco-friendly alternative to the old wood that many designs traditionally use.
The biggest win you can build into your designs is energy efficient appliances. An energy efficient refrigerator will not only help the environment, but has also been known to reduce your energy bills to a fraction of their previous costs! Who knew remodeling could actually save you money?
