Pretty And Practical Kitchen Renovation
And Tips for Budget-Friendly Interior Design Updates.
I began working with this client to help with their complete kitchen renovation. From space planning, to storage solutions, to material selection - this kitchen was truly cooked up from scratch.
Once the client saw what a difference interior design can make in turning a house into a home, they couldn't help but let the inspiration creep into other spaces around the home.
Read on to get some of my top tips for kitchen interior design, and an idea of how
affordable cosmetic updates can bring new life to a space.
Custom Kitchen Solutions
Kitchens are one of my specialities at House 2 Home Designs. I know how a kitchen needs to function in order to support a busy family, because I have a busy family of my own!
When I joined this kitchen renovation project during the initial architectural phase, I could see right away that some key functional elements had been overlooked. So I worked closely with the client to design custom solutions.
Storage is critical for a successful kitchen design. For this client, I helped measure the important items (like the Instant Pot) that needed a convenient place to live. We then designed gorgeous custom cabinetry that would fit all of the essentials.
ePro Tip: When in doubt, add more drawers. They're easier to access organize than traditional cabinets.
The kitchen island was also designed custom. The sturdy legs were crafted to support the weight of the cool, laminated stone counter top. The island was stained to match the hood above the stove - a detail that really brings the kitchen together.
It's All In The Details
The hutch shown here with glass feature cabinetry, is a beautiful example of thoughtful details. We used a horizontal outlet in a dark tone that hides subtly in the corner of the piece. The glass feature cabinetry corresponds to the custom cabinetry used throughout the kitchen, and the corbels were designed custom to mimic the legs of the central island.
The hutch has the same stain finish as the island and the hood above the range. And the door on the right side actually opens to a small mini fridge! I bet you wouldn't have guessed that when you saw the classic style of this piece.
Speaking of details, notice the placement of the primary fridge in this kitchen. It is close enough to the center island to be accessible while preparing meals. But it's purposefully placed on the outer edge of the kitchen so that the cook isn't disturbed when one of the kids inevitably comes in to grab a drink or a snack.
This is another ePro Tip for kitchens!
Successful Space Planning
Space planning is such an important part of why an interior designer is crucial during a renovation. When I first saw the architectural plans for this space, the light fixture shown here was intended to go in the center of the ceiling.
But we knew that we were going to use a sideboard in this space, meaning that the dining table would not live in the true center of the room. Imagine if the light fixture had ended up off center of the table... What a nightmare!
Similarly, the two farm doors going to the backyard originally opened to the left... which made the walking path awkward and unnatural. With my careful space planning, we switched the farm doors to open to the right, and made the delineation of the space more functional for foot traffic.
The dining table we selected can be extended with up to four leaves for entertaining large groups! Because of that, we wanted to use a large pendant light that would proportionally fill the vertical space. I love that, although the fixture is large, it's airy enough to allow the eye to travel through the trimmed entryway to the step down family room.
Budget-Friendly Updates
Once the client saw their fabulous new kitchen, they couldn't help but notice that the surrounding rooms needed some refreshing, too. I call this "The Creep" - it happens all the time!
Because the family had just sprung for a full kitchen renovation, we wanted to make any additional updates on a minimal budget. We kept the existing furniture and worked with simple, affordable cosmetic updates to bring new life to the space.
Slowly but surely, I helped the client select cost-effective paint, mouldings, window treatments, and accents to elevate this comfy family room.
This project is an example of why I stand by hourly rate with no mark ups or hidden fees! I'm passionate about helping everyone achieve a dream home, no matter how large or small the budget.