Whew! We made it through the holidays! Did you spend your holidays slaving over the stove, cramming all the family into your home, wishing you had more space, better organization, more lighting? Make next year be different! A kitchen remodel in the new year can lower your stress at the holidays and make cooking and entertaining your friends and family more enjoyable.
Think about all the things you hated about your kitchen this year. Dark corners under your cabinets, hard to reach spaces in your corner cabinets, not enough pantry space? Start a list and resolve to remodel that kitchen in the new year!
Two-tone kitchen cabinets
You’ve likely been seeing a lot of two-tone kitchen cabinets lately. This can add dimension and interest to a standard kitchen. It can even help brighten up a dark kitchen. Think about keeping the upper cabinets a white or more neutral tone for a clean look, but get creative with your lower cabinets using more natural colors or various wood textures. This can help modernize your kitchen and add character.
Cabinet Storage Solutions
One of the biggest annoyances with kitchen cabinets is the unnecessary waste of space! The way the basic shelves and drawers are structured leaves a lot of wasted space. Worst of all, available space is often too small for some of your larger things or the opposite: it’s too wide and does not give you a way to properly and efficiently organize the space.
One of the foundations to a functional kitchen is kitchen storage. If it is inadequate or ineffective, you will be faced with endless frustrations and challenges. To counter these storage challenges, homeowners are starting to look for better storage solutions within the cabinetry. These can include: appliances garages for small appliance, drawer dividers for cutlery & utensils, pull outs for spices, tray dividers, pull out cabinets for pots & pans; as well as wastebasket cabinets for garbage and recyclables and/or deep drawers. These will make it easier to store foods, drinks and small appliances.
Kitchen Island
A common complaint amount homeowners is a lack of space in the kitchen. this can be a lack of cabinet storage space or simply not having enough counter space for prep work. Adding a kitchen island can solve a lot of your kitchen headaches. The kitchen island is meant to create an impact, and it’s designed to make a statement. No matter how small or large, a kitchen island occupies a focal point in your kitchen and hence, are often the most focused item when it comes to a kitchen renovation.
Kitchen islands not only add extra counter prep spaces. They can add extra storage cabinets and can be fitted with various under-counter appliances, stove top, or sink. They also provide seating–serving as a casual dining and/or drinking bar. To accommodate the increased size, kitchen islands often extend into living room spaces in homes creating an open plan design. This ensures the kitchen island can be multi-functional without cluttering up space in the kitchen.
If you plan to serve snacks or use this space for wine sessions, leave proper legroom and surface area for each person. Customizing your island can make it more user-friendly and diverse without adding costs. For example, if your kitchen island also doubles as a workspace, consider adding electrical outlets to make sure people can charge their phones or plug in a speaker.
Open Kitchen
Formal dining rooms are a thing of the past, and many homeowners today hardly ever use their dining rooms. Open kitchens can transform a separate formal dining room and kitchen into one larger open space.
An open kitchen gives you the convenience of a large surface area for cooking and meal prepping, serving easily, and spending time with your guests even while the meal is being prepared.
A spacious open kitchen design offers many benefits:
- Allows you to cook and socialize with the family or dinner guests at the same time, making for better bonding with your family and/or guests
- Creates a larger, more efficient layout—one where you won’t feel cramped and limited
- Opens up a home and creates better traffic flow
- Makes your kitchen more versatile—functional for both everyday activities and entertaining
- Equipped with smart storage solutions for combating countertop clutter
- Tend to be naturally brighter and well ventilated with fewer walls
- Adds a sense of space to the house, making your house look bigger and, therefore, works great for modestly-sized homes
And most importantly, it can give you more enjoyment. After all, the true value of a kitchen remodel in the new year is the homeowner’s happiness. If an open kitchen design will better meet your needs and aesthetic preferences, it’s time to remodel!
Quartz is Still King
For high-end modern kitchen remodel countertops, quartz still reigns supreme. The material is extremely hardy, can last virtually forever, is a breeze to maintain and is anti-microbial. Yes, even anti-microbial! Granite, the main competitor in the high-end bracket, requires slightly more maintenance.
Quartz offers a wide range of colors and patterns to choose from. You can even get quartz finished with elaborate swirls and large veining to imitate other materials like natural stone. These unique styles have become immensely popular. There is a notable trend toward softer and more neutral colors. More and more homeowners are opting for colors like: grey, black, taupe, creamy or white finishes. Contrasting the color of your countertops with your cabinets is also a great way to brighten up your space. Try a white countertop with darker cabinets or a dark countertop with white cabinets.
While we are still on the topic of countertops, it is important to mention the ever popular undermount composite sinks. This creates a clean, uniform look and makes cleaning and maintenance so much easier.
Be Creative with Lighting
One of the most brilliant ways to combine convenience with beauty for a kitchen remodel in the new year is to be creative (and smart!) with your kitchen lights. It is one of the most cost-effective tricks when it comes to kitchen remodeling ideas. The desired effect can be achieved by mixing-and-matching different fixtures in different spots in the kitchen. Depending on whether you are looking for ambient lighting or task lighting, you could plan the layout and the budget. There are countless kitchen lighting ideas.
To combine task lights with cost-friendliness, we suggest going the LED ceiling lights route. Besides being eco-friendly, these lights save a lot of dollars on electricity bills. You can bring out the wow factor with these lights, too, if you go for pendant lights above your kitchen island or dining area. For ambient use, undercabinet or lighted glass panel lights create a soft glow to your kitchen. Make sure to install dimmers if you plan to spend some time eating dinners with your loved one in the dining area. Basically, whatever your budget or use: If you are looking to take your kitchen to the next level, it’s time to hang some new lights!
The Top Tier Difference
We at Top Tier Kitchens and Baths set a high standard for outstanding customer service, high-quality kitchen and modern kitchen remodel products, and impeccable installation.
For all your kitchen remodel needs in the new year, you can trust us to complete the job with expertise and dedication to excellence. If you’re looking for ways to update your kitchen or bathroom, the professionals at Top Tier Kitchens and Baths can help! We’d love to help you update your home.
Submit a quote request on our website or give us a call at (417) 887-1100 to schedule a free, in-home consultation with one of our designers. We look forward to serving you!
