Kitchen Remodeling Essentials

The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home. It's a hub of operations for families, couples, and singles. It's a place for entertaining friends and family, a workspace, a play place, and a conversation spot. Your kitchen makeover should satisfy your need for beauty, style, and function, but also boost the resale value of your home. When it comes to kitchen renovations, a lot of folks don't know where to start. But not to worry! We'll work alongside you to provide professional expertise and help you design the ideal kitchen makeover. 

Here are some solid ideas to help you get started.

20 Things No New Kitchen Should Be Without

Kitchen Islands: A Decorative & Functional, Modern Idea

A century ago, the kitchen island was unheard of. A kitchen was just a utilitarian space with no room for anything that wasn't directly related to storing and making food. Today, we expect our kitchens to be beautiful and comfortable as well as functional, and islands are an important part of how we can enjoy the space.

• Kitchen islands with seating

Add extra workspace, storage space, and seating with an all-around island design. Custom kitchen islands can offer an enormous range of functionality and suit your preferred style perfectly. Waterfall edges, decorative paneling, and customizable shapes make islands both dynamic and beautiful in their own unique way. Kitchen island bar stools are easy to tuck out of the way and give you all the advantages of extra seating.

•  Kitchen Islands with luxury top

Kitchen islands with a granite top provide a nearly indestructible surface while looking amazing. Calacatta quartz for example offers stunning marbled veins with a variety of movement and color for any kitchen design. Kitchen islands with stainless steel tops are also very hip, clean, and super functional.

•  Kitchen islands with sinks and dishwashers

Set your kitchen island functionality on overdrive by combining these key appliances with your island design. This is a great way to clear space under a window to enjoy the view more easily and include friends and family in on the action when prepping meals.

Appliances: Types, Styles, & Accessories

In modern society today we rely heavily on our appliances to make our lives easier and more convenient. Choosing the right types, accessories, and extras to suit your needs and your tastes is no small feat. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Decorative oven hoods

An oven hood is an important way to keep odors from accumulating, and decorative models can be as beautiful as there are functional. Modern designs boast exposed hoods with strong geometric shapes and high-quality materials. If you are looking to make a statement with your cooktop, a stylish custom hood that seamlessly works with the cabinets and colors of your kitchen may be best suited for you.

All things microwaves

From basic microwaves that simply heat up your food correctly to microwaves that offer the convection needs of a second oven, microwaves are a critical appliance of convenience. And of course, smart microwaves now exist, allowing connection to your phone or even just understanding the basic optimal temperatures and timing for heating up your specific meal. Another piece to consider with a microwave is the location in your kitchen. Are you reaching up above your oven to insert your food or bending down to pop that popcorn? Does your microwave have a built-in toaster as well to consolidate appliances overall? There are a lot of options to consider in even this small appliance so that you can find exactly what fits your needs and cooking preferences.

Refrigerator features

A counter-depth refrigerator offers deep storage and is a great help for big families. A side-by-side refrigerator is convenient, looks great, and has a low-profile door-swing for tight spaces. The best side-by-side refrigerator will come with a wide range of features to serve the diverse needs of big families or large parties. A top freezer refrigerator can be ideal for practicality, eliminating the need to bend down while lifting heavy items. An under-counter refrigerator is out of the way, as is a built-in refrigerator, adding valuable floor space. A refrigerator with an ice maker might seem like an unnecessary flourish, but you'll be glad you have it when it comes time to make drinks. And don’t forget to analyze what options you want as it relates to customizable shelving, water purifier types, smart fridges, a drink drawer, and more.

Kitchen Flooring Ideas

The importance of good kitchen flooring is not to be underestimated. It should be beautiful, it should be more or less waterproof to protect the structures beneath it from water damage, and it should be long-lasting. Here are a few flooring ideas to consider.

•  Kitchen tile flooring - Classic, durable, and it comes in many, many styles.
  
  
•  Vinyl kitchen flooring -Low-cost and durable, vinyl flooring is ideal for families working on a tight budget.
  
  
•  Kitchen laminate flooring - Laminate is nicer looking than vinyl, a bit more expensive, and just as durable. 
  
  
• Cork kitchen flooring - Both economical and comfortable, cork looks great and it feels nice if you spend a lot of time on your feet.
  
  
•  Bamboo flooring in kitchen - A great-looking wood floor alternative. Bamboo is easier on your feet than most types of flooring and is cheaper than hardwood and environmentally friendly.

Kitchen Sinks: an Indispensable Necessity for Every Kitchen

You've got to have one, so you might as well make it beautiful. Choosing the right kitchen sink can make a huge difference in your day-to-day experience in the kitchen. The right sink in the right place makes everything easier. The wrong sink in the wrong place is a nightmare and can make food prepping a chore.

• Best under-mount kitchen sinks- Superior functionality is the name of the game. Under-mount sinks give you extra workspace, for the win.
  
  
• Cast iron kitchen sinks - Classic and beautiful, cast iron lasts forever and looks amazing and has a glossy finish that hides watermarks and thus needs less regular cleaning maintenance.
  
  
• Granite kitchen sinks - A wonderful natural material that is beautiful and durable. This finish is heat resistant and resists scratching, chipping and does not easily retain water spots.
  
  
• Quartz kitchen sinks - A stunningly novel material, quartz has all the appeal of stone with the beauty of marble and added durability. These kitchen sinks are also highly hygienic due to their bacteria and odor-resistant qualities.

Storage: When Space is at a Premium

Cupboards, cabinets, pantries, and drawers are the skeleton of your kitchen and makeup at least half of the overall decorative real estate. So, it only makes sense that they get just as much attention to detail and should meld effortlessly with the rest of your design. However, they should also be designed and distributed for optimal functionality.

• Kitchen drawer storage - This common feature of all kitchens, drawers must have high-quality hardware and be well made. Even more importantly, they must be strategically installed to get the most use out of them. Drawers can be organized strategically with dividers for organizing utensils, have specific depths for storing specific items, and even have a connection to a wall outlet for a hidden charging station for electronics.

• Kitchen corner storage - Carefully tucked away, well-designed corner storage can save you loads of extra floor space. For example pull-out shelves or a tiered blind corner cabinet shelving, along with workarounds that still allow for using all available space while making all appliances and items stored still accessible for the user.
  
  
• Kitchen table with storage - Like islands, a table can also offer storage. It's often a welcome and useful surprise when they do. Multi-use storage and seating could be incorporated into a breakfast nook that creates functional storage space below with a built-in bench for seating or you could simply have the standard tall countertop chairs on a storage-filled kitchen island to integrate both storage and seating needs.
  
  
• Under kitchen sink storage - Have your tools and supplies ready at hand with well-organized under sink storage space.
  
  
• Kitchen wall storage - In the kitchen, style and utility are indivisible. Use wall space to add needed storage, display some of your finer pots and pans, and make your most often used items readily available.
  
  

Why IHR

At Innovative Home Renovations, we can help you think through each of the little details and the big picture of your kitchen remodel so that you have all the essentials that fit your lifestyle and needs. Give us a call today!