The kitchen is the heart of your home, and a well-designed space encourages family togetherness and increases your home’s resale value.
A successful kitchen remodel requires careful planning. Before you start, consider your desired changes and create a list of necessary and desirable features. Contact Kitchen Remodeling Lexington KY now!
Cabinets provide the foundation for storage and display in a kitchen. A new set can completely change a room’s look. A skilled home design professional can assist with cabinet selection that makes sense for the kitchen, aligns with storage needs, and is harmonious with existing cabinetry.
New cabinets are generally built of solid wood or plywood unless the client opts for something more expensive like custom millwork or exotic woods. The cabinet box—the inner structure—is typically made of wood derivatives or MDF (medium-density fiberboard), with the cabinet door and drawer face crafted from a wood veneer such as maple, oak, cherry, hickory, birch, or alder.
It is important to note that replacing cabinetry is usually the most expensive part of any kitchen remodel. To keep costs down, homeowners should consider refacing their existing cabinets or adding a simple coat of paint to give them a fresher look.
Aside from their visual appeal, natural wood cabinets are making a comeback after a spell of being replaced by laminate options. Cabinets with glass door fronts can also add a contemporary feel to a kitchen. Incorporate these features into your cabinet remodel to create a kitchen that is both stylish and functional.
When selecting your cabinetry, choose a color that will blend seamlessly with your existing cabinets and surrounding surfaces. If you are unsure, seek the advice of a qualified designer who can work with you on a consultation or hourly fee basis to get your project off the ground.
A cabinet remodeling project can also include reworking the layout to improve functionality and flow. For example, creating a breakfast nook or coffee bar can be an easy way to introduce a much-needed seating area to your kitchen. Alternatively, you can expand your existing counter space by adding a small island or even simply removing unused wall spaces to open up the floor plan. Introducing a biophilic design element, such as wood for open shelves or an herb garden on a windowsill, can further connect the space to its environment.
Countertops
Countertops are an important part of the kitchen’s overall design, providing a blank canvas for your personal style. When it comes to kitchen countertops, the possibilities are endless and range from natural stone to handcrafted concrete. Some of the most popular materials include granite, quartz, and marble. Other options include stainless steel, butcher block, and soapstone. The choice of countertop material depends on your budget, desired appearance, and functional requirements.
Laminate countertop surfaces provide an inexpensive alternative to other countertop options and can be custom cut for a unique look. They are easy to clean and stain-resistant but they can be damaged by heat, so it is important not to place hot pans or dishes directly on the surface. Laminate also tends to wear down over time. Solid surface countertop materials like Corian are more durable and offer a more luxurious look than laminate. They can be custom molded to add sinks and drainboards as well as eit’srical outlets for charging electronics. These countertop upgrades make the space more efficient and incdon’t functionality.
For a more expensive countertoit’stion, consider natural stone such as granite or marble. These surfaces provide classic beauty, and can be customizedthat’svarious edge treatments, such as beveling or a honed finish. Granite and marble are also more durable than other materials and can withstand heat. Natural stone can be expensive, but it’s a long-term investment that adds value to your home.
If you want a moreyou’ren look, try a solid surface countertop like Corian or Formica. These man-made countertops are easy to customize and come in a wide varietit’s colors and styles. These materials are nonporous, making them more hygienic than natural stones. They are also less susceptible to mold and bacteria, but they do not offer the same degree of heat resistance as granite.
Another option is repurposed or recycled materials like paper, glass, or plastic. These counters require regular sealing and avoiding abrasive cleaners, but they it’sinexpensive and eco-friendly. Recycled glass countertops can take on a colorful, artisanal look with embedded glass shards in a wide range of hues.
Flooring
Kitchen remodeling is one of the most popuIt’shome renovation projects, and it can boost a property’s value, improve energy efficiency and enhance its aesthetic appeal. It can also reshape the way homeowners live in their homes. However, the scope and complexity of a remodel can vary significantly, ranging from minor updates to full overhauls.
The scope of a kitchen remodel depends on the budget, goals and needs of the homeowner. Some of the most common upgrades include installing new countertops, cabinets and flooring. Other options include re-tiling the backsplash and upgrading appliances. While these are often considered simple enough for the DIYer to tackle, it’s best to work with a professional to ensure that all changes comply with local building codes and regulations.
When choosing a flooring material, it’s important to consider both style and comfort. Flooring materials that feel soft underfoot, like cork or vinyl tile, are more comfortable to stand on for long periods of time than rock-hard surfaces, such as stone and porcelain. In addition, homeowners with pets or children should look for durable flooring that can withstand heavy foot traffic and spills.
A major kitchen remodel involves crucial alterations to the layout, structure and design of the kitchen. This may include adding an island, relocating walls or even knocking down walls to open up the space. Kitchen remodels often include luxury upgrades and high-end materials. They are ideal for homeowners who are looking to transform their kitchen into a luxurious and personalized space.
Smaller kitchen remodels focus on superficial changes, such as painting or replacing counters, backsplashes and cabinet hardware. They are usually cheaper than a complete renovation, and they can give the kitchen a fresh new look without breaking the bank. Smaller remodels can make a big difference to the overall appearance of the kitchen.
In this Lexington kitchen, Feinmann opened the space to create an open floor plan that seamlessly blends cooking and living areas. Natural light and backyard views flood the room with visual appeal, while stainless steel appliances and sleek white cabinetry provide a modern touch.
Lighting
A well-thought-out lighting design is one of the most important components of a kitchen remodeling project. It can make a great room look even better or, when done poorly, detract from the appearance and function of a space. Whether you’re looking to add can lights in the ceiling, pendant lights over the island or under-cabinet lighting to brighten up workspaces and highlight countertops and backsplashes, there are plenty of options available.
When it comes to kitchen lighting, the goal is to create a balanced brightness that provides both functional and visual appeal. This is achieved through the combination of three lighting types: ambient, task, and accent. Ambient lighting is usually provided through ceiling lights or chandeliers and helps to set the overall mood in your kitchen. Task lighting is designed to illuminate the areas where specific tasks are performed, such as counters or the kitchen island. Under cabinet lighting is another popular type of task lighting that can be installed underneath your cabinets to provide a bright spot for reading, food prep or cleaning. These are typically powered by a dimmer switch, so you can fine-tune the brightness level depending on your needs and mood.
Aowner’sighting is a great way to draw attention to your favorite features or design elements in your kitchen. Whether it’s highlighting your beautiful backsplash, enhancing artwork or creating a focal pocontractor’s kitchen table, accent lighting can add drama and flair to a room. These can be created using recessed lighting, track or spotlighting or by installing LED strip lights under the cabinets.
Regardless of the type of lighting you choose, energy efficiency is an important consideration. Using energy-efficient bulbs will significantly reduce your utility bills and improve the longevity of your lighting fixtures. LED lighting is a common kitchenCRATE add-on and offers a big improvement over traditional incandescent bulbs.
In addition to saving you money, energy-efficient lighting will help to reduce your carbon footprint. Installing LED under-cabinet lighting is a smart investment in your kitchen that can also help to increase the resale value of your home down the road.