Kitchen Remodel Ideas

The kitchen is a cornerstone of the home. Here we cook dinner during the week and gather our families for the holidays. So if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by your current kitchen area, consider a kitchen remodel. But don’t go alone. Our expert designers have these tips to help you get the most out of your kitchen remodeling.

Kitchen island

If you have space for it, you should definitely install a kitchen island. You get additional switches and storage space. But more importantly, it can act as a buffer when you have guests. Drag a couple of bar stools over to your kitchen island so guests have a place to sit without getting in your way. Check out the kitchen island we installed in this South Orange, New Jersey home.

Bar stool with low backrest

When sourcing bar stools, go for a comfortable, low-back option. In this dynamic Westchester family home, the kitchen flows seamlessly into the living room. So we pulled up four low-backed bar stools so as not to disturb the lines of sight between the kitchen and living room.

Lighting under the closet

One of our favorite kitchen additions is the lighting under the cabinet. It’s great for highlighting beautiful materials and gives you extra lighting for food preparation. In this house on the Upper East Side we installed underfloor lighting to give our customers a bit more work light and to highlight the walnut wood and Carrara marble.

White tile backsplash

While there are certainly exceptions to this rule, we almost always choose a white tile backsplash for the kitchens we design. Whether you prefer a classic, traditional, or transitional look, white tiles will look great in your kitchen. The kitchen in this dark, drab cooperative lacked natural light. A white backsplash with tiles and a bit of new paint brightened the room dramatically. White tiles are also easy to clean, which is paramount in the kitchen.

High contrast

Like any other room in the house, your kitchen should have a good balance of light, dark and color. No matter what materials you redesign your kitchen with, make sure you create a contrasting look. It gives your room an elegant, neutral atmosphere without feeling boring. So if you want white countertops, choose black or wooden cabinets and vice versa. In this Hoboken family home, we installed back cabinets to offset the white countertops and white tile floor.

Functionality

Everyone wants to remodel a beautiful kitchen, but don’t forget that this is a functional space too. And having a functional kitchen means getting an iron cooking area. Plenty of counter space should be your first consideration, but don’t forget about storage space either. A mix of open and closed storage solutions is a great way to showcase your more decorative merchandise while also keeping a place to store mixers and other gadgets.