We’ve spent the last year improving some key spaces in this home (the dining room, the front room, the wood room) but there’s one space that really gets under my skin. It’s the room on the main level I spend the most time in, and it’s in the worst shape of all.
I’d love to know your best kitchen reno tips and tricks! I declared 2016 my year of food, and I know this kitchen renovation can potentially spark that. What must we include?
Catherine Peart says
I can't wait to see how your new kitchen looks! My sister is about to order a new kitchen also. I will live vicariously through you both until we buy a house sometime this year!
Jennifer@The Chronicles of Home says
Well there is certainly lots of room for improvement. The dishwasher placement is just ridiculous! Such poor functional design. Some kitchens are worth a facelift and some need a gut and I think you're right that this calls for a gut job, especially if it's going to fit with the rest of your home. Very excited to see what you do here 🙂
Angela Blehm says
Congratulations on ordering new cabinets–so exciting! And, bless you for working in that kitchen for a year. 😉 Knowing you, it will be spectacular!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Ha, thanks. I can't wait to get started!
The Auburn Fox says
I could definitely see you doing something much more modern in there. (European style cabinets) Maybe double stacked cabinets at the top, acrylic with some glass doors. Big drawers are nice for pots and pans, filler pull-outs and better system for your pantry. I love my cabinet lighting, both above and below the uppers. What ever you do, it will look great!
themakerista@gmail.com says
You named a lot of what we're going for! Thanks for the lighting tipsQ
Tricia says
I finished a gut remodel on my kitchen about six months ago and I am thrilled with the changes. One of the things I love the most is my pantry cabinet with pull out shelves and a slotted cabinet on top for trays. Because I'm short, I kept overhead cabinets to a minimum and used drawers everywhere but beneath the sink. Another feature I insisted on was a faucet that was wall mounted. It is so easy to clean around the faucet and it looks fabulous. As I'm writing I'm realizing I love everything about my new kitchen. Hoping you will feel the same when you finish yours.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks for this! Some great tips!
Linda Darling says
One of the things I love the most in my kitchen are the large, deep, pull out drawers. They hold things in a more organized fashion and better utilize space than pull out drawers. I like those too, but if the space for the pull outs is large, it is not practical to stack anything (falls over) and I seem to end up with wasted space. I really like the drawers best.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Linda!
Jenny B says
Things I love about my kitchen remodel – pull out garbage/recycling/compost, lots of outlets (especially around island!!), microwave under counter in island on adjustable shelf with space underneath for cutting boards and a big drawer underneath, space for Mac (not everybody wants that), mix of deep and shallow drawers but one cabinet for standing up baking sheets and such, pantry, open shelves for glasses/plates, lots of windows, nice lineup so that a vintage runner in the kitchen fits well and is in front of stove (at end of runner) and sink (in middle) so that we only need one rug in the kitchen and it looks awesome and hides everything, two kinds of lighting (can and pendants – they give a different effect), a place for everything! So nice that you've lived there so you really know what you need in a functional way. My biggest takeaway after living with my remodel for a few years is that function should always win out over purely decorative – both are better, but never compromise on function in a kitchen.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Sounds like you have a really lovely kitchen, Jenny! I need to hear the function over form thing, because I tend to lean the other way. 😉
Dani at Danielle and Co. says
I can't wait to see what you do with it! Well, especially as we daydream what we will be doing with ours in just a couple of years!
Megan says
So excited to watch this journey! Can't wait to see the beauty you come up with 🙂
Brittany Cramer says
ohhhh man, there's a Gwen kitchen in my future?!?! my excitement is un-containable!
Mary Viggiano says
I too have the dreaded tile squares with grout as my counter. Hated them since we moved in. Very soon I will be replacing them with Quartz in a marble design. I can't wait. Imagine, a smooth surface to clean, finally.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Exciting, Mary! I know, it will be a game-changer!
Albertina M. Cisneros says
It's a great space and with your ideas and style I'm sure it will be amazing. It's fun having a challenge. I can't get over the dishwasher location! Crazy!
Stephanie E. says
Oh I'm so excited for this! Kitchens are my favorite space in a home because Reed and I cook together nearly every night. We got lucky with a great space and key features, but it still needs a couple things. We're excited to put some finishing touches on it!
themakerista@gmail.com says
I'm hoping it will make me want to cook more. 😉
Melina says
The grill top is quite something! 😉 I think a functional lightning concept is really important in a kitchen. We recently bought our first apartment and the first thing I changed was the lightning in there- I hated that I didn't have enough light on the countertops at night and couldn't see what I was doing. We added Led strips under the cabinets to illuminate the countertops and changed the outdated track lights for new track lights. Pendant lights, sadly weren't really functional in the space (although they would have looked nicer). I also had the electrician add a socket to the pantry, to store the microwave out of sight (since I barely use it) and to have more space on the countertops. Our kitchen is a small galley kitchen- so I can only dream of a kitchen island 🙂 Looking forward to seeing the transformation of your kitchen. I'm sure it will look wonderful!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks for the tips, Melina!
Whitney Shortt says
Can't wait to see what you do with the space. Emily A. Clark is redoing her kitchen as well this year, and I'm super excited to follow both of you as we'll hopefully be purchasing a home to renovate this year, and every kitchen we've seen has needed a major gut job!
themakerista@gmail.com says
I know, so many kitchen renos! They're always fun to watch!
Lindsay Metcalf says
Who needs a gut job when you could just slap some dusty fake greenery on top of those cabinets? 😉
themakerista@gmail.com says
hahaha…clearly that's why they did such short uppers, more room for ivy!
Carrie says
Exciting!!!
heidi says
Great post. I think posts with a healthy dose of reality are the best posts. Most of us can relate to this.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, Heidi!
katie gavigan says
Can hardly wait to see what you dream up. The inspiration photo you posted on instagram was WOAH. How exciting!!
A Hill says
Lots of people talk about cabinets and storage and obviously I want to corral all my stuff beautifully, too. . . but knowing what some of your most used stuff is and accommodating it is really important. For example, I make a lot of casserole style dinners in the cool months so my oven must be able to bake two casserole dishes (mine are 10 x 18)side by side. So I had to find my stove and allow room for it in my floor plan, both of which are big expenses. Another few questions about the big unmoveables and the small appliances that take over the counters – How large does your fridge really need to be? How often do you shop? Should you have a separate deep freezer because you buy in bulk? Do you use your microwave for reheating or real cooking? Which appliances deserve a place on your counter? How often do you use them? I've also found that the two biggest irritants to me is cooking ventilation and light. I have a ceiling fan which is always gross and a window that never receives direct sunlight. Another useful organizing tip – measure your cans, boxes of cereal, spices, whatever, and plan your storage accordingly. You'd be surprised how many common sizes you can find. Good luck!
themakerista@gmail.com says
These are amazing thoughts! Thanks so much for sharing, some things I hadn't thought of!
Shavonda Gardner says
Yeah about that dishwasher situation 🙁
This room needs all the love and it's going to be amazing once its done. I just know it.