As the hub of the home, the kitchen is the room with all the action. It’s not just the place to prepare and cook food — it’s also used for entertaining guests, storing gadgets, and eating family meals. Your modern design needs to accommodate all these activities, which is why kitchen remodels are more popular than ever. If you don’t want to do a total overhaul of your kitchen, these steps can help you update your kitchen within your means.
1. Replace old metals with modern innovative alternatives
Older kitchens were made with materials that were popular decades ago, but with manufacturers coming out with innovative materials there is no reason not to try them out in your updated kitchen. Metals are a hot trend in kitchen design from chrome, brushed aluminum, stainless steel, nickel, and copper – try these materials out in your cabinetry hardware, pendant lighting, and range hood options.
2. Change out old flooring with wood or resilient materials
Flooring is one of those areas of your kitchen that is often forgotten but consumes your entire kitchen. While you may think it won’t make a difference try switching from your traditional rolled vinyl or linoleum flooring to a resilient material such as wood, tile, or stone. These materials will last longer as well as boost the value of your home. In recent years ceramic tile that looks just like hardwood has become popular as well as travertine and slate.
3. Remove upper cabinetry for a sleek kitchen
In older homes, the trend was to include walls of upper cabinetry to house dishes and cookware. Often times these kitchen cabinets consumed the eye. If you want to increase the visual space of your kitchen, consider removing the upper cabinets and just leaving the lower ones. This frees up the wall for adding color or even attaching floating or open shelving for a few decorative items and dishware. You will be surprised how modern your kitchen will feel once your upper cabinets have been removed and the human eye will enjoy the space too!
4. Change countertops to innovative materials
Countertops are another material that consumes a large portion of real estate in your kitchen. The kinds of countertop surface options out there are mind-boggling from solid surfacing varieties that consist of resin, and polymers to natural stone varieties such as marble and granite, there are a plethora of options in the countertop market. Over the last few years, designers are becoming more creative and are using materials that used to be considered only for structural purposes now for countertops. Concrete, brick, tile, and aggregate options bring innovative appeal to your updated kitchen.
5. Incorporate modern seating inside the kitchen
Your kitchen is most likely the busiest area of your home. They call it the heart of your home due to its traffic as well as bringing the family together for family meals – the kitchen is the “pulse” of your home. To modernize your old kitchen, consider bringing seating from the dining room into your space. Whether you choose countertop stools and seats at a breakfast bar or you opt for a banquette or bench at a window side table, seating can make your kitchen have a whole new appeal. Busy families with children doing homework to parents entertaining friends while cooking makes seating essential in your modern-day kitchen.
6. Replace appliances with energy-efficient ones
Let’s face it – we are in the green age of saving resources and your kitchen is a great place to start. Energy-efficient appliances should replace your old ones to bring modern styling into your kitchen and to save water and energy from your household expenses. Consider replacing plumbing fixtures as well – low-flow kitchen faucets can save water and with the new styles available from kitchen plumbing manufacturers you will love the “touch-free” technology and temperature sensor options that are available. Remember updating your kitchen shouldn’t only be for aesthetics; it should help save you money and the Earth’s resources.
7. Update Your cabinetry For homes that love their current kitchen cabinets but would like to add modern appeal- why not add color? Painting, staining, and even replacing cabinetry doors with new and modern detailed ones are great options for homeowners on a budget. There are plenty of faux finishes you can try while painting kitchen cabinets and who doesn’t love a great do-it-yourself project in the kitchen? From distressing doors to paint glazes and stains, you will be surprised how your elbow grease and some additional color will transform your old cabinetry into new. Don’t forget about your cabinet hardware. Plumbtile carries a large selection of pulls and knobs for your cabinets.
8. Install new lighting options
Once you have modernized the major components of your kitchen, don’t forget the lighting! While kitchen lighting can be very minimal it is essential for the safety, ambiance, and versatility of your kitchen. If you have been suffering with one overhead ambient lighting fixture, look to recessed lighting or “can lights” for a modern illumination source. Consider installing a dimmer switch for versatility in mood and illumination strength while entertaining, cooking, or just relaxing for a midnight snack! Pendant lighting over a kitchen island, under cabinet lighting, to illuminate countertops, and chandeliers are all becoming great options for updated lighting sources.
Your older kitchen just got a makeover with these simple tips to modernize the heart of your home. From updating finishes and materials to bringing in color, illumination, and space – the options abound for your older kitchen. Contact one of our experts at Plumbtile today and we can help you update your kitchen today!