Whether it is a smaller-scale kitchen renovation, complete remodeling or a new build, investing in your kitchen is a great way to add value and breathe life into the heart of your home. With plenty of options for your kitchen makeover, knowing where to start can be daunting at times. At Cobble Hill Cabinets, we’ve seen just about every scale of renovation and build. Here are our top tips for what to consider before starting your kitchen or cabinetry project.
Focus on Floorplans
We are all about inspirational kitchens, but it is easy to get distracted by the splashy and flashy kitchens in movies and magazines. Before you take a cue from a visual you’ve seen, it is critical to determine your kitchen’s daily use. Are you a family that needs to consider space for large gatherings and movement? Do your daily culinary creations involve a multitude of appliances that need both storage and ease of access? Would you prefer to eat in a dining room or a more oversized island for versatility? How much countertop space do you need? Taking the time to take inventory and dissect your current flow will provide an excellent foundation for understanding what you want from your project.
Take Your Cabinets Higher
Extending your kitchen cabinets to the ceiling is one of the best ways to create that custom feel with minimal cost increase. The higher cabinets draw your eye upwards, giving the illusion of a higher ceiling while providing added storage options. In fact, taking your cabinets to ceiling height can increase storage space by up to 25%, perfect for the holiday dishware or glassware you use for special occasions…and out of reach of tiny hands.
Flooring that Flows
Flooring in new kitchens can be a hotly debated topic, especially if you already have multiple flooring types in your home. While the overarching design principle of letting opposites attract when it comes to the colour of cabinets and flooring in the kitchen, your floors still need to blend harmoniously with the rest of the home.
If you have an open-concept kitchen, try matching the flooring with the rest of the home for a larger, more spacious look. If you are trying out a bold design option, consider a similar tone to the existing flooring but a shade or two lighter or darker.
Finally, you’ll want to think about a hardy option when it comes to kitchen floors. Kitchens are high-traffic areas that can be more susceptible to moisture, especially if you have pint-sized kids or pets in your home. A durable engineered hardwood, vinyl plank flooring or laminate is much more likely to stand up to the kitchen activities.
Countertops and Backsplash – The New Statement Pieces
Kitchen backsplashes have been having their moment this year with everything from bold colours and designs to mixed materials. If you are looking for a sleek, contemporary look, continuous backsplashes are worth consideration. They create a visual statement that captures the eye when you enter the room and is seamless and remarkably more straightforward to clean.
In terms of countertops, there are plenty of options, from butcher block style, quartz, and granite to the more affordable laminate choice. When planning your kitchen, you will want to understand your colour and style preferences that tie into your cabinets or design features like waterfall counters. In addition, make sure you factor in details like under cabinet lighting, which is great for illuminating dark surfaces while cooking and adds a warm aesthetic; also, consider where you want electrical outlets on the walls and the island.
Finally, pro tip: ensure you ask about templating, fabrication and installation timelines for countertops. Some providers can take up to 3-4 months to deliver. At Cobble Hill Cabinets, we can usually deliver in half that time.
It’s Personal
If you want to transform your kitchen dramatically, colour is the way to do it. From vibrant, bright hues like emerald green to earthy hues like slate and moss, colour is a personal choice that should feel purposeful and relate to the overall design aesthetic of your home. A bold colour choice can add much personality to the space, mainly if you have limited natural light.
Suppose you prefer a timeless look that won’t feel dated in a few years? In that case, neutral or white kitchen cabinets are ideal, and you can add a pop of personality through elements like jewel hardware or faucets and lighting fixtures that are sculptural statements.
Looking to bring your kitchen vision to life? Contact us to arrange a showroom or site visit to review your project in more detail.