Remodeling Your Kitchen

The kitchen has long been the gathering place of the home. It’s where we eat, prep meals, do homework and chat up houseguests. But if yours still has wooden-rimmed laminate countertops, cabinets with exposed hinges or — gasp — patterned linoleum flooring, you may find yourself ushering guests to the next room. Embrace your kitchen once again with a remodel — and finally get those marble countertops and airy whites and grays you’ve dreamed of.

We’ve gathered up experts to share the perfect ingredients for a remodel that fits your taste and budget, whether you go big with a full demo or keep it simple with a countertop swap. Dust off that guest list; your dream kitchen awaits.

Get the Price Right

Before you whip up a superfluous wish list, look at your budget and determine what scale of remodel you want. According to a regional 2017 report by Remodeling magazine, a midrange minor kitchen remodel costs around $21,000, while a major kitchen remodel runs about $63,000. It’s a hefty chunk of change, so consider if you’re planning on staying in the house or selling it, and when. Those staying put have the freedom to spend whatever they can afford. Homeowners set on selling, however, should compare the value of their house now, how many years they’ll stay to enjoy the kitchen, and what the value of the house is after the kitchen is remodeled, advises James Justice, owner of Architectural Justice full-service design and remodeling firm in Medina and Strongsville. Also weigh the fact that the kitchen is often the most important room to prospective homebuyers.

“If they can picture their family and themselves in the kitchen, they have a pretty good chance at selling the house,” Justice says.

Once you’ve decided on a scale, sift through Pinterest for photos of kitchens you like, and meet with a designer or contractor to mold a plan that plays to your design tastes and keeps function in the mix. If you decide to do the whole shebang — cabinets, countertops, appliances, backsplashes, walls, floors, lighting and plumbing — consider a voguish open-concept kitchen that seamlessly becomes a continuation of the adjoining rooms. That often means the walls are the same color and the floors are the same material from room to room, while some walls are knocked down to encourage more interaction.

“You can do the kitchen work, and you’re still spending time with the family,” Justice says. “Whether there is a great room, dining room or kitchen, you’re all still together.”

As you are marinating on overall style, mull over transitional concepts, a catchphrase for trendy design that mashes up traditional components with modern flair, such as a farmhouse sink with a stainless-steel finish.

“[There’s] a lot of clean lines with a few traditional elements,” Justice says.

Those who find themselves tight on funds should analyze if they can take on any do-it-yourself projects or swap out more inexpensive materials. Keep in mind that countertops and cabinets tend to be the most expensive parts of a kitchen redo. Add a pinch of pizzazz with a countertop swap or a new appliance.

“That really can spruce up a kitchen if you like how your kitchen functions as is,” says Lisa Kornuc, a sales design consultant with Crown Granite and Marble, which does cabinets and countertops from Cuyahoga Falls and Norton.

Latch onto Neutral Cabinets

Before you close on a cabinetmaker, consider the material and how long it lasts. Many mainstream cabinets are made of particle board. Real-wood cabinets, like Mullet Cabinet’s custom plywood Amish Old World cabinets, are durable.

“Plywood holds up better to moisture, to abuse,” says Ryan Amstutz, a designer for Mullet Cabinet that also does countertops from Millersburg.

Freshen up your kitchen with neutral cabinets. If you find a swatch of the color you’d like for a finish, you can match the tone exactly in Mullet’s color lab.

While white is seen in many kitchens now, Justice makes an argument for a different color scheme.

“I think gray is the new white,” he says. “People just like the clean look gray gives you.” He advises that gray stains look great on maple.

For that contemporary feel, search for Shaker-style cabinets with square lines and fewer carvings and ornamentation. Opt for frameless cabinets with hidden hinges and no stile or face frame on the interior to continue that sleek aesthetic and create easier access to tableware.

Stainless-steel hardware for knobs and pulls blends well with the muted colors. But some risk-takers are opting for brushed gold hardware and even expanding the trend to faucets and light fixtures.

“I’ve never seen a style come back so strong,” says Justice. “It’s just insane how popular it is. Brushed gold hardware and faucets match all the different elements.”

Magic Chef

Make appliances and extras disappear so your clean design shines.

1. Space Saver. Contractors can make a pullout drawer for a trash can to hide the smell and avoid a color clash. Bakers addicted to their stand mixers can have a spring-loaded mixer lift installed. “It comes out of the front of the cabinet and comes to countertop height,” says Ryan Amstutz, a designer for Mullet Cabinet.
2. Cover Up. Similarly, contractors can put integrated panels that match your cabinetry on top of refrigerators and dishwashers for a continuation of that seamless look. “We could make a refrigerator disappear into the cabinetry,” says James Justice, owner of Architectural Justice.
3. Store It. Stash less-used countertop appliances like a coffee maker and microwave in the pantry to keep things tidy. If you really want an easy-access appliance out, try a steam oven that steams veggies and fish quickly for a healthy option. “Steam introduces moisture into cooking,” Justice says. “Steam ovens are so much more versatile.”

Go Mad for Stone Counters

Like the organic and farm-to-table food movement, kitchen counter design has gone natural.

“We see the trends going back to natural materials, real granite and quartzite,” says Justice. “I think [it’s] just the beauty of that.”

Marble with white and gray tones complements neutral cabinets. Natural stone countertops can be expensive so budget remodeling funds accordingly.

Those just swapping the countertops should see if the budget allows for a backsplash as well. White subway tile is hot right now. While four-inch tiles that extend partway up from the counter to the cabinets used to be in, now it’s all about full-height backsplashes for style and cleanliness.

“If you do four inches, that four inches is the same thickness as the countertop. It creates a dust collector,” says Kornuc. “Tiles from the upper cabinet all the way down to the countertop is a little cleaner.”

Embrace Islands in Style

The island is the heart of the kitchen, so make sure it’s versatile and stands out.

“Having that island that’s got multifunctions — entertaining, homework, cooking, prep — is to have that large focus of the kitchen,” says Kornuc.

Implement the triangle design method for kitchens where the sink, cooktop and refrigerator are in a triangle to get a better workflow. Put the sink at the island since cooks often do prep there, and keep the cooktop and refrigerator against the wall. Also since your teens are more likely to grab a quick bowl of cereal at the island, add an overhang and some seating for those on-the-go meals. If you want to have fun with the overhang, make it a contrasting color or material.

Maximize the extra space the island offers by adding bookshelves, glass cabinets for dishes or a wine rack for easy-to-access vino.

To really make a statement, make the island pop by painting it a jewel tone, like navy, plum or emerald, or get even bolder with brights such as turquoise, orange or lime green.

If you want your island to blend in more but are still looking for a stylish touch, go back to the basics with a dark-wood stain that can tie transitional elements into an otherwise modern space.

“We are using a dark-stained maple to make it look more like a furniture piece, to add a little more of that traditional element to the kitchen,” Justice says.