Looking for ideas to inspire your kitchen remodel? Look no further! I have compiled a list of 10 kitchen remodel ideas from my own home! It has been five years since we remodeled our home, and I still love my kitchen, especially these features. Here are my top 10 favorite things.
This blog post is all about 10 kitchen remodel ideas from my kitchen!
1. Two dishwashers
With three teens at the house and regular entertaining, two dishwashers have been a luxury. Throw in months of eating three meals a day at home due to COVID, and two dishwashers became a lifesaver! I hand wash very few items. I have one wooden cutting board (I got rid of the rest in favor of more dishwasher friendly ones). My Grandmother’s cast iron skillet takes special treatment, and I have a few pieces that are too large to wash. If you are looking for a new dishwasher, I like this one.
2. Open shelving
This is the second kitchen I have had with open shelving. It’s my jam. I like arranging my most used items in an attractive yet convenient way.
3. Drawers
The bank of wall cabinets under my cooktop is all drawers. I will never go back to base cabinets. It is so much easier to find what you are looking for and to keep things organized. When base cabinets are necessary, I always incorporate as many big drawers as possible.
4. Pull out cutting board
In our kitchen, to stay on budget, I purchased box cabinets for the perimeter of my kitchen and commissioned a custom island. I knew what I wanted in my island and gave that information to my cabinet maker. When my island was delivered, it had a surprise in the form of a pull out cutting board above the trash. I never knew I wanted it, but I use it multiple times a day, and it has become one of my favorite things in my kitchen.
5. Sink in the island
Most kitchens have a sink under a window. However, I am focusing on a task when at my kitchen sink, not gazing out the window, so I prefer my sink facing the room. I am more a part of what is going on with my family and more connected to the conversations in the room. Also, it forces me to keep my island cleaned off. I couldn’t stand to let dishes pile up for long on my island – it’s too much a focal point of the room – I’ve gotten into the good habit of keeping my island cleaned off.
6. One large sink
I have always had a kitchen sink with two equally divided sink bowls – one for washing, the other for drying. It was a tough decision for me to switch to one large sink bowl, but I love it! It forces me to wash, dry, and put away each item as I go (because I can’t stand to leave things on my island, refer back to #5, above!). As a bonus, if I need to wash something large, I have plenty of room for it! You can find the one I have here.
7. Steam oven
When we remodeled our kitchen, I knew I wanted two ovens. However, I didn’t want two full-sized ovens because I feel like they take forever to preheat. At the time we did not have a microwave (I still wish we didn’t, but teenagers…) so I wanted something that would preheat quickly for warming up lunch. I wound up with a Thermador steam oven. It’s great for warming up a plate for lunch (in under 10 mins), for cooking smaller casseroles, and you’ll have to trust me on this, but it makes the best homemade bread. It makes me feel like a legitimate chef!
8. Island
Everything about my island makes me happy! I love that I customized it for us. It is 3″ taller than our perimeter cabinets. It is large! 9’6″ by 3’5″ is a large workspace by my standards. I love my farmhouse sink, my bridge faucet, the double pull out trash, the reclaimed white oak lumber, and the cutting board slot (no door is really the way to go for cutting boards).
9. Hardwood floors
Actually, what I love MOST is that my floors are not tile. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to keep grout clean in a kitchen floor. Tile on kitchen floors will always be a hard no for me. Plus, these are just beautiful and easy to maintain!
10. Shiplap backsplash
It is easy to clean and easy on the eyes. I appreciate and often install tile backsplashes in kitchens, but they are busy with all the grout lines. There is a simplicity to the shiplap that I very much appreciate. The clean up is simple, especially where I have installed glass on the wall behind my cooktop.
This blog post is all about 10 kitchen remodel ideas from my house.
Wrap Up
I hope this has given you the inspiration you need to design and remodel your kitchen! If your family is anything like mine, you will spend much of your time in the kitchen, and these ideas will help guide and direct your creation.
Want more information on home finishes? I have reviewed lots on my blog, head here to see them all!
If you are getting ready to embark on your own kitchen remodel or are building your dream home, I am excited for you! I hope you love your final result – and the process – as much as I do! Stuck? Reach out to me at starr {at} starrtingle dot com and I’ll help you through whatever is keeping you from realizing your best home dreams!