Pearls of Wisdom From a Real-Life Kitchen Remodel
What your best friend would tell you if you were embarking on a renovation and she'd been there, done that
Samantha Schoech
January 23, 2013
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel and design. I just completed my first remodel, turning my crumbling 1941 kitchen into a beauty of grays, whites and natural wood. If I could, I'd sleep on the countertop. That's how much I love it.
You can also read my parenting blog on Baby Center http://blogs.babycenter.com/author/sschoech/
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel and design.... More
I remodeled our kitchen and dining room in 2011 (you can see the whole house here). Recently, a friend who is about to embark on her own remodel asked me what I wish I had done differently or what I wish I had thought of before making certain design decisions.
I am mostly thrilled with our remodel. There are maybe a couple of things I would change, but for the most part, I got exactly what I wanted: a sleek, neutral kitchen with lots of counter and cupboard space. It's not Architectural Digest material, but it is real life, and it definitely works for me.
I am mostly thrilled with our remodel. There are maybe a couple of things I would change, but for the most part, I got exactly what I wanted: a sleek, neutral kitchen with lots of counter and cupboard space. It's not Architectural Digest material, but it is real life, and it definitely works for me.
Advice I can offer:
1. Think a lot about the stuff you have. Are you a baker with lots of cake pans and cookie sheets? Do you have a lot of tall items, like juicers, blenders and mixers? How many wineglasses do you have? The configuration of your cabinets and drawers should be designed with all of this in mind. Make lists of what you have and go from there.
2. You probably don't need a fancy restaurant-style $6,000 stove, even though they are pretty.
3. Think about the light you need and then increase it by 50 percent. Our contractor talked us out of additional pot lights, and it is my biggest complaint about the new kitchen. Light that baby up like a football stadium.
4. There is almost nothing as useful as really big, deep drawers for pots, pans and other large items.
5. A tile backsplash is not necessary, but if you can swing it, it sure does make a difference. Tile is the jewelry of the kitchen.
6. There is no such thing as a perfectly indestructible countertop. I love our white Caesarstone — it doesn't stain, it doesn't burn, and it doesn't need any special care, but it has a few small chips in it already.
Those are my pearls of wisdom. If you've gone through a kitchen remodel, what are yours? Feel free to share before and after photos. We can't get enough of those transformations.
1. Think a lot about the stuff you have. Are you a baker with lots of cake pans and cookie sheets? Do you have a lot of tall items, like juicers, blenders and mixers? How many wineglasses do you have? The configuration of your cabinets and drawers should be designed with all of this in mind. Make lists of what you have and go from there.
2. You probably don't need a fancy restaurant-style $6,000 stove, even though they are pretty.
3. Think about the light you need and then increase it by 50 percent. Our contractor talked us out of additional pot lights, and it is my biggest complaint about the new kitchen. Light that baby up like a football stadium.
4. There is almost nothing as useful as really big, deep drawers for pots, pans and other large items.
5. A tile backsplash is not necessary, but if you can swing it, it sure does make a difference. Tile is the jewelry of the kitchen.
6. There is no such thing as a perfectly indestructible countertop. I love our white Caesarstone — it doesn't stain, it doesn't burn, and it doesn't need any special care, but it has a few small chips in it already.
Those are my pearls of wisdom. If you've gone through a kitchen remodel, what are yours? Feel free to share before and after photos. We can't get enough of those transformations.
BEFORE: My tiny, cheap stove was trapped between cupboards, and there was zero counter space.
AFTER: Counter space next to the stove; I don't know how I ever lived without it. I also love the dual-purpose vent and microwave — great for a small space. We went for the lip of counter on the wall for usability and ease of cleaning. The tile is just for pretty.
BEFORE: We kept our dishes on open shelves. It was easy to grab them, but the ones we used less often got dusty. Plus, they looked chaotic.
AFTER: I still have open shelves, but now they are for cookbooks and dry goods. Our dishes and glassware are all in cupboards, where they stay nice and clean.
AFTER: The old wall would have gone though the middle of the new dining table. Having an open kitchen has completely relieved me of ever feeling trapped in the kitchen while my family or guests hang out without me.
What I love: Vertical pan racks in a skinny cupboard. All flat things go in here, and it saves a ton of space and searching around.
What I might change: We have awkward corner cupboards, and we opted for sturdy wooden lazy Susans in both. They work well for baking supplies and canned goods, but if I could do over these areas, I think I would opt for pullout drawers in one corner.
My pullout spice rack is fine, but it was actually designed for bottles of oil and vinegar and the like. Because it is too far away from the stove and I've found that I don't like reaching down for such things, I keep the bottles in an upper cupboard right next to the stove, along with the spices I use most often. So now I have this whole rack dedicated to spices I use only occasionally. I call it my cardamom cupboard.
Tell us: What did you learn from your kitchen remodel? We'd love to see your before and after photos!
Tell us: What did you learn from your kitchen remodel? We'd love to see your before and after photos!
Related Stories
Kitchen Backsplashes
30 Bold and Beautiful Range Backsplashes
Get ideas for eye-catching tile and stone backsplashes inside stove alcoves and behind cooktops
Full Story
Kitchen Design
7 Essential Features of a Well-Designed Kitchen
Make sure your new kitchen not only looks good but also functions beautifully
Full Story
Kitchen Workbook
How to Map Out Your Kitchen Remodel’s Scope of Work
Help prevent budget overruns by determining the extent of your project, and find pros to help you get the job done
Full Story
Kitchen Storage
Foolproof Storage Solutions for Corner Kitchen Cabinets
By tidgboutique
Consider Lazy Susans, pullouts and more to maximize storage
Full Story
Trending Now
The 10 Most Popular Kitchens So Far in 2024
Get inspired by the warm neutral palettes, ample storage and inviting islands in these most-saved new photos on Houzz
Full Story
Houzz TV
5 Trends for Kitchen and Bath Products in 2024
See fascinating new features for showers, tubs, faucets and more launched at the 2024 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show
Full Story
Kitchen Backsplashes
Where to Start and Stop Your Backsplash
By tidgboutique
Consider these designer tricks to work around cabinets, windows and other features for a finished look in your kitchen
Full Story
Kitchen Workbook
How to Find Your Kitchen Style
If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen, here’s how to find inspiration and start narrowing down your choices
Full Story
Kitchen Design
15 Stylish Kitchen Range Hood Ideas
Get ideas for hood shapes, sizes and looks that can elevate a kitchen’s design while ridding it of bad air and odors
Full Story
Kitchen Workbook
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Follow these start-to-finish steps to achieve a successful kitchen remodel
Full Story
Jill, my KD talked me out of side by side sinks. Post pix, pls!
Don't let the KD be the boss of you! A KD can be a great resource and ours had several ideas I would never have thought of, but also talked us out of a couple things I wish I had put my foot down on and insisted on!
We used a grey Neolith for our countertop. Subtle and tough. It was a very new product at the time but has stood up exceptionally well. Because it is not busy like a marble or cesarstone, it is has not gone out of style.