Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Did you know that 80% of buyers rate the kitchen as one of the three most important rooms in the house (source)? Our modern lifestyles mean that many of us are spending more time at home than ever. The kitchen is the heart of the house in most properties, providing a communal space to eat, drink, entertain, relax, work and catch up on the day’s events. If you’re renovating a new home, or you’ve decided that it’s time to revamp your kitchen and embrace new trends, you may be looking for inspiration. In this comprehensive guide to kitchen remodel ideas, we’ll discuss popular trends and themes, offer tips to enhance your space and create unique kitchens and share ingenious kitchen renovation ideas. 

The best kitchen remodel ideas for your home

Remodeling your kitchen can enhance your living space, boost functionality and breathe new life into your interiors. The beauty of a kitchen renovation or upgrade is the flexibility of the project. As a homeowner, you can plan a remodel based on your requirements and preferences. Kitchen remodels come in all guises. Some people modify everything, changing the layout, style and function of the room while others make less dramatic adjustments. The important thing to remember when planning any renovation project is to tailor your plans to suit your needs and tastes. It’s essential that you love your new kitchen and you’re thrilled with the finished article. 

There is scope to achieve all kinds of goals and objectives when renovating your kitchen. If you’re looking for ideas and inspiration, here are some of the best kitchen remodel ideas to consider:

Replace or upgrade your kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets serve an important purpose, providing essential storage for kitchen utensils and pots and pans, but they also affect the look of the room. If you have dated cabinets or units that have gone out of fashion, replacing or upgrading them is a simple, affordable way to transform the aesthetic. You can sand and paint cabinets or fit new units to inject color or carry a new theme. You may want to swap white or neutral cabinets for a bolder shade of blue or green or replace old cabinets with something modern and fresh, for example. 

If you’re looking into upcycling old cabinets or buying new kitchen units, it’s a brilliant idea to browse different styles, explore kitchen trends and get inspiration from magazines, TV shows and social media. Many of us are also influenced by places we’ve been. Perhaps you’ve seen funky cabinets in a friend’s house, or you fell in love with a wall color in a boutique hotel or a trendy restaurant. Start putting ideas together using a mood board and think about how your cabinets will fit with other features. You can embrace a trend or mix and match styles in line with your taste. Some people love ultra-modern kitchens while others prefer a mix of rustic and contemporary or a classic, traditional vibe. 

The range of kitchen cabinets is diversifying all the time. If you fancy doing something different and you want to make a statement, opting for a striking color isn’t the only option. You could fit textured doors or draw attention with decorative glass doors, for example.

Add a kitchen island

Kitchen islands have become increasingly popular. Islands look fabulous, but they also offer incredible functional benefits. With a kitchen island, you can add storage and countertop space and make the most of the room. Islands can be used to section off areas for eating or cooking, for example, but they retain an open-plan feel, offering the best of both worlds. In many kitchens, islands are also used to create an attractive focal point. 

Islands come in all shapes and sizes. Before you choose an island or start work on a custom design for your kitchen, it’s important to consider the size and layout of the room. You will need to make sure that you have sufficient space around the island to move around and access appliances, stoves and seating areas. Measure the dimensions carefully. If you’re installing a stovetop (also known as a cooker top), don’t forget to measure the stove and order an island range hood. Buying a range hood is critical for removing heat, smoke and strong odors, but it can also enhance the look of the island. You can choose from a huge range of styles. Copper range hoods are ideal for both modern and traditional homes. They are hygienic, easy to clean and durable and they add a beautiful splash of color to every kitchen. 

When you are looking for a kitchen island, it’s beneficial to take the time to browse online galleries, visit showrooms and take inspiration from kitchens you’ve seen in other homes or on TV shows. Celebrate your style. You may want an understated, practical island that complements a modern, Scandinavian-style vibe, or you might prefer a retro, Art Deco style, for example. You can use different materials, accessories and lighting to make your island stand out. 

Open up the floor plan

Adjusting the layout of the kitchen is one of the best kitchen renovation ideas if you’re looking to make your kitchen more versatile or increase usable space. Many of us now use our kitchens for a range of different functions and activities. Open-plan rooms provide solutions for all homeowners but they are particularly popular among families. If you have a kitchen diner, you can spend quality time together while enabling every member of the family to do different activities. You may be cooking dinner while the kids are doing their homework or friends are sitting down enjoying a drink, for example. You can watch TV while you’re waiting for a cake to bake or get together to eat at the table or breakfast bar. 

There are multiple options to explore when it comes to changing your floor plan. You could simply move furniture around or redesign the position of your kitchen cabinets, or you could make more drastic changes. Examples include knocking two rooms into one, opening up rooms connected by an archway or extending the property. Consider the pros and cons based on your budget and your needs. Changing the layout using simple techniques like moving furniture is a lot cheaper than building an extension or knocking walls down. 

If you have an open kitchen, and you want to make the area accessible to everyone, you can increase versatility by sectioning off areas and creating distinctive zones. Simple, affordable ways to do this include using movable screens, repositioning furniture, adding a kitchen island and using different materials, fabrics and colors to distinguish one zone from another. 

Elevate your seating area

Many of us love to come together to eat. Whether you enjoy family dinners every evening or you are known for your hosting skills, it’s a great idea to set aside an area for dining, drinking and socializing. Elevating your seating area is a fantastic way to inject interest into your kitchen, modernize a dated room and create a more functional kitchen. 

Before you buy furniture for your entertaining or dining area, think about the kind of look and ambiance you want to create. What kinds of trends and styles do you like and how do you want the area to feel? Perhaps you want a family-friendly area that is comfortable and cozy, or maybe you’d prefer something chic and opulent that is guaranteed to turn heads? As well as the aesthetic of your table and chairs, you’ll also need to think about colors, accessories and accents and how to use the space practically. If you have young kids, for example, it’s best to avoid high chairs and non-adjustable tables. 

Once you have decided on a theme or design concept, start browsing furniture and thinking about which colors or prints you want to use and how you’re going to accessorize the area. Make your table a focal point by opting for a designer or custom-made copper or brass round table for a cool, social space or add benches and sumptuous sofas for a chilled-out dining area. 

Embrace new kitchen hardware

We often get carried away talking about tiling or painting walls or adding new furniture to create a stunning new kitchen, but embracing new hardware is another brilliant kitchen upgrade idea. The details can often make a difference. From faucets and door knobs to drawer handles, planters and hooks, you can elevate even the simplest and most modest designs by adding luxe touches. Opt for warm tones like brass, gold or copper or slick, cool shades of steel and silver. 

Make a statement with new countertops

Countertops don’t just provide space for preparing and cooking food and storing jars, pots and planters. They also play an integral role in creating a look. If you are remodeling your kitchen, and you want to make a design statement, swap bland, drab counters for something that will catch the eye. Add color, opt for a solid, sturdy butcher’s block or be bold with metals. Add intricate patterned tiles or go for a luxurious marble or quartz top. Think about the style of the kitchen and the trends you want to channel. Blending materials is often a brilliant way to combine themes, but you should choose materials that complement each other. 

Celebrate unique features

If you are fortunate enough to have unique features in your kitchen, use your remodel to celebrate them in all their glory. From exposed brickwork and oversized fireplaces to quirky windows and awkwardly-shaped areas, you can use these features to make your kitchen stand out. If you have a low window, for example, create a cozy nook to read or enjoy a coffee in the morning. If you have a traditional open fireplace, make a feature of it by adding logs and rustic baskets to the hearth, hanging lights around it or adding a chunky mantle displaying framed prints or photographs. Exposed brick works brilliantly with contemporary and traditional designs. You can enhance it with rustic dried flowers for a country cottage feel or add cool wall art or industrial accessories for a modern kitchen. 

Bring natural light in

Natural light makes rooms look more spacious and it can also help to boost our moods and productivity levels. If your kitchen is dark, try to bring more light in. You can do this by opting for light colors and flooring, hanging mirrors on the walls and positioning furniture to face windows and doors. If you’re still short on natural light, consider adding a window or investing in a feature, such as a roof lantern. Roof lanterns are windows, which are similar to skylights. They enable light to flood the room, creating bright, beautiful spaces. 

Popular kitchen trends for 2023

Interior design trends influence many of us when we decorate or renovate our homes. If you’re looking for renovating a kitchen ideas, and you’re not sure in whiceeh direction to head, here are some popular trends for 2023:

• Contrasting colors: contrasting colors are huge in 2023. White has been a staple choice for many years, but this year, it’s all about making a splash by mixing up your palette. Offset white walls with black accessories or break up an all-white kitchen with a copper sink and table. 

• Double kitchen islands: why have one kitchen island when you can have two? Islands have been a trend for several years now, but more and more people are opting for a double island. This is a fabulous addition if you love to cook and entertain. You can use one island for prepping, chopping and cooking and the other for drinking, eating and socializing.

• Statement ceilings: most of us focus on the walls and floors when renovating or decorating our homes, but what about the ceilings? Statement ceilings are big news this year. To embrace this trend, you could carry a paint color from the walls to the ceiling, wallpaper your ceiling, add paneling, or fit eye-catching lighting. 

• Luxe hardware: adding luxe hardware to your kitchen is a simple way to elevate the design and ensure that your kitchen exudes opulence and grandeur. Examples include drawer handles, cupboard and door knobs, faucets and visible pipes. 

• Mix and match materials: 2023 is the year to celebrate fun kitchen designs. In addition to chic, understated trends, there’s scope to unleash your creativity and be audacious. More and more of us are choosing to mix and match materials, combine bright colors and prints and take elements of different designs to form a unique plan. Mix metals to inject different tones, textures and finishes, or team metal with stone. Add flashes of color with printed wallpaper or bright cabinets set against simple flooring or plain walls. 

• Kitchen bars: incorporating a bar into the kitchen is a major trend for 2023. From exclusive cocktail bars and vintage-style seating areas with drinks trolleys to laid-back pubs, there’s a design for everyone. 

• Beautiful backsplashes: replacing the backsplash is an easy, quick way to transform your kitchen. Hot trends for this year include patterned tiled backsplashes, bright colors, metallics, rustic backsplashes and textured tiles. 

How to revamp your kitchen: Tips for every budget

There are myriad ways to revamp your kitchen. Whether you’re looking for simple, budget-friendly kitchen upgrade ideas, or you’re going all-out with a large-scale renovation project, here are some tips for every budget:

• Introduce new colors

Introducing new colors using paint, wallpaper or colored accessories or tiles is a simple, affordable way to transform the look of your kitchen and celebrate different trends. If you’re used to dark walls, for example, why not lighten up your kitchen and create the illusion of a larger space with white, beige or light gray walls? If you have white walls already, lift them with a colored floor or a tiled backsplash, or use colored accessories, such as storage jars, planters and rugs. 

• Choose statement-making furniture

If you don’t want to overhaul your kitchen, but you do want to update and modernize the design, why not choose a statement-making piece of furniture and create a spectacular focal point? Draw attention to a beautiful dining area with a stunning brass table, add a fabulous copper range hood to your island, or invite people to sit down and enjoy a drink on a brightly-colored, retro sofa. 

• Update your cabinets and countertops

Replacing old or unsightly cabinets and countertops is an excellent way to modify your kitchen without doing a lot of work. You can buy new products or repair and update existing units and counters. Painting kitchen cabinets is a very popular option. You can choose to add color or strip dark paint and embrace the natural look for a more Bohemian vibe, which brings the outdoors in. 

• Focus on the details

It’s easy to get carried away with big jobs when planning a kitchen renovation, but often, paying attention to detail delivers incredible results. Simple modifications like adding dazzling metallic door knobs to your cabinets or fitting a new range hood over your stove can make a huge difference. 

• Upgrade your appliances

Technology is advancing all the time. Investing in smart tech is not just beneficial for discovering new opportunities and saving time and effort. It can also make our homes look better. If you’re updating your kitchen, upgrade your appliances to add a cool, contemporary look. From coffee machines and kettles to cookers, buying new appliances can help you spruce up your kitchen and maximize energy efficiency.

• Swap the flooring

Changing your kitchen flooring will alter the aesthetic instantly. You can use different flooring options to introduce new trends, make spaces look lighter or darker and improve functionality. From hardwood floors for traditional kitchens and patterned tiles for an exotic feel to concrete for modern homes, you can choose a material and design that suits your personal style. 

• Improve flow with a new layout

We all want our kitchens to look magnificent, but it’s also essential to be able to use the space. If you can’t get around the room easily, or your stove is miles away from the counter or island, this will impact functionality. Improving the flow of your kitchen with a new layout is an excellent way to design a space that looks amazing and delivers practicality. Consider moving pieces of furniture, adjusting the layout of your cabinets or opening up your kitchen. If you have a separate dining room or a laundry room, for example, you may be open to knocking the walls down to create one, large space. 

• Add an island

Adding an island to your kitchen will change the look of the room while also enabling you to make more of the space you have available. Islands can be exquisite design features but they also give you more space to cook and prepare food and store kitchen paraphernalia. 

• Declutter and invest in clever storage

Clutter can make even the most beautiful, spacious living areas look cramped, untidy, dark and unloved. Decluttering and investing in clever storage are budget-friendly ways to maximize usable space, create larger, lighter rooms and add attractive focal points. Storage doesn’t have to be hidden away. You can improve the aesthetic of your kitchen by drawing attention to storage. Examples include wall-mounted units, floating shelves and ornate cabinets and display units. 

• Embrace upcycling

Upcycling has become more common in recent years. Not only does it promote sustainability, but it also saves money. If you have furniture or kitchen cabinets that need TLC, don’t throw them away. You can restore and paint them or turn them into new pieces of furniture. You could transform pallets into a cool seating area for teens or make a coffee table into a rustic storage chest, for example. 

The advantages of renovating your kitchen

If you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, here are some excellent reasons to consider kitchen remodel ideas:

• Create a kitchen that you love
• Design a space that showcases your taste and personality
• Add value to your home
• Experiment with different trends and design themes
• Enhance the functionality of your kitchen
• Make your home more attractive to potential buyers
• Make the most of your kitchen: create a space where people want to gather and get together
• Design a practical space that allows your family to spend time together while doing different things, such as cooking, eating, working, playing and relaxing
• Maximize usable living space
• Put your stamp on your interiors
• Enhance safety and comfort
• Make your kitchen unique

Best practice guidelines for a successful kitchen remodel

If these kitchen renovation ideas have inspired you, and you’re ready to get started, here are some best practice guidelines for a successful kitchen redo:

• Set a budget

Setting a budget is one of the most critical elements of a successful kitchen remodel. The cost of this kind of project can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Before you start making plans, figure out how much you can afford to spend and set a maximum budget. It’s important to make sure that you don’t stretch yourself too far financially and that you add value to your home. If you spend too much, there is a risk that you might not recoup the money when you come to sell the property. If you go into the planning process with a clear budget, this will help you to allocate funds, outline priorities and decide what you want to do. 

• Establish your objectives

There are all kinds of reasons why homeowners choose to upgrade or revamp their kitchens. Some people have fallen out of love with the style while others want more space. Some want a more modern kitchen while others are struggling to make the current layout or design work. When you’re planning your remodel or redo, establish your objectives. What do you want to achieve? Is the project purely about enhancing aesthetics and creating a beautiful space, or do you want to make more space or improve versatility? 

• Search for ideas and inspiration

Kitchens come in a vast array of styles, shapes and sizes. The most fun part of a remodel project is searching for ideas and inspiration and creating a vision of what you want your kitchen to look like. Use ideas from places you’ve visited, explore different trends and think about the feel of the room, as well as the aesthetic. Start putting ideas together to formulate a plan. Focus on ideas, concepts, elements and designs that you love. It can be beneficial to look at current trends, but don’t feel that you have to follow suit. You should design a kitchen that complements your style and lifestyle. 

• Choose reputable companies and contractors

Whether you are hiring designers, building firms, electricians or architects, or you’re buying a new stove, designer table or kitchen island, it’s essential to choose reputable companies and contractors. Ask neighbors, colleagues and friends for recommendations and read reviews and testimonials. Look for businesses that have an excellent track record and get full, written quotes before you sign any contracts or agree on prices. 

Summary

For many of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home and one of the most important rooms in the house. If your kitchen is dated, or your tastes have changed, you may be considering a renovation or revamp. Kitchen remodels enhance aesthetic appeal but they can also add value and enhance functionality. If you’re planning a makeover, explore kitchen remodel ideas and popular trends and take steps to plan and execute a successful renovation. 

At CopperSmith, we provide exceptional furniture, sinks and fixtures and fittings for kitchens. From custom-made modern stainless steel or traditional farmhouse sinks to stunning copper tables and brass range hoods, we have an exquisite collection of products to suit all homes. Customers can use our 3D configurator on worldcoppersmith.com to get ideas or contact our design team for kitchen design inspiration. To get a custom quote, simply click here.