Kitchen Remodeling Resources
It used to be that when you wanted to remodel your kitchen, you sat down with your spouse and a piece of notebook paper and pencil. You roughed out the sketch in 2D, making notations on dimensions and appliances. You went to the home improvement stores and looked at swatches of materials and different colors of appliances, trying to figure out what would go where and if it would fit.
Today, we have the luxury of the internet. There are tons of resources there to help you, with everything from color wheels to 3D software that allows you to actually see what your planned remodel will look like.
Finding these resources can be difficult unless you are an expert at research. Here we will list some of the best internet resources for a kitchen remodel and links to them.
Color Schemes
Without a doubt Home & Garden TV is one of the best places for any kitchen design idea on the web. In this video, you will see how a plain jane kitchen is turned into one with a lot of “wow” and certainly a color statement. Going to the other end of the scale, a monochromatic kitchen setting may appeal to you more. It is contemporary and sophisticated.
It is amazing how just changing the colors of your walls will make a real difference in the ambiance of your kitchen. Take a look at this kitchen, where the home owner has changed plain white walls to red. Quite a difference!
Many home owners are concerned about using color in their kitchen, and often opt for white. Using a color wheel, however, can show you how to have color in your kitchen without looking garish or overwhelming. In this video, kitchen designer Janine Peck shows you what can be done with color in a kitchen to make it seem larger and much more inviting. Use of color and window treatment is the keys here.
Floor Treatments
Often, floor treatments in a kitchen suffer from either poor color choice or type of material. Choosing the proper flooring can be much easier if you step out of the box of vinyl or tile floorings. Today, one of the most popular flooring materials is bamboo and mesquite. Concrete is also made into fashionable tiles for the kitchen, and all three materials are extremely durable. The overall effect is one of beauty and charm.
One of the hot trends today is towards wood floorings that are both durable and eco-friendly. Bamboo is such a product, but other materials work well also. Consider long plank flooring in your next kitchen remodel. Another choice, especially noted for durability, is cork. Cork is especially popular in Europe, but has been around for a very long time in the United States. It is comfortable to walk on, and is easy to care for.
Long plank flooring is especially sought after. It comes in a variety of woods, can be laid easily and such amenities as “hand scraping” to give the planks an aged look are available.
Laminates are popular in the kitchen, with a large variety of styles available. They are durable and easy to clean, and there are a great deal of choices available today to fit any kitchen décor.
Window Treatments
An area of focus in remodeling has been to add windows to give the visual effect of a larger space, and to open the kitchen to light in the morning, making the kitchen more inviting. If the kitchen is oriented in a southeast direction, windows are a big help to make the room brighter and give the illusion of space. Kitchens can never be bright enough, and by adding windows and giving them the proper dressing, that problem is taken care of. Today, the trend is towards simplicity and a streamlined look. Heavy drapes and curtains do not go well in a kitchen setting, and now we see treatments as simple as decorator Venetian blinds in kitchens. Many resources for window treatments can be found here. Lattice shutters and café curtains are still a good decorating idea, because less privacy is needed in the kitchen than other areas of the home.
Decorating Touches
Kitchens are often small in many homes. Opening up a kitchen using good color schemes and flooring that gives the illusion of space goes a long way to take a “ho hum” kitchen into a lively gathering place for the family. Add decorating touches that compliment your kitchen, such as contrasting throw pillows in a breakfast nook. The idea here is to draw the eyes upward in a kitchen, but also to give focus to the kitchen appliances and countertops. Follow simple resources and make your next kitchen remodel a happy one.
