How to Renovate Your Kitchen

Has your kitchen seen better days? RenoQuotes.com has a few tips on how to renovate your kitchen without spending a fortune:

Kitchen decor is often guided by current trends, meaning that it can become dated very quickly. Elements such as the cabinets, counters and floors also undergo heavy traffic and suffer a lot of wear and tear. Being that it is one of the rooms where home occupants spend most of their time, a kitchen should be one of the places to renovate when updating a home.

Here are the different steps and aspects to take into account for a kitchen renovation

Painting walls and kitchen cabinets

Obviously, one of the most simple and effective solutions is to repaint your kitchen. Note that varnished and laminate surfaces cannot be repainted directly. You will need to treat them prior to repainting them (sanding, using primer). 

Surfaces waiting to be painted will need to be cleaned properly before you apply primer and paint. It is very important that you select a product which is suited for kitchens.

The paint has to be waterproof and highly resistant to humidity. Also, check to see if you need to apply more than one coat. Painting is one of the cheapest ways to give your kitchen a makeover. 

It can easily be done by yourself but if you are looking for perfect results, it's best to an experienced painter. Even if you hire a professional to complete the job, you will spend much less money than if you replace the cabinets and floor coverings.

Opening the kitchen: a modern trend

The wall that divides the kitchen and the dining room is one of the main walls to be torn down in a house. Why leave a wall that separates the place where the food is prepared from the place where it will be eaten? Cooking is an art, and you want to be able to enjoy it and to socialize with your family and/or guests. 

Removing this wall will make the kitchen roomier, creating extra space for circulation. An ergonomic kitchen must also be equipped with accessible home appliances, as well as plenty of storage and counter space. Sources such as Pinterest and home design and architecture magazines show beautifully inspiring examples. 

Lighting in the kitchen

With the kitchen and the dining room sharing the same space, the next step consists in figuring out which type of atmosphere you are looking to create. With one less wall, you will have more windows letting in natural light. Installing bigger windows can also contribute to the natural lighting of the room. 

At nighttime, a new lighting system equipped with dimmer switches will allow you to adjust the amount of light according to your activities, from romantic dinners to homework sessions with the kids. Built-in LED lights will help harmonize the lighting throughout the room. 

The kitchen island 

Installing a kitchen island requires a lot of space. Adding this extra workstation may seem simple, but it is important to make sure that the new structure does not comprise circulation in the room, to avoid causing accidents. This island must not become an obstacle, so if your kitchen is L-shaped, you should place it lengthwise. Use and customize this island according to your needs, adding power outlets, drawers and different options for storage.

Renovating the cabinets

After having removed the wall and installed a brand-new island, why not modify your storage elements? You could opt for brand-new customized kitchen cabinets, which can be expensive. Some stores carry pre-assembled cabinets which cost less. 

Another option is to paint, sand or re-varnish your old cabinets. Also note that cabinets usually require handles, which will have a major impact on the room's decor. 

Nowadays, many people opt for open shelving in lieu of closed cabinets. These shelves provide a great opportunity to showcase your most beautiful objects, such as the coffee machine, or your colourful dish set. 

Changing your kitchen counter

Knife marks, stains, chipped spots: even the most durable kitchen counters suffer every day. Over time, they need a little help so they can keep doing their job properly. In certain cases, a few coats of paint are also an appropriate solution. 

Certain paints adhere well to tiled surfaces, provided that said surfaces are well prepared beforehand. Concrete counters are very in right now and the trend doesn't seem to be fading. 

There are two types of polished concrete: poured concrete, which is a very smooth concrete and filler, which is more granular. However, you should always choose filler concrete for indoor renovation projects. 

This type of concrete can be used on most surfaces such as earthenware, stainless steel, plastic, wood or stoneware. No matter your budget, no matter your personal taste, there's a way to renovate your kitchen so it suits your needs. 

Installing the sink and plumbing

It's up to you to evaluate your needs, in order to know if you prefer to have one or two kitchen sinks for your prep and clean space. You must take the dimensions into account. A standard single sink tub measures 17.5 by 33 cm, and a double sink is 50 cm in width. The tap must be easy to handle and have a rotating capacity of 180 to 360 degrees. 

The ventilation system

You must install a ventilation system so that the smoke or cooking vapours don't invade the room. There are several types of hood ranges. Make sure that the system you choose has a vent that sends the polluted air outside. 

To see examples of kitchen renovation projects completed by RenoQuotes.com contractors, check out "10 examples of inspiring renovation projects".

Looking for an idea of how much kitchen renovation projects can cost? Here is a video we prepared that presents different prices associated with this type of transformation:

Get 3 renovation quotes for your kitchen renovation project

RenoQuotes.com can help you get quotes for your kitchen renovation project. If you submit your project to us, we’ll put you in contact with the most suitable contractors for you. Fill in the form on our homepage (only a few minutes), and you will receive quotes from kitchen renovation specialists.

Dial 1-844 828-1588 to speak with one of our customer service representatives