Everyone dreams of having a modern kitchen; they just do not always know where to begin. You may stand there at your stove, counter, or sink, wishing things could be different. However, you have no idea where to begin. That is where the expertise of an interior designer can come in handy. Your designer will make use of a kitchen design tool – a form of blueprint design to customize your remodel.

If you have ever looked at floor plans of a home, you probably saw something like this:

In the image above, you can see that the kitchen design is somewhat closed in, with a wall separating it from the living room and dining room areas. The kitchen is open only to a smaller eating area, with another walkway through to the dining room. You will see that we marked in red some of the changes that were to be made, including the removal of the wall to create an island and adding a straight wall to extend the kitchen cabinetry. An added benefit of remodeling the kitchen was a new closet in the master bedroom.

The kitchen photos below show the “before” dated look of the room, along with the wallpaper that was past its time. It was also time to get rid of the white cabinets and the black countertops. You can probably sense how easy it is for someone in the kitchen to feel closed off from everyone else, especially when entertaining.

The Kitchen Design Tool: A Work in Progress

In the after version using our kitchen design tool, you can see how the new wall helps to extend the kitchen cabinet design across the room. The goal was to increase storage space while also eliminating the original awkward angles of the previous wall.

The now-open floorplan includes a new island, as well as still providing space for a casual table and chairs. Now, when company is over, no one has to feel left out when working in the remodeled kitchen. Images below show how the old white and black design have been replaced by shades of cream and taupe. The taller cabinets provide abundant storage, and lighted shelves offer additional brightness for the display of select items.

We utilized the kitchen design tool to create an island with higher cabinets. In the next picture from our kitchen design gallery, you can see how the top of the cabinet is higher than the top of the island.

Aside from providing increased storage space, the higher cabinets also provide hidden space to camouflaging items on the counter.

These kitchen design pictures are part of a current work in progress.

Kitchen Designs Photo Gallery

If you are new to our blog, you may not have seen some of our other kitchen design ideas from past remodels. Through the innovative use of the kitchen design tool, we have been able to create modern kitchens that brighten up the home. There are two primary reasons to remodel your kitchen:

• To enhance your enjoyment of your home
• To prepare it for better resale value

Of course, most people who start looking at kitchen images online do it because they want to remodel their kitchen for their own use. Perhaps there is a need for more storage, as in the photos above. Some people want to turn a closed-off kitchen into an open floorplan – again, as with the room featured here.

In the kitchen pictures below, you can see how dark the lighting in this kitchen was in the before photo. Next, you will notice that we added more recessed lighting as well as hanging pendants above the now straight island. You can see more of the before and after photos from this kitchen in our blog: Kitchen Design Ideas – Things to Consider Before Moving Forward.

For additional ideas for kitchen design, you can also check out our blog: Modern Ideas for Kitchen Design – Options for Updating Your Kitchen.

Contact HK Interiors for help turning your kitchen into a culinary paradise. To discover how our interior design services can help you transform your home or office into the vision you desire, call 954-401-8542 today.

The kitchen is the heart and soul of the home. It is a place for gathering, eating, drinking, laughing, and activity. When considering a remodel, your kitchen design ideas should take into consideration the amount of use and traffic this room will see.

For example, do you entertain frequently? If so, chances are your guests will want to hang around while you are in the kitchen doing prep work. You want to have as much space as possible, and perhaps even bar stools on the other side of a counter.

Incorporating these kitchen design ideas also has much to do with the present shape and style of the kitchen. If you are going to change the positioning of current base cabinets, are there extra floor tiles to fill in any gaps? This is crucial to consider if you are not changing out your flooring. We call this keeping the same footprint. One solution is extending base cabinets or an island if a variance in design or shape will uncover original builder foundation or cement flooring.

Other things to keep in mind when planning a kitchen interior design include:

• What will you discover when removing cabinets that will be replaced – this also goes back to changes in the footprint of the kitchen
• If the flooring was never completed under the cabinets, you might need to have tile or concrete installed for an even surface under the new base cabinets
• What changes in lighting are necessary or desired – moving an island or work surfaces could change the lighting patterns
• Alterations in electrical wiring, outlets, and plumbing for new appliances

 

Remodeled Kitchen Design Ideas – Going from Dated to Sleek

In the original kitchen photos below, you will see how the cabinets sat low on the walls. There was quite a bit of space that the homeowner had filled with artificial plants to balance the stark white cabinets.

When contemplating remodeling kitchen design ideas where an island is in the picture, you do have to consider the footprint. In this room, the client wanted a long, sleek island rather than the odd shape of the one below. However, there were no extra floor tiles to fill in any gaps. To accommodate the change, we ensured that the island would be large enough to cover any original foundation. Builders install kitchens then lay flooring and cut out around base cabinets. This can be a headache when you are ready to renovate a kitchen years down the road.

 

 

 

In the “after” photos below, you will see how the cabinets were installed higher on the wall. The result was a roomier feel to the open space.

The sleek island features wide counter space – excellent for food preparation. We kept in the bi-level counter extending it out to accommodate four bar stools as seen in the kitchen pictures below.

In the photo on the right above, you will see how we incorporated a pantry for large platters and food storage containers to the side of the refrigerator. This puts many supplies as well as food items within easy reach of all family members.

As you look at these remodeled kitchen design ideas, you are probably wondering what happened to the microwave. You can see that the customer desired a stainless-steel hood over the stovetop. The unique kitchen cabinet design incorporated glass doors on either side of the hood. The doors hide a small microwave and toaster oven out of sight.

Our final feature was to incorporate sleek pendant lighting features over the long counter. By comparing the before and after kitchen design pictures, you will also notice that we increased the recessed lighting in the ceiling.

All these changes transformed the kitchen from bland and dated to sleek and modern.

To discover what kitchen design ideas await you, please contact HK Interiors. Discover how our interior design services can help you create magic in your home. Call 954-401-8542 today for all your interior design needs.

You may have had a modern kitchen twenty years ago when you bought your home, but now it is dated. It is time for some modern ideas in kitchen design to heat things up in one of the busiest rooms of your home.

What features are important to you? If your kitchen is the family and friend gathering place, you may also want it roomy and open to facilitate inclusive entertaining.

Do you need more storage space, counter space, or both? If so, floor to ceiling cabinets and single level islands can provide what you need.

Your taste in color may have also changed. Perhaps you are tired of light colored kitchen cabinets and want to go darker. Or, maybe you want to take your dark kitchen cabinet design lighter.

You may not know what you want until you see a particular piece of granite, and that may change your kitchen design ideas. Choosing cabinet colors to augment colors in the granite can give your kitchen an exciting facelift.

Older kitchens often incorporated desks, bookshelves, and decorative shelving in their designs. With today’s exciting options for home offices, most people want to maximize their kitchen space.

You will see the incorporation of this space in the after photos of the new kitchen design.

 

Adding Style and Flair to an Open Kitchen Design

The original builder’s kitchen design featured a smaller standard pantry with an ordinary slatted door next to the refrigerator. You will see this in the photo on the left. As you can see in the construction photo below right, we built an entirely new, larger cabinet for the pantry. To increase storage space, the kitchen cabinets now extend higher, up to the top of the walls.

The extra storage space in both the pantry and the kitchen cabinets was one of the requests of the client.

Molding at the top of the cabinets brings a sophisticated look to the kitchen design. As a result, the kitchen has a more finished and elegant feel.

In these next before and after kitchen pictures, you can see how the change in kitchen cabinet height impacts the design. You may also notice that the microwave is no longer hanging over the stove. Now, you will find it conveniently housed in a cabinet drawer. Sleek, modern cabinetry and door handles complement the new refrigerator. A stainless-steel chimney hood hangs over the stove.

The Right Kitchen Design Will Breathe New Life into Your Home

The original builder’s kitchen featured a two-tier island separating the kitchen from the family room. With the beautiful piece of granite that we found for this counter, we changed to a single level kitchen island design to optimize counter space for entertaining. Although the kitchen did have the original cabinets, recently installed new porcelain tile throughout the home was a positive feature because we would be able to match the tile. Due to the flooring cut outs around the original cabinets, extra porcelain tiles were added and concrete used to fill and create an even surface for the new kitchen installation.

Perhaps the most unique feature for many people to notice is the two-color kitchen. We were able to pull both the light and dark colors from the granite and use them in the cabinetry. The result was stylish sophistication and a beautiful kitchen for the family to enjoy for many years to come.

To discover new kitchen design ideas, contact HK Interiors for a consultation. Our interior design services can help you revitalize your home. Call 954-401-8542 today for all your interior design needs.