I love a good kitchen renovation.
I click through to check out pictures of just about any kitchen renovation I see posted on Pinterest, Facebook, Houzz, etc.
And I DVR pretty much renovation show on HGTV.
We’ve gone through two kitchen renovations now – in this house and in our Cincinnati house – and I’ve come up with five must haves for a kitchen renovation.
1. A breakfast bar or an island
This is important for two reasons: One, kitchens need plenty of counter space!
And two, there should be plenty of seating in a kitchen.
Our original kitchen in Cincinnati was just a workspace without anywhere to sit down. When Kalen or I were in there preparing food, the other person couldn’t sit to hang out in the kitchen if we wanted to chat and catch up on each other’s days.
Seating in a kitchen is a must.
2. Cabinet space wherever possible
Be creative in where you can put cabinet space.
We have a small bit of space next to our pantry. It was too narrow for any standard lower cabinet, but it was the perfect – albeit unusual – spot for an upper cabinet.
So we put an upper cabinet there and use it to store our blender. It looks great and keeps the blender off the counter.
We also had a small sliver of space next to our microwave. We picked a really skinny upper cabinet to fill the space. It’s perfect for Advil, Band-Aids and other meds.
Our breakfast bar is deep enough that we were able to place back to back cabinets underneath, meaning we have a set of cabinets that open up to our bar stools.
It’s great storage for kitchen items we don’t use often: fancy dishes, a triple slow cooker and a roasting pan.
3. Cabinets in a color your love
I love the clean and bright look of an all white kitchen, so white cabinets were a must.
Everyone undergoing a kitchen renovation should pick cabinets in the color they want.
Cabinets take up so much space in a kitchen. You’re going to be looking at them a lot, so they should be the perfect color for you.
4. Quartz counters
I’m a huge, huge fan of quartz. I love the look and feel of it.
Since quartz is manufactured from crushed stone, it offers a consistent look.
And it’s nonporous, so it doesn’t collect bacteria and is easier to keep clean.
5. If you’re going with stainless steel, go with smudge proof.
Stainless steel appliances look great, but the smudges are enough to drive anyone crazy.
Smudge proof appliances are the perfect option for a great look that’s easy to keep clean.
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What’s on your must-have list for a kitchen renovation?
Planning your own renovation?
Download my printable Kitchen Renovation Checklist so you can easily keep track of each step.
*Please note: All printables and downloads designed by Green with Decor are for personal use only. Please do not alter the files or claim them as your own. These files are not intended for resale, nor are the printed versions of these files.
GET THE LOOK:
Since a popular question I get is “Where’d you get that?!,” here are links to the same or similar sources:
- Wall color: Camelback by Sherwin Williams
- Counters: Blanco Canvas quartz
- Clock
- Window valances (DIY)
- Curtain rod here, but they’re not always available. This one is similar.
- Curtain clip rings
- Metal basket
- Lantern
- Green spatula
- Dish towels
- Green cushions
- Barstools
- Cabinet handles
- Faucet
- Garbage disposal button
- Cork chalkboard (DIY)
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bonbon @ Farmhouse 40 says
Great tips Meg……You kitchen looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing
GreenWithDecor says
Thank you!
Gayle says
We are in the middle of a kitchen renovation. I so agree with your tips. I would like to add that I am getting two sets of big deep drawers instead of crawling under cabinets; I noticed you had drawers, too; and also a slide out drawer for a trash can, if you can afford to give up a lower cabinet! can’t wait for it to all be finished!!
GreenWithDecor says
Good luck with your kitchen renovation! We love our big drawers and our garbage slide out drawer, too!
Roxanne says
Your kitchen looks beautiful! You really maximized the space so well. I didn’t know they made smudge-proof appliances! Pinning!
GreenWithDecor says
Thanks, Roxanne!
Rebecca Lindenbach says
Oh my goodness I love the quartz countertops! I just got married, so I’m living in a small apartment with my husband right now but if I ever have a house I hope the kitchen is as gorgeous as yours is!
I so agree with the breakfast bar part–we created a makeshift one with ikea furniture in our kitchen and I love it!
Great post 🙂
Rebecca Lindenbach
GreenWithDecor says
Thanks, Rebecca! What a fun idea for your breakfast bar!
Suzanne Holt says
A must is having an organized work space, so that I can enjoy my time in the kitchen. Your renovation looks beautiful.
GreenWithDecor says
Thanks, Suzanne!
Laurie says
My favorite color is green, I love the accents you have in the curtains and rug. Cooking is my hobby, so the kitchen is the favorite room of the house for me. Thank you for sharing!
GreenWithDecor says
I love green! Thanks so much! I love the kitchen, too!
Quincy says
We are starting to remodel our kitchen, and this post is super inspirational. We are going through our to-do list and once our dumpster rental gets here next week we will get started!
GreenWithDecor says
Exciting! Good luck!