Many of you have been asking for a tour of some of my latest projects, so I recently took to IGTV to give everyone a tour of my kitchen. There are so many details that go into planning a kitchen renovation, more than I could share in a short video tour. Here are some more thoughts on my kitchen and what to think about when planning your kitchen renovation.
(You can see the video on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuinteriors/ )
Know your home:
Not just from a design or style perspective (I.e. maybe your home is a classic colonial, so you are dreaming of a classic shaker kitchen), but know how your house works. Where does the light come in? How do you truly operate in your kitchen? I use a multi point questionnaire with my clients to truly understand the likes, dislikes, needs, wants and uses for their spaces.
Some basics about my home, its a 1950’s mid century home. It faces east-west, with the light coming into the kitchen in the morning and through the front of the house in the afternoon. In the late afternoon and early evening, the kitchen is dark and that is when I do most of my family cooking during the week, so lighting was a big consideration when I designed this area. The kitchen was ORIGINAL. Original cabinets, floors, lack of lighting, windows, two doors to the backyard within 15’ of each other, a weird flow point to the downstairs apartment unit and more. It did not function efficiently and the space was not maximized. I love some original details and I love to mix old with new, so I tried to update this kitchen for maximum functionality, which it lacked, but also honor some details that were worthy of keeping.
Original Kitchen
My favorite keep from the original space: the wood beams and ceiling. I painted the beams black to give it a little bit of modern touch but I think the spirit of the original architecture still shines in this space.
My focal point inspiration for the kitchen was my favorite part of the entire house when we bought it; the lemon tree in the backyard. It was a little hidden in the back originally. For the new design, I wanted it to be the focal point for the kitchen while also adding some much needed additional counter and cabinet space. So we closed off the second door to the backyard and added an eight foot picture window. Now the lemon tree is the star from most of the kitchen view but also the east facing light has a lot more space to enter from. This also created a 20’ run of cabinets. Lots of space!
Asbestos wrapped vent pipe
My big discovery: An asbestos lined vent pipe for the HVAC unit in the wall I wanted to remove for more cabinet space. Almost every renovation has this moment when your plans are put in a state of pause/ “OH CRAP! Now what?” Removing this vent pipe also meant upgrading the heating system to a newer, more high efficiency system. The asbestos abatement and removal cost about $800. The new system cost about $9,000. All things considered this was a safer choice for my family and the addition allowed me to keep my design plans as is, while also increasing the heating efficiency and lowering the heating costs of the home. But this meant I had to rethink other costs to save elsewhere.
3D Rendering of Kitchen Plan
Everyone has a wish list for their kitchen. I was no different. But the balance between wish list and your must haves always comes to a head. Making choices is hard, but my rule of thumb is if you can make choices that won’t sacrifice the overall look, functionality and quality, then its easy to make another selection.
Some wish list items that went away:
1) Artistic Tile marble mosaic tile for my backsplash – cost $4,000
Opted for porcelain tile from Tilebar – cost $1,000
2) Mod Cabinetry – cost $35,000
Opted for walnut cabinets from Conestoga Cabinets - cost $13,500
3) 3cm Quartz Countertops – cost $9,000
Opted for porcelain countertops – cost $7,650 (includes install for the pricing)
My must haves when planning this space were:
1) Lighting – I added recessed lighting and under mount lighting to ensure there is plenty of light at all time but also plenty of work light when prepping and cooking.
2) More Storage and Better Function – I added 3 pantry units and an appliance garage. Plus all of the cabinets have pull out trays for easy access. All of the drawers have utensil organizers, there is even a spice rack and baking tray pullout.
3) 42” Fridge – For a family of 5 I knew what I needed to store and feed this family. I had planned the entire kitchen, the cabinets were ordered. And then the extra costs from the new HVAC as well as the unplanned meltdown of the hot water heater, requiring us to put in a new high efficiency hot water heater all came into play. I went from having a budget for an $11,000 fridge to having only $4,500 to spend. 42” fridges are hard to come by and usually expensive. So I scoured every appliance sale and outlet center around, and found the one I wanted at the Sears Outlet for $3800. The only damage is a dent on the door panel. The panel itself costs only $800 so I decided I could get the fridge I want and change the panel for less than a brand new one. And that’s what I try to encourage everyone to do when renovating: Be resourceful and be creative.
Other ways to be creative when renovating:
1) Make some of the original lay out work - my sink, dishwasher and stove are in the exact same spot as the original kitchen. That saves me money and work.
2) Find a deal - Like my fridge
3) Maximize function and storage - Use spaces that would otherwise be dead - like my appliance garage.
4) Go Green and reduce waste by keeping some of the original space. In this renovation not only did I keep the ceiling, but I also kept the dishwasher, which was the only item that had been upgraded in the space. Why buy a new one? This one works great.
Finally have fun and find a way to add in your personality:
I had to change out the backsplash tile to an alternate for cost cutting measures, but in the end I LOVE it. I couldn’t be happier with the statement it brings to the space (and the ease to which I can clean the porcelain vs. marble). I love my slate floors. This was my nod to the era of the house. And I LOVE the eat in area and vintage chandelier. I brought that chandelier with me from my other mid-century modern home in NJ. I am so glad I did! It belongs in this space. I love my vintage yellow mesh chairs. I bought those on my wedding anniversary excursion in Asbury Park, NJ and my husband said “where are you putting these chairs?” I said, “I have no idea, but I need them anyway.” 4 years later they indeed have a perfect home here in California.
Open shelving and backsplash detail in newly renovated kitchen
My family of 5 spends a lot of time in this kitchen. In our 6 short months in the new home, I have had the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving with our families and friends and now it has become our central camp for gathering daily. All of the planning was worth it, my kitchen is our favorite space in the house.
Eat-in Area with vintage dining chairs and chandelier
If you need some help with your creative kitchen plans or tips, send me a message and I would love to chat.