5 Tips for a Successful Kitchen Remodel

We truly can’t get enough of Alexa of Manderley Design Co.‘s kitchen renovation. That brass lighting? The blue Viking stove? Floor-to-ceiling subway tile? Swoon! So, we asked Alexa the recipe (pun intended) to a successful (and beautiful) kitchen remodel. Now, excuse us while we go pin all the gorgeous photos from La Luz Photography to our “Dream Kitchen” Pinterest board!

ONE.

Design two kitchens in one for visual interest!

Our kitchen is pretty square, and small enough that I couldn’t sacrifice counter or cabinet space to add in pretty furniture or a desk or eating bar; things that usually break up the space. Instead, I incorporated two different, but complementary designs. On one side of the kitchen, the cabinets are white and the counters are wood. On the other side, I created a baking center with a marble counter and blue-gray cabinets. So much more interesting! The secret to success is to keep some elements the same throughout the space—all of the cabinet doors are the same design, and all of the hardware is a consistent warm brass that will age over time. The final product is interesting and cohesive!

Two

Add a deeper window ledge!

I had my contractors add just two inches to the window ledge over the sink. Now, I have a space to display collections (usually rocks, shells, and empty birds’ eggs that my boys bring in!), small plants, birthday cards, candles, holiday decor…whatever reflects my current mood. It’s nice to have a place to personalize and decorate a room that can often be very utilitarian.

Three

In the design stage, think about how YOU will use the space, not just how it was before.

You may be remodeling for cosmetic purposes, but that also creates the opportunity for you to customize your kitchen to your lifestyle. For example, we left the basic footprint the same, but created a new mudroom out of the old breakfast nook. When my boys were young, it was great to have them eating right there in the kitchen, but now that they are in school and sports, the table was always piled high with soccer gear, school bags, and coats. We decided it was much more valuable for us to have a lot of hidden storage for their gear, and more pantry space because they are eating a lot more! There are often some easy tweaks that don’t involve moving walls or changing the footprint, but they can make your home so much more livable.

Four

Consider various types of lighting.

Many kitchens just have overhead lighting so the light is only at one level, and too often, the fixtures aren’t interesting. Lighting is my favorite part of any project because it feels like room-jewelry to me. I love brass library lights, and didn’t see any reason not to put them in my kitchen. We also have dimmable under cabinet lighting that makes cooking so much more enjoyable. Kitchens just feel warm and welcoming when they have various forms of lighting to bounce the light around at different levels of view.

five

Open shelving!

It’s very popular for making a kitchen feel more spacious, but it’s amazing how much easier it makes unloading the dishwasher! Just make sure that all of your dishes are attractive and somewhat coordinated. Our everyday dishes are all white, so it works for us. They don’t have to match though; but they do need to be combined in a thoughtful way if you are going to bring in patterns and color.

Photography: La Luz Photography | Interior Design: Manderley Design Co.

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