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Tag: kitchen ideas

  • 10 Modern Kitchen Ideas for a Stylish Refresh

    Creating a modern and stylish kitchen takes a balanced approach that considers functionality and flair. It’s a task that, while not always easy, can add value to your home and provide more enjoyment for your family.

    There isn’t one true definition of modern. However, some interior designers argue that clean lines, sleek surfaces, and neutral colors best express the look. We’ve seen some magnificent modern kitchens that follow this example perfectly and others that stray but still hold fast to modernism while incorporating layered textures, bold hues, and rich wood tones.

    So, what modern means to you may differ entirely from what it screams to your neighbor. But, generally, the look incorporates design elements that emerged in the early 20th century and continue to inspire creativity. Modern style often includes a monochromatic color palette, minimalism, and natural light. It sometimes embraces an open floor plan and the use of metals like chrome and steel.

    While modern design typically refers to a narrow aesthetic born of a specific historical movement, contemporary style, in contrast, refers to anything of the current movement. As you think about what modern design elements you want to bring into your kitchen, consider first the look you want to achieve and then your long-term goals for a perfectly functional space.

    Here are 10 modern kitchen ideas for you to consider for a stylish refresh.

    1. Opt for an All-White Color Scheme

    A modern kitchen with glossy white lacquered cabinetry that blends seamlessly into an all-white backsplash can make a massive impact. If you can leave windows uncovered in an all-white kitchen, do so to make the space appear even brighter as natural light floods in.

    2. Go Dark

    Moody modern kitchens with dark cabinets, countertops, and walls feel dramatic and luxurious. Think black-on-black with pops of steel and wood as accents for added texture, or choose dark green, blue, or other jewel tones mixed with touches of silver or gold.

    3. Choose a Black and White Palette

    Black and white often has a modern feel, but you can pull this look off in an impressive way with two-toned cabinetry, sleek marble countertops and matching backsplashes, painted pendant lights, and matte black metal or shiny black glass appliances.

    4. Mix Wood Tones and Metals

    Multiple wood tones throughout a kitchen, such as shades of beechwood or oak, can give it a modern look. Equally, mixing metals can work to modernize your space if you’re intentional, such as when using black metal throughout with touches of brass, but keep in mind that mixing more than two metals may look mismatched rather than stylish.

     

    5. Introduce a New Style

    Recent events have prohibited many homeowners from completely modernizing their kitchens. Still, even farmhouse chic and cottage-style spaces can get a modern update when a homeowner carefully introduces mid-century modern or industrial elements into the mix. Look to lighting, cabinet and drawer hardware, and barstools for a quick and cheap modern update.

    6. Remove Upper Cabinets

    Skipping upper cabinets gives a kitchen a modern and minimalist look with an open and airy feel. Many homeowners embracing this trend use sleek wooden shelves in place of cabinets to neatly display utilitarian things, such as teak bowls, instead of hiding them.

    7. Plant a Tree

    If you have the space to add a unique architectural element to your kitchen, consider planting a tree in a custom modern planter. A floor-to-ceiling olive tree makes a striking statement in a minimalist kitchen, bringing a touch of nature into a setting that might otherwise appear too clean.

    8. Hang Dramatic Modern Lighting

    Kitchens can receive a modern lift with a dramatic and bold pendant light, perhaps a vintage or period piece. Go glam with gold or keep it cool with chrome, but ensure that your light is one of just a few focal points in the space to avoid creating an antique shop vibe.

    9. Embrace Simplicity

    A crisp modern kitchen finds appeal in the simplicity of its cabinetry, countertops, lighting, and appliances. In a simple or minimalist modern kitchen, focus on the utilitarian aspect of the space and treat it as a blank canvas for creating culinary works of art.

    10. An All-Wood Makeover

    Modern doesn’t have to be all about metals. An entirely wood kitchen, from flooring and wall paneling to cabinetry and countertops, can be stunning if well thought out. This design move, while risky, can prove timeless and memorable for homeowners who do their due diligence researching various kinds of wood and complementary finishes.

    Ready to buy a new home and design a modern kitchen? Or update your current space and then sell? Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate can help you through the process.

  • Pantry Organization Hacks to Streamline Your Kitchen

    While it’s possible someone somewhere once said, “My kitchen’s too big, too well organized, and has too much cupboard space,” it’s highly unlikely. Most of us struggle to work with kitchens that are less than ideal. Having a pantry can help in a variety of ways. If you don’t already have one or if yours needs a serious refresh, here are some pantry organization hacks to streamline your kitchen.

    If you already have a pantry in or just off your kitchen, make sure you’re making the best use of the space you’ve got. Here are some suggestions for a DIY pantry makeover:

    Use Shelves and Racks

    Make the most of skinny shelves, tiered shelving, and under-shelf storage racks. A row of skinny shelves on the back of the pantry door, or even a shoe holder with clear plastic compartments, can hold all kinds of small items, whether it’s spice, soup, or sauce packets or small condiment jars. The inside of a door is almost always wasted space, and it’s perfect for smaller items that will otherwise get lost among the cans and bottles.

    Tiered shelving will let you double or triple the amount of storage you get from your existing shelves, and there are even eco-friendly, expandable bamboo tiered shelves available now.

    Under-shelf slide-on storage racks are available almost anywhere that sells housewares, including dollar stores, and installing a few will give you storage for potatoes, onions, and garlic under your existing shelves. Bonus: that will free up some space in your fridge.

    Installing small tension rods on existing shelves also means you’ll be able to store bulky, awkward items you don’t use often, like platters and cookie sheets that take up a lot less space stored vertically rather than horizontally.

    Create a Snack Station

    Another great tip for streamlining your kitchen is to get rid of packaging and create a snack station at child height. Even if you’ve succeeded in training your family not to leave empty cereal boxes in the cupboards, the amount of storage space a family-sized box of cereal consumes is huge and never decreases until the box is disposed of.

    Set up a little clothesline or use a piece of dowling as a hanging rack in an area of your pantry. Alternatively, you could invest in some larger storage boxes that will fit on your shelves and take dry goods out of their boxes. Make sure you label the cereals or the clips you use to hang them up. This works best for items that are bulky, crushable, and light, like potato chips, cereal, and crackers.

    If you set up a snack station at child height in your pantry, you may succeed in keeping your kids out of the fridge and away from the stove while you’re trying to do dinner prep. The snack station can be as big or as small as you like: you can devote the entire bottom shelf to kid-friendly snacks like dried fruit, mini cookie packs, and granola bars. By creating a dedicated space in the pantry for kids, you’ll keep them from climbing the shelves to get at snacks and possibly prevent a fall, shelf collapse, or tumbling tins.

    Make Use of Corners

    Installing Lazy Susans in corners and investing in metal magazine racks for pantry storage is a great way to make use of corner space. No matter how small, chances are good your pantry will have four accessible corners. Install Lazy Susans in each one and you’ll be amazed how much more accessible your canned and dry goods are. There are stackable Lazy Susans available now, and if you really like to stock up when things are on sale or if you make regular Costco runs, they’ll come in handy.

    Metal mesh magazine racks make great storage containers for canned goods. Their height means you can stack the tins in at least a double row. Plus, if you worry a toddler might get in the pantry and upend them, you can turn them around, so the “spine” of the magazine rack faces out and individual tins are less likely to tumble.

    If you’re starting from scratch to create a DIY pantry, be creative. Pantries are basically just shelving arrangements, so anything you’ve got with shelves or racks can be transformed into a pantry. Old bookcases or nightstands can be stacked in a low-traffic kitchen area (preferably a corner). If you see an armoire bargain, especially a corner armoire, grab it. With a few extra shelves added, you’ve got the makings of a small but efficient pantry. Alternatively, you can create a pantry under your stairwell and install a glass-fronted door. Other potential spots for pantries include laundry and mud rooms and rarely used closets. If you buy in bulk, you can even create a pantry and cold storage room in your basement. While not as handy as having your pantry in or just off the kitchen, restocking your kitchen shelves can become part of your laundry routine as you flip the clothes from the washer to the dryer.