The kitchen renovation guide

Tips & tricks

There’s no doubt that we’ve got plenty of tips and tricks up our sleeves to help you with your remodel. Here are some of the best points of advice from SheKnows writers, experts and some of our favorite bloggers.

Budget

Before you go shopping or looking for inspiration for your kitchen renovation, it is essential that you sit down and figure out your budget. It would also help if you have a needs and wants list. This will act as the core of your remodel, helping you know where you can spend and where you can and should penny pinch. Elissa at Our House did just this. By making “save” and “splurge” lists, she and her husband had a backbone before they even started renovating.

• Lowe’s helps you remodel a kitchen on a budget
• SheKnows spacelifts: 10 Modern kitchens under $500
• Steal the look: Get Fab You Bliss’ sleek and modern kitchen

Design

Depending on the square footage of your home or the year that it was built, space may not be on your side. When designing your new kitchen, it is vital for you to think of the functionality of your kitchen. If you want more space or organizing options, you will want to add this into your plans from the get-go. Alison at Deuce Cities Hen House‘s kitchen was built in the early 1900s, giving her an outdated and very small space. Going with a minimalist design, she was able to create a statement kitchen with a lot of personality and functionality.

Read about four staples you need for a modern kitchen design.

• Kitchen design trends: Back to basics
• Kitchen design trends that will last
• Kitchen makeover tips from HGTV’s Meg Caswell

Color

The color that you choose for your kitchen is one of the most vital decisions that you will make for your renovation. This is because a color can change the entire feel of the room, and since most kitchen concepts are open, it also has to blend well with the rest of the home. Erin at It’s a Wannabe Decorator’s Life chose to keep her kitchen a beige hue while painting a selection of her cabinets a unique shade of green. In her opinion, the painted cabinets “open and brighten up a space,” and we couldn’t agree more.

• Kitchen color trends: Jonathan Scott’s predictions for 2014
• Amazing kitchens in blue color schemes
• Top 10 paint colors for kitchens

Personality

Your kitchen is easily the most lived in room of your home, so allow it to have a bit of your own personality and style. Use creative color, architecture and patterns to create a space that you can enjoy spending time in. Melissa at The Inspired Room allowed room in her budget to add two-toned cabinetry and a baking center, something that is absolutely essential to her in the kitchen.

Learn how to make a white kitchen show off your personality.

• Drab to fab: Vivi Dot shares her home’s style makeover
• Hey blogger, show me your kitchen
• The feng shui kitchen: How to use these principles to bring prosperity and health

Storage

Your kitchen needs to store a lot of items: plates, bowls, serve ware, baking ware, glassware, utensils, decorative items and, of course, food. Therefore, you want to ensure that you have a lot of space for storage in your kitchen. When renovating, think of clever spaces and ideas that you can use for storage in your new space. Turning an otherwise unused space into something functional, Nina, from Everyday Enchanting, and her husband turned their hood into a storage area with this simple guide.

Get inspired with these kitchen storage ideas.

• 6 Ways to unclutter your kitchen
• Functional and stylish kitchens we love
• A quicker cook: Make-under your kitchen routine

Appliances

Believe it or not, many kitchen renovations begin with appliances. Realizing that their appliances are either outdated or do not fit the home’s style, homeowners will opt to remodel the entire space to fit their new modern appliances. Due to the cost of new appliances, they do take up a good portion of the renovation’s budget. With this in mind, before you go shopping, get educated. Kaylor, the blogger behind Fisherman’s Wife Furniture, gives a great list of advice to help you snag a deal on appliances that will last.

Learn how you can save money with Energy Star appliances.

• Appliances designed to make life easier
• Real women share: My favorite life-simplifying appliance
• How to make a simple kitchen look done

Up next: Inspiration for your kitchen renovation >>