This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
A renovation as big as a kitchen renovation can be intimidating. When we moved into our house we renovated the kitchen and there are definitely things I wish I would have done differently. The bottom line is that no one is going to care more or understand your vision more than you. So making sure that you have a clear and concise design is key. Follow along as I give some kitchen reno ideas, tips and advice on how to make things go smoothly.
As I mentioned earlier, when we moved into our house we renovated our kitchen. Now, If you can do it yourself – more power to ya! We were working on a tight deadline with 3 kids and my husband working full time, we felt what worked best for us was to hire someone. In doing this, you are trusting someone else to execute your vision which doesn’t always happen.
I have found that you can never be too prepared. I wish I would have done a little more preparation to make it easier on everyone and to easily communicate my vision.
So, here are some tips and things I wish I would have known before our renovation.
This post is all about kitchen reno ideas.
Kitchen Reno Ideas
Pinterest is your BFF
Pinterest is literally the best place ever for inspiration. The first thing that I would suggest is to go to Pinterest and pin some inspo images. Sometimes it is hard to nail down your vision. Once you start pinning images it is easier to see what your style is leaning towards. Maybe all of your images have some sort of wood element like beams or wood shelving. Or maybe you realize that you gravitate towards kitchen will colored cabinets. Maybe you like dark countertops.
Here are some kitchen images that I LOVE all from pinterest.
Take Your Time
TRUST ME. The kitchen is the heart of the home. Take your time when planning out your renovation. Really think about how you use your current space. Try to be more aware of how you move through the kitchen – especially when cooking. A really good tip I heard from someone is to literally map out how you move through your home (or just do the kitchen if you’re not concerned with the other spaces). Draw a rough sketch of your current kitchen and every time you walk from the sink to the fridge to the stove or whatever, draw it out on your sketch. You will soon see what your patterns of movement are and how you might want to switch that up in your new kitchen.
One mistake I made was getting hung up on a design detail and not thinking about how the space would actually function with said detail (Kitchen alcove – a combo of bad communication and stuck in my head design decisions). Is it pretty? Yes. Do I wish I had more space? Also, yes. I should have been more a part of this instead of just trusting that my vision was understood.
Bottom line, try to pay attention to functionality first and design second. I say this as a mom with 3 kids who is cooking meals almost every day. Think it through! Beauty and function can coexist.
Contractors
Make sure you know who you are hiring on.
Listen, I know saving money is very appealing, but sometimes it’s worth it to spend a little more for quality work. I have had too many people be flaky, do a shotty job or leave work unfinished.
Make sure you look at someone’s past projects and recent reviews. Meet with them and explain your vision and see if it feels right. Meet with a few people. Ask for recommendations in local groups. Do your research.
I also want to mention… working with family can get tricky. Proceed with caution.
Mood Boards for Kitchen Reno Ideas
As you are starting to pick out finishes and items for your kitchen, make a mood board. Visuals are EVERYTHING. You might think something will look good together but realize when you see it together that it looks much different than you thought. This is also super helpful to have to show your contractors or anyone that you are working with. I might even suggest creating a binder with your mood boards and pinterest pins to share with the people you are working with. Like I said – being over prepared is better than being under prepared.
An app like Canva.com is perfect for putting together mood boards like this. Just save your images to your phone, upload to canva and create!
Note: Only the pro version of Canva will let you remove the background so you may need to get an additional background eraser app if this is something you are wanting to do.
Samples, Stains and Swatches, Oh My!
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT SO HEAR ME OUT!
EVERYTHING looks different in person than it does online. EVERYTHING looks different in different light, different rooms or different houses. Try EVERYTHING out in the space that it will actually be in. Put up paint swatches or stain swatches and look at them at different hours of the day. See how they look in morning light vs. evening light. Make sure your swatches are BIG enough to where you can actually get the full effect. I know Sherwinn Williams and samplize.com offer big sticky swatches that can easily be removed from your wall. These are a great option.
SAMPLES!
I know sometimes samples cost money but it is worth it! There is nothing worse than ordering 20 boxes of tile that look good online but look more purple in person. Now you have to go through the hassle of a return and you could potentially push back your timeline for your renovation. I’m gonna say it again – EVERYTHING LOOKS DIFFERENT IN PERSON!
So, stains, samples and swatches are a must, must, MUST!
Budget
Plan out a budget. When you have a budget you have something to reference back to and to keep you in line with your spending. It is so easy to overspend if you are just buying things as you go.
Also, take 10-15% of that budget and put it aside for emergencies or overages. 9 times out of 10 something unexpected will pop up so it’s good to be prepared!
That wraps up my kitchen reno ideas and advice. I hope you all learned something and I truly hope this helps anyone moving forward in a kitchen remodel. This advice is all based on my recent experience doing our own remodel and also starting up my interior design business with my design partner. See you all next time!
Other posts you may like:
11 Absolutely Must See Cozy Kitchen Ideas
DIY Bathroom Makeover | Quick & Easy Tips To Bring Your Bathroom Back To Life
Warm and Cozy Home Decor | The Absolute Best, Budget Friendly Places to Find it
9 Amazingly Easy Ways to Make Your Home Cozy