| kitchen design

Who doesn’t dream of updating their kitchen one day? Getting rid of old cabinets, replacing the flooring, swapping dated appliances for shiny new ones, adding some unique pendant lights above the island. There are so many aspects to designing a beautiful and functional kitchen remodel, but today we are going to focus on creating focal points within your design.

Kitchens have long been the go-to family gathering space in many homes. As remodelers, we’ve been incorporating custom layouts and features that support entertaining, tv viewing, multiple chefs, and beverage centers. And within the past year, we’ve been asking our homes to do even more for us, particularly in our kitchens. It’s not a stretch to say that the kitchen has become the home office and/or classroom for a lot of folks, which has resulted in the rise of new design trends.

Every year, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) surveys designers, architects, and remodelers to learn what styles, materials and innovations are expected to become popular in the near future. In 2020, the results from over 700 professionals pointed to four distinct design themes, several of which can be credited to how the pandemic has impacted the need to adapt our homes to support our new stay-at-home lifestyles.

Kitchen remodels are always at the top of homeowner's remodeling wish lists and with all the time we've been spending at home this year, it has become a priority for many families. As we shelter at home, the problems with our kitchens become even more obvious and troublesome. Lack of storage, outdated appliances and finishes, and dysfunctional layouts are just a few of the common issues we discuss with clients. Over the years we've created a lot of helpful resources for those who are getting ready to embark on a kitchen remodel. We recommend reviewing the 10 listed below if you are considering one in your near future.

Wait, are you telling me that a kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink is now the latest design trend? Not exactly. We too were a bit surprised by the term, but once we explain, we think it will make sense.

Regardless of size, designing a kitchen takes careful thought and planning in order to meet the needs of each family. If your home has a small kitchen don’t despair, there are creative ways to maximize space and make the most out of every inch. At Thompson Remodeling, we’ve remodeled kitchens of all shapes and sizes over the years, so we’ve got a few design tips to share with you that will help to maximize space and functionality in a small kitchen.

One of the top requests we hear when designing a kitchen remodel is to include an island. They’ve become a coveted element of design due to the functionality they can add to your kitchen. If you are looking for more storage, another prep area, or a place to sit for casual meals, a kitchen island can offer you all that and more. In some cases, however, they aren’t feasible due to the size or shape of a room’s layout. But don’t fret; if your kitchen can’t accommodate one, we have another solution, a peninsula!

Have you ever noticed that your kitchen seems to have some sort of gravitational pull for anyone who enters your home? And it’s not only when you have guests, even your own family finds themselves drawn into the kitchen when it’s not time to eat. We’ve all come to accept the spell that it has on us and our guests, which is why homeowners choose to remodel this space more than any other in their homes. Homeowners tend to be ultra critical of the kitchen when it’s not working or looking the best that it could. Are you seeing signs in your own kitchen that it’s time to remodel?

For decades, the go-to arrangement of the kitchen was known as the “kitchen triangle”. This layout dictates that a refrigerator, sink, and stove be positioned so that the path between the three creates a triangular traffic pattern, with an eye toward making the steps between each minimal. Though this is still a good school of thought, not all kitchens are conducive to it due to the space available. A more effective way of planning a kitchen layout is to organize it by work zones. Every kitchen needs at least three primary zones: prep, cooking, and cleaning. Developing a layout based on work zones will maximize available space in the most efficient way for your family. By considering the needs of your household, a kitchen may need additional zones for eating or pets and a talented designer will be sure to incorporate them into the design plan.

One of the top design elements of a kitchen remodel is an eat-in space. Nearly every family would like to include a spot to have informal meals or to entertain guests. In the past few years, several of our remodels have incorporated a banquette into the kitchen design. We think it’s a great feature and there are a few specific situations where it is the perfect solution to a family’s needs.

Multi-generational living has become very common in the last decade. This type of living arrangement can include older parents that don’t want to live alone, disabled relatives who need assistance, and even children who have left the nest that have come back after college. With that in mind, a household may have family members that range in age from under a year to the eighties and nineties. But if you think about it for a moment, do you think your kitchen could handle the needs of everyone in that family?

Remember the segregated formal dining room? I sure do and though many homes still have them, the Thompson Remodeling design team has found that many families are opting to create an informal dining area when they renovate. Typically, these spaces are created to encourage multi-use for other activities such as homework or entertaining. Here are few examples of great informal dining spaces we’ve created recently.