If you love spending time in the kitchen, cooking delicious meals for your family and friends, then that’s enough reason to give your kitchen a much-needed upgrade. Especially if your home is on the older side — you would want the place where you usually prepare food to the cleanest, brightest, most sanitized area in your home.
If your house is on the older side but you want to give your kitchen a quick modern update, here are some design ideas to get you started.
Open it up
Most outdated kitchens tend to be a bit more closed off, thanks to the more traditional floor plan where common areas like the living room, dining room, and kitchen are divided by walls. One of the best ways to instantly modernize your home is by opening it up more, which entails connecting all these common areas by tearing down walls. If this idea seems intimidating, start with just your kitchen and dining area. You can also open up the room more by adding new windows and using lighter paint. Either way, finding ways to open and brighten up your kitchen is one of your tickets to a more modern and up-to-the-minute cooking area.
Invest in a kitchen island
After opening up your kitchen, consider investing in a kitchen island, a freestanding cabinet that you can use as storage, or an additional area to do your cooking preps. One of the marks of a more traditional kitchen is a smaller area near the walls where cooks can do their cutting and preparations, and it’s not always the most conducive for home cooks who do a lot of big menus or dishes that require lots of prep. A kitchen island is the epitome of the modern kitchen because it’s the perfect place to prep and cook while entertaining your kids or other members of your family.
Use modern materials
Your countertops will make or break the look and atmosphere of your kitchen, which is why the materials you use will be key to bring it to the 21st century. Tile-and-grout or even cheap vinyl was often used for more traditional kitchens, which is why materials like a stone or granite countertop are the way to go. There is always a style that can go with your dream kitchen, and these more modern materials are also heavy-duty and can stand the test of time. Another pro? They’re pretty easy to clean, too.
Re-think the floors
The flooring situation is often one of the first things we forget whenever we do some home projects, and yet it plays a big part in how a room looks and feels. If your home is on the older side, it’s more likely you have something like linoleum or vinyl flooring, and now is the time to swap it out to more enduring and resilient material, such as wood, stone, or tile. These materials will help your floors last much longer, and not to mention will instantly add value to your property. You can also explore the trend of using ceramic tiles that copy the look and feel of hardwood. Other materials you can consider include slate and travertine.
Add more places to sit
If you want your kitchen to be a place where you can entertain more guests especially as vaccines are now being rolled out across the nation, incorporating more seats should be the first of your priority. A kitchen island is one of the best ways to do this since countertop stools by the island will complete the look. It’s also an ideal place for your kids to hang out and do their homework while you prepare their meals.
You can also invest in a bigger table where more people can congregate in. Other options include a breakfast bar, or even a bench on the window to mimic the look of a nook. A banquette can also be a good option for home cooks who want to entertain more people in the dining area.
Use modern colors
Do not underestimate the power of a paint job. We all remember our grandmas’ kitchen — mustard yellow with a busy wallpaper. While we may have a lot of fond memories in that kitchen, we also can’t deny it instantly transports us back to a time that’s certainly not 2021. A warm white with an eggshell finish is your best bet for the walls, while you can consider playing with kitchen cabinetry colors. Just make sure to use trendy colors when making your choice.
The kitchen is one of the best places in our homes we can invest in. Look at your kitchen now and see how you can modernize it for a better cooking experience.
