How I Planned My Own Kitchen Remodel

You don't need a professional designer or architect to design the kitchen of your dreams. I tackled two kitchen remodels, in two separate houses within the span of three years. This article discusses the first remodel. I'll speak to the second remodel in a separate article.

The first remodel was in my condo. Built in 1991, the builder-installed white-washed oak cabinets were flimsy and had become pretty grungy. The layout was not very efficient, the look was dated, and it did not accommodate my side-by-side refrigerator very well. The refrigerator butted up to a wall, which did not allow me to fully open the left side door. The challenge in redesigning this kitchen was that it was a small galley style, with not many options to expand.

Here is what I did to improve the function and style of the space:

• Removed the pantry at the far end of the kitchen, which allowed for more continuous counter space.
• Built a new pantry on the opposite wall between the refrigerator and the wall. This allowed distance from the wall, and space for the left door to fully open.
• Incorporated a trash and recycle center inside a cabinet.
• Deep drawers for all the pots and pans.
• Added cabinets over the sink with glass insets in the doors to give the illusion of more space.
• Canned lights were installed in the ceiling with two separate dimmer switches.
• Honey maple cabinets.
• Tile backsplash that incorporated glass tile in burgundy and sage green, which went beautifully with the new granite countertop.

A few more helpful tips that worked for me:

• Take measurements and make scale drawings on a piece of paper.
• Put blue painter's tape on the floor and walls to indicate changes to the footprint of the design.
• Live with those markers for a while to make sure you will be happy with the new layout.

While I designed the layout and look of my new kitchen, I hired a contractor for the demolition and installation of the cabinets, electrical and tile installations. Always get multiple bids from licensed and fully bonded contractors.