There are few things more fun and exciting for a homeowner than taking on a large scale remodeling project. Kitchen remodeling holds a special place in many people’s hearts, so read on to gain some great ideas for how you might want to design this crucial space in your home.

Mine Traditional Cultural Influences

A number of popular kitchen remodeling trends from recent years call back to older decorating eras. Ornate French designs filled with grand stone arches, wide open windows, detailed facades and floral patterned everything make offer plenty of kitchen ideas. The traditional English Manor replaces ornate French styling for a stately appearance incorporating high ceilings, drooping chandeliers, glazed cabinets and bright open layouts.

Perhaps the most commonly seen traditional influenced design scheme from the last decade has been the Farmhouse style kitchen. These kitchens rely prominently on the use of wood, metal and stone. They often feature a combination of heavy stone (such as granite) and wooden countertops, burnished metal accents, and appliances such as refrigerators which are hidden away behind antique wooden paneling. Unlike the French and English influences, the traditional Farmhouse style kitchen exudes warmth.

Use Colors!

Most kitchen designs work with a very limited pallet. But when you are coming up with kitchen remodeling ideas it’s important to remember there is nothing forcing you to stick with beiges, browns, blacks and whites.

Incorporating slightly off-neutral colors (such as burnt reds that appear brown and ultra-dark blues which might as well be black) is a good start, but there’s nothing stopping you from going further. Light blues and greens, bright reds and oranges and yellows, accents of purple on your trim… all of these colors can easily find their place in a properly planned kitchen remodeling project.

There’s no need to make your kitchen look like a child’s playhouse, but there’s also no need to be a puritan with your designs either.

Open Up Your Kitchen Plans

If you have the space, or if you are able to create the space, than you should consider working with an open kitchen design.

Instead of hiding your kitchen away in the corner of your house, knock down the walls and free up your space. Many open kitchen designs bleed directly into a living room or dining room, making cooking a far more social experience. For the most part, open kitchen designs feature a counter or island that helps to both provide a small separation between the two adjoining rooms, and to provide a space for others to sit and socialize with you while you cook.

While most chefs and cooks appreciate the breathing room that open kitchen remodeling ideas bring, they are ideal for entertaining and house parties.

Consider Sustainable Kitchen Ideas

There are many ways you can use your remodeling project as a way to help reduce your environmental impact.

For starters, you can utilize sustainably harvested wood for your cabinets, counters and floors. Bamboo is an increasingly popular and viable earth-friendly alternative to the old growth wood that many designs traditionally use.

The biggest win you can incorporate into your designs are energy efficient appliances. Not only will an energy efficient refrigerator help the environment, but they are also known to slash your energy bills to a fraction of their previous costs! Who knew that remodeling could actually save you money?