COORDINATING YOUR KITCHEN WITH YOUR HOME
You love your kitchen. It is the center of your home. It is not only the place where your family gathers to eat; it’s also a meeting room, workstation and the space where you entertain. But, even with its spacious prep area, convenient island and customized work zones, it stands out like a square peg in a round hole.
Perhaps, it is because the room’s contemporary minimalist design doesn’t flow with your country-inspired home and you are looking for a few simple ways to transform the kitchen without remodeling it completely.
Kitchen designer Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, of Tewksbury Kitchen & Bath believes that while the kitchen does not have to match exactly with the rest of the home, it should coordinate. However, if you find yourself in a situation where the two don’t agree in style, she suggests three ways to help convert your kitchen without redesigning the entire space.
“One of the easiest things one can do is change the hardware on the cabinets,” said Stapperfenne. It is the least expensive option, and depending on the number of cabinets, you can probably update the hardware in one day. Replace the thin wire pull with its high polished stainless shine with a cup pull in a rustic brass finish for an instant facelift that will give your modern kitchen a warm country feel.
“If you want an even more dramatic change but minimal displacement, simply swap out the countertops. Try a color that reflects the tone and style of the home or one that has a smooth edge treatment.” Pull out the grey or black countertop and the backsplash with frosted glass inserts, and install a one in a pleasing blue hue with soft rounded edges or a floral print backsplash to achieve your desired look.
“Another way to transform the kitchen is cabinet refacing, which is simply changing the door aesthetic but keeping your existing cabinet boxes.” Refacing is not quite as labor intensive as a full remodel but allows you to give your kitchen a completely new look. Simply remove your contemporary slab doors and replace them with a beadboard or curved paneled door and add molding or valences to give the cabinetry a more elaborate appearance.
Of course, cabinet refacing will take longer to complete than changing the hardware or countertops, however many manufacturers can finish a typical kitchen in a matter of days and at a fraction of the cost of a full remodel.
Just look to the details within your home for inspiration to help coordinate and customize your kitchen in style knowing that it is possible to makeover the space with minimal effort so you no longer have to settle for the kitchen you have instead of getting the kitchen you want.
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