Kitchen

2. Cost vs. ValueAs you may have discovered if you’re considering a remodel (or in the midst of one), everything from cabinets to sinks to appliances comes at a variety of price points. How do you decide when it’s worth it to splurge for a high-quality item and when it’s best to save your dollars? Here are some questions to ask yourself:Will the investment improve your everyday life? Will the product solve a pet peeve? Will the addition of this element make your house feel like a home? Will the purchase increase the value of your home?In each of these cases, you may decide that the cost of a feature for your new kitchen is worth it because of the value it brings. For example, a better dishwasher might eliminate the need to prerinse dishes. Perhaps you hate scrubbing dishes, can afford an upgrade and would cherish any minute of spare time away from the sink. Or perhaps you feel quite the opposite: You don’t mind scrubbing dishes at all, and this investment wouldn’t be worth the pennies spent. Framing your choices as cost vs. value — in terms of your experience in your kitchen, and possibly the resale value of your home — can help you get clarity on what’s worth the extra money. Dre...

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Navy on WoodAs I’ve mentioned on Houzz before, navy and blue-green hues are excellent for adding color that’s still neutral enough to effortlessly mix with other shades. The blue cabinets and orangey wood hutch are technically complementary tones (blue and orange are opposite on the color wheel), but since both are near-neutral, the effect feels lively without being wild.

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Wood on WhitePairing white and wood cabinet fronts gives your kitchen dynamic appeal: modern white for a sense of freshness and openness, and traditional wood for a sense of welcoming warmth. This scheme often features light white upper cabinets with rich wood lowers, but adding a full pantry wall in wood gives the added aura of an old-world chef’s kitchen.If you have an island, use it to integrate the two concepts, with a wood front and crisp white top, so the whole look feels tied together.

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Darker woods come off a little more formal and polished than lighter tones. They lend a certain gravity to a space, which can work well in areas that are already bright and breezy with lots of windows.

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When chairs surround the table, as opposed to the typical island where stools are along one side and occasionally an end, everyone can sit facing one another. This is an advantage for those wanting to use the kitchen for most meals.

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A big table allows the kitchen to function as a dining area in a way most smaller eating nooks can’t. This is a definite plus if the home has no formal dining room. People who have a table in their kitchen say that the biggest upside is the comfort it brings. Tip: If you love to bake or cook things requiring a lot of peeling and prep, like jam, a table provides a work area with comfortable seating to get you off your feet.

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“Uh-oh” moment: “It was actually more of an ‘aha’ moment,” Holmes says. “As is common with projects of this type, you never know what you’ll find when you open up 180-year-old walls. Initially, the space was to be taken back to the studs and the walls were to be Sheetrocked right to the ceiling. As demolition progressed, the ceiling beams were exposed and their original face was removed to make room for the new Sheetrock. Once we saw the beams, however, and saw what they added to the space, we knew they had to stay. It was unfortunate that the original face had been removed, but to see them now, you’d never know. They just belong there. The kitchen would be a different place without them.”Designer secret: “As a designer or homeowner, when tackling a project like this, it’s so important to really be present in the space, throughout the process,” Holmes says. “As with the beams, you never know what treasures you’ll find. You can add a lot of beautiful things to a space, but sometimes highlighting what is already there can be invaluable.”

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Accents of Warm WoodA wide range of materials are being employed when building and fabricating hoods. In a design mixing modern lines with a rustic material, this custom made hood by Sullivan Building & Design Group features a band of a reclaimed beam wrapped around its lower edge.Tip: Look for reclaimed wood at salvage building material stores, and hood inserts from appliance stores or hood manufacturers. And don’t fret over any airborne cooking deposits on such a surface; it has weathered the outdoors, it will weather anything else that can be thrown at it.

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