5 Kitchen Must-Haves You Can’t Live Without

The kitchen is always one of the most favorite rooms in the home.

The dictionary defines a kitchen as a room or area where food is prepared and cooked. However, we believe the kitchen is more than just a room where you prepare your everyday meals. The kitchen is where you make some of your favorite childhood memories as you bake or prepare meals with your family. It’s the room where you sit and drink your coffee in the morning as you admire the early morning sunlight beaming through the windows. It’s the place where you sneak in the middle of the night for a late-night treat.

There are so many priceless memories made and small appreciated moments that take place in your kitchen that make it so much more than just a room where food is prepared and cooked. As you’re remodeling your kitchen, you want to think not only about how your renovated space will make cooking convenient but also how the design aesthetic will look. When you walk into your kitchen, your kitchen design should sweep you off your feet and allow you to have a deeper connection with your home. We feel your kitchen should be both functional and beautiful so that your kitchen will become your favorite room in your home. Here are our five must-have features for a beautiful and functional kitchen remodel.

Oversized Venthoods - Designers are saying to ditch the small stainless steel vent hoods and design your kitchens with stunning oversized vent hoods. These decorative vent hoods can be used to make an artistic statement with bold metal designs and colors. They can also be used architecturally and have a custom built-in look by blending in with your cabinetry. Another way homeowners are getting creative with their oversized vent hood is by continuing their tile design over the vent hood or installing wood slats to create a beautiful contrast from their cabinetry. One of the most popular trends is to design your kitchen with a plaster vent hood. Plaster vent hoods are a new way to make your kitchen feel elegant and luxurious.

Butler’s Pantry - In your butler’s pantry, you can hide all your small kitchen appliances such as your toaster oven, coffee pot, microwave, blender, etc. If your kitchen lacks storage space, you can store all your large mixing bowls or party trays in your butler’s pantry. If you have cooking oils, spices, and baking essentials that don’t fit in your cabinet or pantry space, you can store them in your butler’s pantry! If you want to create a more oversized pantry in your kitchen, you can create an extended butler’s pantry with built-in shelves to store all your pantry goods. A butler’s pantry is also the perfect spot to store wine and incorporate a wine rack into your pantry design! By adding a butler’s pantry to your kitchen design, you’ll keep your kitchen looking clean and clutter-free for a long-lasting beautiful impression.

Dual Kitchen Islands -With dual kitchen islands, your kitchen can be used more versatility. One island can be for a dedicated prep space where you have plenty of room to set out equipment, assemble ingredients, and plate food. This is also where you can have your kitchen appliances such as your microwave drawer, dishwasher, and beverage fridge built into your island. The second island can act as a breakfast table where your family can sit for lunch or other small meals. The second island also allows guests to sit and gather in your kitchen without imposing on your cooking space. This lets you have the whole prep space to yourself and not have guests, family, or children crowd around you as you cook.

Floating Shelves - With all the options for pull-out storage drawers and additional cabinetry in kitchen islands, there’s almost no need for upper cabinetry. Instead, you can install floating shelves that can allow you to bring more of your personality into your kitchen design by adding kitchen decor, displaying your favorite dishware, or displaying your favorite collection of barware. Floating shelves will also allow your kitchen to feel more open as they show more wall space giving the illusion that your kitchen is larger than it seems. When floating shelves are combined with a textured accent tile, you create this beautiful, natural, and welcoming atmosphere for your kitchen!

Concealed Storage - While there’s nothing wrong with having your appliances showing or installing your average pantry door in your kitchen, you could elevate the design of your kitchen by selecting a beautiful design style that matches your cabinetry! You can choose a stylish pocket door that accents your new cabinetry, or you can choose a door with cabinet panels to create a hidden pantry design in your kitchen. For small kitchen appliances such as your blender, toaster oven, or your mixer, you can add cabinetry storage with garage-style doors to easily conceal your small appliances. For your refrigerator, you can select panel doors to make your refrigerator blend in seamlessly with your cabinetry design. By adding more concealed storage to your kitchen design, your kitchen is guaranteed to look clean, organized, and stunning.

Your kitchen deserves all the special TLC and upgrades it needs so that you can continue falling in love with your home each day. If you’re ready to make the changes you’ve wanted to make for your kitchen, call our team at 210-680-5626. We’ll help you find the right balance and design for your home.

----KM BUILDERS is San Antonio’s premier design-build remodeler specializing in kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, and whole-house remodeling. We boast the largest in-house staff in San Antonio offering architectural design, interior design, and cabinet design for all your home remodeling needs!----