Your taste in home design will inevitably change as time passes, so it only makes sense to want to change the style of your home. This is especially true for the areas of the house where we spend most of our time, such as the kitchen. Unfortunately, though, residential construction and extreme home remodeling can consume a great deal of time and money. In fact, it is not uncommon for a remodeled kitchen to come with a price tag of several thousand dollars.
However, there are ways to give your home an entirely different feel without much need for expensive additions. Redesigning your kitchen with a minimalist approach can completely restyle your kitchen without breaking the bank or causing too much stress. Minimalist design can even help you decide which tools and amenities are necessary for your kitchen and free up space by tossing out anything you no longer need. Follow these tips to assist you in your dive into minimalism when remodeling your kitchen.
Where to Start When Remodeling Your Kitchen
Every good remodeling project begins with a good plan. Of course, there will always be some issues that pop up during the renovation but make as many decisions as you can up-front. Begin the brainstorming process by asking yourself a list of questions.
- What do I want out of this kitchen redesign?
- What does my budget look like?
- What am I willing to cut to reduce costs if necessary?
- What is so important to me that I would splurge on it?
- How long do I expect this renovation to last?
After you have asked yourself all of the important questions you can think of, you can begin more detailed planning. Begin deciding upon specifics like what materials will be used, what appliances to install, and what colors will be used. If you find yourself struggling with some of these decisions, then take a step back put on some wireless earbuds and try building a mood board. Compile images that inspire you to be more minimalist and use that inspiration to influence your decisions. You’ll slowly begin to identify what it is that you love about minimalist design and find ideas on how to implement it in your own remodeling project. Once you have planned the kitchen of your dreams you can begin to make it a reality.
Remove the Clutter
A major part of minimalist design is decluttering the space of anything that is unnecessary. For a kitchen renovation, this includes any dishes you don’t use, cookbooks you’ve never opened, and even small appliances you don’t need. You’ll be surprised by how little you actually need and by how good it feels to remove all of the extras.
Sometimes it can be scary to start decluttering your kitchen, so take baby steps. Start by choosing your favorite coffee mug and leave it in its place, but stash all of the rest of them in a box. Live as if you only have one coffee mug for a few days. If you still find the inconvenience of owning only one coffee mug unbearable then choose one more mug to keep from the stashed box. The goal is to find the absolute minimum that you can deal with owning. Once you own a comfortable, but not excessive, number of coffee mugs, give the rest away. Congratulations! You’ve taken your first step in living a more minimalist lifestyle.
Now you can begin applying this same logic to larger items in your kitchen. For example, there are likely a few kitchen tools or small appliances you don’t truly need. Try living without some of the more niche items in your kitchen like a bread maker, panini press, or bulky espresso machine. If you find yourself missing them less than expected, then you can donate them. If you find yourself needing them daily, then keep them. Slowly but surely, you’ll begin to find what is necessary to keep in your kitchen and what can be tossed.
Rethink Your Color Scheme
Many people believe that minimalist rooms are empty spaces that have been painted varying shades of grey. While neutral tones are a staple of minimalist design, that doesn’t mean that your kitchen has to have no character. Minimalist design welcomes bright colors and quirky shapes, but they have to be used in a different way. Bright colors and eye-catching shapes should always be used as an accent in minimalist design.
There are a couple of reasons to follow this rule. Firstly, using colors that are all in the same family with minimal contrast makes the area appear more spacious than it actually is. A simple, neutral color scheme in combination with clear countertops can make your kitchen appear much, much larger. Secondly, a combination of flashy colors can take away from the minimalist feel of your kitchen. Instead of choosing a bold combination of colors pick a single color that can be used throughout the room as an accent. For example, a few splashes of bright blue across the kitchen can make a minimalist room feel livelier. Or add a few plants alongside an earth tone backsplash to make the kitchen feel more grounded. Minimalist design may be very simple at its core, but it can be modified to work with your specific style.
Hide Away Everything You Can
Another key aspect of minimalism is having a space for every item you own. When remodeling your kitchen to be more minimalist, be sure to plan a good deal of storage such as cabinets and drawers. This will allow your countertops to remain clear most of the time. Clear countertops will make your kitchen feel better and give you more space to use when cooking. Here are a few quick tips to help you optimize your kitchen storage space.
- Use lazy susans in corner cabinets
- Build-in additional shelves to taller cabinets
- Stack items where applicable
Giving your kitchen plenty of storage space not only ensures that everything in your kitchen has a specific place, but it can also help you establish a “flow” in your kitchen. You have the opportunity to think about how you normally use your kitchen and organize everything around that workflow. For example, you can store knives directly next to the cutting boards for easier access. Or you could keep frying pans and spices close to the stovetop where you’ll likely need them the most. This will help improve the functionality of your kitchen.
