The idea of our kitchens being the heart of the home hasn’t always been a thing. In fact, rather than being a multifunctional place where families gather, entertain, do their homework and chill out (as well as cook), many older homes’ kitchens are designed with only functionality in mind.
So, if you’re renovating a house or your kitchen needs a complete makeover to make it functional AND fun, it’s a great opportunity to rethink everything, from the layout to the plumbing and electrics and those little details that make it your own. Whether you’re on a shoestring or unlimited budget, this guide will give you the expert advice on everything you need to know to turn your kitchen renovation ideas into reality.
How to renovate a kitchen
At the planning stage of a kitchen renovation, you should be thinking about the big picture.
Where do you start when renovating a kitchen?
1. Get some real-life inspiration by looking online
Get on Pinterest and see what people with a similar setting to yours have achieved. How did they enhance their available space?
2. Look at your current space as a whole
Could you knock down a wall to create a kitchen / dining / entertaining aree? Could you move a window or a door to create a more open, welcoming and airy environment? Is there any outside space to extend into? There are some really creative ways to extend – even just a little bit – that can turn your kitchen into a contemporary haven.
3. Consider the kitchen ‘work triangle’
What’s the most efficient layout for cooking, eating and living, given the available square footage? Creating an efficient kitchen workspace is an art and a science. Kitchen designers refer to the kitchen’s busiest zones – the sink, stove and fridge – as the kitchen ‘work triangle’. Position them correctly and you’ll get a smooth flow for your household chef(s) and other people milling around. If there are more than a couple of steps between those main three zones, your kitchen is an inefficient workspace, which will soon become a deep annoyance for all.
4. Start talking to a kitchen designer or architect about what’s possible
Now you’ve got some inspiration, you have a benchmark to go to a kitchen designer or architect with. Talk to them about how to work with your structural beams or columns and about ways to extend or enhance the space, like changing your ceiling height, knocking down walls and relocating windows and doors, to arrive at something that’s the most practical and visually appealing for you. If it’s a doer-upper, think about how to wow a prospective buyer as well as yourself.
What is the average cost to remodel your kitchen?
A kitchen renovation is potentially a lot of work, which includes the redesigning work, the rebuild, all material and labour costs and the redecoration. This can push an entire kitchen renovation past £10,000 and way beyond into the tens of thousands if you’re re-configuring your space or extending. However, if you’re budget-conscious and you know some of the money-saving ideas we list below, you can make sure you get the best kitchen design for your budget.
Think practically about your budget
To make the most of your pennies, think carefully about how fundamental you want the changes to be. The cost of moving your plumbing and electrics to support a new layout can be substantial and it will affect where you can sensibly put the key appliances, such as your boiler, your sink, taps, cooker, hob and fridge-freezer. This has a knock-on effect as to where you can place your kitchen cabinets, so it all needs to be realistically managed within your budget. A kitchen designer or architect can help you with this.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets! They take up the largest slice of your kitchen remodelling budget because they use up the most real estate in your kitchen. Simple, but true.
Ways to keep your kitchen remodel costs down
1. Look for cheap kitchen cabinets or doors
Have you considered buying ex-display or second-hand kitchen cabinets? Kitchen retailers often offer 50% to 75% off the RRP on ex-display units, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). These types of units are barely used, but will come with a degree of wear and tear.
If you go down this route, choose carefully and meticulously check their condition. Look for well-built, sturdy units that will last. Look for good quality MDF and melamine-faced chipboard (MFC) units, because those materials don’t scratch easily and they don’t have sharp corners, edges or splinters.
Check for drawers and cupboard hinges that close smoothly, and cabinet doors, drawers and shelves that can withstand heavy use. Look out for any scuffs, scratches or missing pieces. Can they be touched up? Or might you be better using just the units and adding your own brand new cabinet doors? This way you could get all the benefits without the hefty price tag.
2. Keep your current layout and make cosmetic changes
Moving your sink and gas appliances – such as the hob or boiler – will add substantial costs to your kitchen renovation. If you’re happy with your current kitchen’s layout, stick to it and you won’t have to pay to reroute your electrics, gas or waste pipes. You can still breathe new life into your home by remodelling just the cabinets, tiles, appliances and tapware. See our expert ideas below:
How to renovate a kitchen on a tight budget
You don’t have to spend a fortune to give your kitchen a fresh new look when you’ve got the internet for inspiration and a little time, effort and creativity.
1. Replace just your cabinet doors
Here’s an alternative to (potentially) remortgaging your house to pay for an entirely new fitted kitchen: If it’s just your cabinet doors that are looking dated style-wise and the unit frames are still sturdy and dependable, you could just replace the doors and drawer fronts.
There are even specialist companies that only make doors for renovators like you. This will make a similar impact to a whole fitted kitchen at a fraction of the price.
2. Paint your cabinet doors
This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to breathe a new lease of life into your kitchen. If you can live with the style of your doors, perhaps all they need is a coat of primer and a few coats of paint. You can scan Pinterest for all the latest colour schemes and match them to your wall (or really go for it and paint your walls too).
Top tip: check your furniture primer and paint is suitable for the material you’re painting – it could be wood, melamine or MDF. Remember that the finish makes a huge difference, so don’t skimp on good quality masking tape and take your time.
3. Install new worktops
This is a great one for dramatically changing the look of your kitchen. Laminate is a very cost-effective material to replace your existing worktops with, and there’s always the option for extras like a built-in draining board or heat rods that can be incorporated into the surface so you can put your hot pans down for a minute or two.
4. Update your kitchen floor
Top tip: If your old kitchen floor is letting the whole look down, you don’t need to rip it up and start from scratch. A budget-conscious choice is to lay new flooring on top and run it underneath your cabinet kickboards and plinths, but no further (it doesn’t need to be wall-to-wall, and then replace your kickboards. Voila!
5. Improve your storage
Is your tupperware collection getting out of control? It’s amazing how much stuff we hoard over the years – and how much a cluttered space can clutter our minds. So it’s a great idea to have a storage spring clean every so often.
A few general storage tips:
1. Organise cabinets and shelves so you have the easiest access to the things you use every day.
2. Clear your worktops of everything but the absolute essentials – this is an instant makeover that money can’t buy.
3. Level two is to add some extra shelves, hanging rails or use some cabinet door space hacks – eg. adding extra rails, a tension rod or a Lazy Susan inside your cupboards – to make use of every available space.
6. Focus on details
The beauty is in the detail and you can top off your fancy new kitchen by adding some finer details. Here are some ideas to start you off:
– Cabinet handles
– Extra shelving
– A feature wall
– Blackboard paint on your kitchen door
– Matching accessories like pots and tins in a style you love
– New tapware
– A statement appliance like a fridge freezer in a show-stopping colour
Can I renovate my kitchen myself?
If you’re a keen DIYer or renovator you may be rubbing your hands with glee over a full kitchen renovation. You may even be tempted to use your masterful DIY skills and creativity to carry out the design and renovation totally on your own.
However, our expert advice is to seek expert advice! As anyone who has gone through a large-scale renovation will tell you, a professional architect, kitchen designer or builder can help you fine-tune your plans and have tricks up their sleeves that could save you money, time and effort.
The great thing is you can get expert advice, gratis via a kitchen design chain’s free consultation.
Kitchen renovation ideas
So, you’re going for the big kahuna then? For a full kitchen renovation, you’ll need plenty of inspiration. So here are a few ideas that have worked wonderfully for the renovators that went before you:
Kitchen makeovers before and after
From dated cabinets to Scando charm
From dodgy décor to minimalist dream
From dark and outdated to bright and functional
Good luck with your kitchen renovation!
We hope we’ve given you some cracking kitchen renovation ideas that suit your budget and will get you off to a good start. Remember to get help or advice at every step of your journey as it could save you headaches later on. Many home renovators need our help in the form of appliance cover or plumbing and drainage cover as they contemplate making big changes to their home’s fixtures, so take a look at what we offer – it could also protect you in the event of an unexpected problem later down the line.
FAQs
Where do you start when renovating a kitchen?
1. Get some inspiration by looking online for different types of kitchen renovation ideas
2. Look at your current space as a whole – could you knock down a wall or move windows or doors to create a more open, welcoming and airy space?
3. Consider the optimum kitchen ‘work triangle’ – you should be able to walk (not hike) between the sink, stove and fridge.
4. Start talking to a kitchen designer or architect about what’s possible
5. They know things you don’t and will be able to give you a (sometimes free) consultation
Can I renovate my kitchen myself?
Yes, but don’t be too proud to seek expert advice at every turn. An architect, kitchen designer or builder have tricks up their sleeves that could save you money, time and effort.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets! They take up the largest slice of your kitchen remodelling budget simply because they have the most real estate in your kitchen.
