6 Ways To Renovate A Kitchen

You may be experiencing a call to renovate your kitchen completely, so what better opportunity to finally go with your gut and get started on the kitchen renovation you have been dreaming of for the past few years? Whether you want to completely renovate your existing space or replace a few features to add a new lease of life, you most definitely won’t be short of fabulous ways to renovate a kitchen!

Our Top Ways To Renovate A Kitchen

For many years, we have specialised in bespoke kitchens in Milton Keynes, working hand-in-hand with our clients to create the perfect space for cooking, eating and socialising. Renovations are what we do best, so to inspire your plans, we thought we would put together just some of the most popular trends amongst our clients!

• Kitchen Renovation Ideas
• Most Common Kitchen Renovation FAQs

Kitchen Renovation Ideas

With all of our specialist’s experience, ideas and skills, we have become masters at advising, designing and building refreshed and updated kitchens. We have accumulated several ideas and tips to help you save money and space that you can use to enlighten your aspiring ideas for your new kitchen! These include:

1. Save money with a kitchen cabinet renovation

A popular option amongst many clients is our kitchen refurbishment service; this involves replacing only specific components instead of redesigning the entire space. Based on our client’s vision, our designers will work closely to handpick products to replace, the most sought-after being doors, drawer fronts and handles, allowing them to achieve a complete kitchen cabinet renovation.

Our kitchen cabinet renovation service offers a lower-cost alternative while still breathing a new lease of life into the space, starting from as little as £2,000 for a total refurbishment. For example, for just £2,000, you could replace your current cabinets with doors from the Porter Gloss range by Second Nature, as well as install new drawer fronts, cornicing, plinths and end panels. Inside, you could even consider integrating smart storage such as cupboard carousels or pull-out shelving, allowing you to maximise organisation for a fresh, clutter-free kitchen!

2. Embark on a small kitchen renovation

Based on research by Statista, the size of the average UK kitchen has slightly decreased since 2000. And while many dream of a larger space, a smaller kitchen most definitely doesn’t mean that you cannot design a practical, stylish hub for cooking and socialising. There are tons of wonderful small kitchen renovation ideas that will allow you to take full advantage of the space you have available, such as the following:

• Incorporate a slim breakfast bar: Double up one section of your work surface with a breakfast bar by adding quirky stools. This creates the perfect multi-functional kitchen diner, great for hosting guests!
• Adopt a light, bright colour palette: When designing a smaller space, light shades will be your best friend. These will bounce light around the room to create the illusion of a more spacious kitchen. Take a look at our guide to kitchen colour ideas for inspiration.
• Consider fitting bold flooring: Bold, patterned walls are likely to enclose a smaller kitchen; however, if you want to add a touch of character, consider incorporating this into the flooring. Diagonal patterning, large tiles or wide planks all cleverly extend the floor.

3. Use a kitchen island renovation to maximise storage

An island has and always will be one of the number one features our clients request when working on their kitchen installation in Milton Keynes. Offering the perfect focal point, as well as ample worktop space, hidden storage and more, an island will always be a fabulous addition to any kitchen.

Nowadays, the wealth of wonderful design ideas means that it couldn’t be easier to renovate your existing island to make it not only attractive but also super practical. Our past clients have used their island to accommodate both drawers and cupboard space, along with wine coolers, pull-out larders and an area for seating. On the top of their island, they also have integrated an induction hob and a sink, helping to save valuable worktop space across the kitchen and create the perfect multi-functional feature.

4. Create an open floor plan kitchen

An open-plan layout is, by far, one of the most popular modern home trends, so it’s no surprise that a significant percentage of the kitchens we design take this approach. Our team of experts in kitchens in Milton Keynes regularly work with clients embarking on large home renovations, whether it may be reconfiguring the layout of their ground floor or building an extension, all with the aim of creating a bright, airy open floor-plan kitchen.

When designing an open-plan kitchen, there will be many factors to consider, such as:

• Will you need to knock down walls? If so, a structural engineer will be vital in ensuring your property remains stable.
• What type of open-plan layout are you aiming for? Would you like a kitchen diner, or will you also incorporate your lounge?
• Will you need to extend your property to accommodate this layout? If so, will you need to apply for planning permission?
• What will take up the most space in the room (i.e. fridge, freezer, oven, island, etc.)? These will be your priority when designing the space.

From here, you will then be able to work with our designers and kitchen fitters in Milton Keynes to begin piecing together your space. As all of our kitchens are bespoke, every aspect of your design will be customised to your specifications, whether it may be custom-made cabinetry or hand-painted doors. Feel free to get in touch with our team to begin discussing your project through a free quotation and site survey!

5. Opt for only replacing kitchen worktops

As mentioned above, we offer an excellent kitchen refurbishment service to transform your design while saving time and money. Along with replacing cabinets, another popular renovation within this service is updating worktops. This can make a massive difference to the overall aesthetic of your kitchen, whether you opt for a contemporary or more traditional look.

At Build My Kitchen, we are lucky enough to partner with some of the leading worktop brands, from Corian and CRL Quartz to Silestone, all of which offer superior durability. Each brand stocks a range of beautifully designed worktops in an array of shades to perfectly complement your colour scheme. These worktops are highly resistant and easy to maintain, offering exceptional value for money.

For more information on each of the worktop brands we have available, take a look at our previous article.

6. Experiment with creating kitchen zones

Should you be planning to take advantage of the open plan approach, or you already have a large, spacious kitchen diner area, why not consider creating zones? While breaking up an open plan space may seem contradictory, this will not involve walls but instead clever separation markers that clarify that each area has its own purpose. This will ensure that it does not feel as if you are constantly spending your time in the same room.

When renovating your kitchen to incorporate zones, there will be three subtle yet hugely effective techniques; these are the following:

• Through a kitchen island or peninsula: An island is the most common method of breaking up the space but a peninsula, which is the same as an island but with one side against the wall, is also a great idea. These will mark the end of the kitchen, making it clear that the other side is a new space.
• Through lighting: Clever lighting not only allows you to highlight areas but also define zones. For example, a brighter, white light would be better suited to the kitchen for maximum visibility, but a softer, warm light is perfect for creating a cosy, homely dining area. Take a look at Moonbeam Lighting for 25 wonderful ideas, including the pros and cons of each.
• Through different flooring: Laying slightly different flooring types is an excellent way of breaking up an open plan space. We would always recommend adding a flooring seam when using this approach for a more seamless transition between the two materials or colours.

Most Common Kitchen Renovation FAQs:

When planning a kitchen renovation, you may struggle to understand the ins and outs, especially if it is your first time! Many questions always come up amongst our new clients, so to help, we have answered them below. These include:

How much to renovate a kitchen?

Much like any other construction project, the total price of renovating a kitchen differs based on many factors, from the size of the room to the products supplied. For our clients opting for a complete renovation, the cost is typically between £20K-£30K; this includes ripping out the old kitchen, completely reworking the design from scratch and installing the new kitchen.

However, as touched on above, we also offer a kitchen refurbishment option that only replaces particular components and starts from just £2,000.

Our team are always more than happy to provide a free quote based on your project specifications, so please do not hesitate to get in touch for more details.

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

Much like the total cost, the length of a kitchen renovation is based on the complexity of the project; however, typically, our projects take around 8 weeks from design to installation. For instance, this 1909 in-frame shaker kitchen project is an excellent example of what can be achieved in just 8 weeks.

Does Renovating A Kitchen Add Value?

Sprucing up your kitchen is one of the most effective and beneficial ways to add value to your home, making it much easier to attract buyers if you ever need to sell your home! This is because the kitchen is one of the essential rooms in the house, which buyers usually spend a lot of time inspecting, so it is a great idea to renovate your kitchen if you want to increase the value of your home!

A poorly presented kitchen that conjures ideas of a lack of hygiene or care can result in the buyer having a negative impression of the rest of the house, which sets you further back from completing the sale. If you use our tips and tricks to cheaply and easily renovate your kitchen, you can significantly increase your home’s value even though you have spent less!

Sometimes, kitchen renovations can add up to 10% to the value of your home, but it is down to proportion. For example, if your home is already worth £500,000 and you want to spend around £10,000, then this would be a worthwhile investment; however, if the value of your home is less and you are looking at spending the same amount of renovation, then this may not be a valuable investment.

Make sure to get in touch with a team of specialists who will be able to support you and advise you on the right decisions to make to increase the value of your home as much as possible.

How Often Should You Renovate Your Kitchen?

Kitchens tend to start facing significant wear and tear at about the 10 to 15-year mark, as well as new colour trends that come into the picture every couple of years. We recommend following this timeline to keep your kitchen looking as good as new. Even if you stick to a budget renovation of only about £2,000, just updating any cabinets and countertops can make a significant difference to the look and style of your home, so it may be an excellent place to start!

What Order To Renovate A Kitchen?

If you have never remodelled your kitchen, you may not know what it entails and what to expect throughout the process. Thankfully, due to our vast experience and expertise, we can support you along the process and prepare you for the steps that will be taken! These include:

• Planning: Before you can start any work on your kitchen renovation, you must know what your design ideas are and what you wish to see at the end of the journey. Our team of reputable specialists in kitchens in Milton Keynes are always happy to help by sitting down with our clients and discussing what your ideas will look like to help visualise the completed renovation.
• Preparation: At this stage, all existing appliances can be taken away and safely stored if they are to be reused, and the rest of the existing parts of your kitchen will be removed and cleared out. This blank slate is what will be worked upon with your brilliant new ideas to create your dream kitchen. Our experts will help ensure this process stage runs smoothly and any chaos is avoided!
• Plumbing and electrics: If you are completely renovating your kitchen, then new plumbing and electricals will need to be safely and securely installed. This will come with the help of an electrician and plumber to correctly install any light wires and pipes throughout the walls.
• Walls and floors: This is the stage where your kitchen will start taking form by having floors laid and protected and walls painted before the actual kitchen is installed.
• Cabinets and units: From here, your kitchen will start to look useable and functional, which will see any units, cabinets and shelving installed. Smaller decorative elements will also be applied, such as tiling and grouting, meaning this is an exciting part of the process.
• Appliances: Just before the final aspect of a kitchen renovation, there is a reintroduction to appliances, either existing or completely new, transforming your kitchen and making it look almost completely functional and normal.
• Final touches: At this stage, our work is nearly done with new utensils and little decorative details being placed around the room, which is entirely up to you. This will allow you to completely personalise the room and make the new kitchen feel like home!

Breathe A New Lease Of Life Into Your Kitchen!

The kitchen is often seen as the heart of the home, so creating a space that not only functions well but you are also eager to spend time in is essential. With the help of our team, you can design a kitchen exclusively bespoke to your home and specifications, hand-selecting the ranges, appliances, accessories and more that bring your vision to life – it’s never been easier to create the kitchen of your dreams! If you’re looking for extra inspiration or want a first-hand view of the work we complete, come take a look at our kitchen showroom in Milton Keynes!