We have a ton of new kitchen ideas since our original renovation. When we bought the house, the goal was to make it beautiful, while also just needing to get all of the basics done. It was essentially a shell and it needed everything. Now that we have been in our home a while, our kitchen ideas have evolved over time. We try not to base them on too many trends, while still getting inspiration from designs that are currently in style. We originally put in butcher block countertops, mostly because it was the cheapest route at IKEA, but also because the style was in and we loved it. They have served a purpose, but now it’s time to upgrade a few pieces without spending a lot of money on the kitchen that we have already renovated.
I’ve been getting inspiration for our new kitchen ideas, but I want a style that is more natural and will stand past trends that come and go.
You can see from our previous kitchen renovation update that we have already updated a few things since that post. We added the casing around the hood, switched out a few pieces with better decor, added the kitchen shelves, and framed the window with raw oak.
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Things We Have Changed Since Our Renovation
Boxing in the Hood Vent - We made the decision to finally box the hood vent in. I was struggling to get a visual of how it would look with the original vent next to the open wood shelves. Joel wasn't originally into the idea of boxing in the vent, so we waited a while until we could figure out how to complete the look of the kitchen. I finally convinced him and it brought the entire kitchen together for me. He likes how it looks now that he can see it together. I am so happy that we decided to do the boxed look. It creates a cleaner look, even though the hood itself looked nice. It wasn't the look that I wanted in the overall kitchen with an exposed hood range.
Raw Wood Shelves - I debated on whether to put open shelves in. They are SO popular and I wondered if I could bring in a new design, but ultimately the raw open shelving was the idea that we had our heart set on. We used oak to match the wood that we had installed around the window and it doesn't feel trendy. It flows together to make a natural organic look. If you are interested in how we made the shelves, I can do a post or answer certain questions about them. Drop a comment below if you are interested!
Wood Window Trim - We bought raw oak beams from a friend that works in the wood industry. We let them dry for 8 months in our shed, then we cut them up with our table saw and installed them around the window and doorway to the sunroom. This was ALL Joel's idea and it looks so beautiful. He did everything himself.
Our New Kitchen Ideas
Countertops - We have outgrown the butcher block and it was meant to be temporary anyway. I have always wanted to put in quartz and we are getting close to doing an upgrade. As of right now, the plan is to update the countertops with quartz from IKEA. I have done a good amount of research and I really like the look and feel of their options from visiting the store.
Island - In the long run, I want to take out the IKEA island that we currently have, and put in a permanent island with a waterfall countertop. By the time we do it, I might be over the waterfall idea, but right now I am very into it and love the way that it looks.
Gas Stove - We have always planned to put in a gas range. It's just a matter of when. We have a propane hook-up but have never used it and have to schedule a company to come out and make updates. Gas ranges are expensive, but it's definitely on the list. For the amount of time I spend in the kitchen and how much Joel and I love to host, this is an important item on our renovation list.
Fridge - I don't have photos of our fridge in this post, but you can see it in the previous post. We kept the fridge that came with our home because it was white and very clean, even though it's an older model. I am reaching a point where I am hoping to get a new one soon to give us enough space. I did a refrigerator organization post about how we organize our fridge, but I would have a little more breathing room with a larger fridge now that our family has grown.
Cabinets - We LOVE our IKEA cabinets. They have withstood the wear and tear over time, so I have no intention of replacing them. I want to add floor-to-ceiling cabinetry in the same IKEA cabinets in the area around the fridge. Our pantry is the size of a coat closet. I am currently using our coat closet to store cleaning supplies, and items often get thrown in the attic from the lack of storage in our kitchen. I don't want to take away the open concept by adding cabinets above our current countertops, but we have plenty of room to add an entire wall of cabinets to the area that the fridge is in. This will give us more space to keep items such as cake plates and hosting ware.
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Wow! Your kitchen is so beautiful. I really loved it. The color combination is outstanding. Thanks for sharing.
These are great kitchen ideas for a home renovation. Making sure that the process includes the fridge, and the countertop is important too. Thanks for sharing.
Nice blog!