kitchen design Archives - Inspired Remodels

custom kitchen remodeling job added blue lights for accent color to an otherwise neutral kitchen

Kitchen Remodel Company Brings Function to Beauty

By Inspired Remodels / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

When you remodel any room in the house, you want it to look awesome. But when you remodel a room as important as the kitchen, it needs to look good and work well. After all, a kitchen is as much a workroom as a hobby garage. You need room to store the tools of the trade, do your work, and share your masterpieces. Any kitchen remodel company worth their salt (pun intended) can install attractive cabinets and counters. But it takes a special kitchen remodel company to create a space that’s a treat for the eye and the cook. Inspired Remodels does it on a regular basis. Here’s how.

The Kitchen Triangle

No, the kitchen triangle isn’t a sordid affair between the lime, salt, and chili powder. The kitchen work triangle refers to the arrangement of the major work stations in the kitchen. That’s the sink, the refrigerator, and the stove/oven. Each makes up one point of the triangle. No leg of the triangle should be more than 9 feet long. The sum of all three sides should be somewhere between 13 and 26 feet to be ideal. There are just too many steps if it’s larger.

This is some serious stuff. It’s based on time-motion studies on the most effective way for a one-cook kitchen to achieve true efficiency. While today’s kitchens often have more than one cook, the kitchen triangle or it’s cousin, the kitchen zone still creates a game plan for efficiency. The kitchen zone concept creates zones for food preparation, cleaning, baking, and cooking. These zones usually end up in a variation of the kitchen triangle.

Kitchen Remodel Company Deploys Kitchen Triangle

Putting the Triangle into Action

Take a look at the lovely kitchen above. Pay particular attention to the stove in relation to the refrigerator. Next, see how the fridge is across from the sink? Can you see the triangle in this kitchen?

Now can you see it? It might have been tempting to use the space next to the cooktop for the refrigerator and use the refrigerator wall to create a large work space. But the savvy kitchen remodel company understands that fridge door needs to be opened and closed several times during meal prep.

Had it been located next to the stove it would have saved steps, but it would have been awkward.

A functional kitchen flows. You move smoothly and without friction from one area to the next.

Can you see yourself working in this kitchen?

And speaking of working, notice the work area station to the right of the stove. When you take a hot pan out of the oven, there’s a place for it.

There’s ample room for the traditional 3 step breading station. And it looks great!

Inspired Remodels is the Kitchen Remodel Company to Call

When you are ready to put kitchen remodel dreams into action, call the kitchen remodel company that will ensure you get a kitchen that works hard and looks good doing it. Call Inspired Remodels.

Inspired Remodels is a full-service design and build remodel company. From the initial design stage to polishing the chrome on the new kitchen faucet, they’ll be with you every step of the way. Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

Kitchen Remodeler Says Hello to 2019 Trends

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Time to say goodbye to 2018 and 2019 trends. While some designs are timeless, others come and go. Inspired Remodels, the Orange County kitchen remodeler that designs and builds looks forward to 2019 trends.

Warmer Neutrals

Grey has been the new black and white for several years now. But in 2019, neutrals are ready to get warmer. While gray will still be popular, look for its iciness to be replaced by warm neutral tones.

This kitchen is a perfect example of how gray neutrals are warmed with beige. The earthy tones of the floor and chairs warm up the grey of the island and backsplash tiles.

This remodel features warm, honey neutral floors and contrasting cabinets in an even warmer wood tone. Notice the tan in the backsplash tile. These neutrals allow the countertops and sink fixtures to provide just the right pop of color. In previous years, that same countertop would have been used with cool grey, but this kitchen remodeler is warming things up now.

Pattern Tiles

The reign of single tone subway tile is quickly coming to an end. The savvy kitchen remodeler is adding color with the use of tile and grout. Tiles are taking on shapes and colors usually reserved for bathrooms.

In the past, this accent tile would be reserved for a shower or fireplace. But 2019 asks why? The mix of colors and geometric shapes is the perfect foil to the grey subway. This is clearly a kitchen in transition. But the warm floors and patterned tile accent wall lead the way in kitchen design for 2019.

Here’s another example of pattern tile in the kitchen. Sure, you still see gray subway tile and Shaker cabinets, but holey moley look at that tile! Intricate mosaic pieces, surrounded with accents and held together with almost invisible grout create a work of art.

If you aren’t ready to give up the entire backsplash, let go of a little subway tile and add an accent wall to the kitchen. You’ll be so very 2019.

Curves

From lighting to exhaust hoods, things are getting curvy in the kitchen. Industrial style exhaust hoods still grace many a cook top, but the lines are changing. Boxes are loosing their sharp lines and stainless is getting sexy.

Gone are the rigid corners and boxlike hoods. These sensuous lines emulate the soft curves of nature and the natural human body. Curves bring serenity to an area (the cook top) that can be a literal hotbed of stress (pun intended.) That’s because curves are soothing to the eye.

Curves aren’t just for hoods. In this kitchen remodel, curves soften everything from the light fixtures to the faucet fixtures. Countertop corners are radius and even the back of the barstools are curved. No wonder this space feels so serene.

The Kitchen Remodeler that Designs and Builds

Inspired Remodels is the kitchen remodeler that designs and builds. That means you get spaces that function well and look beautiful. Have confidence that your finishes fit your lifestyle and budget. Talk to us about your kitchen remodel dreams. We’ll turn them into reality in 2019.

Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

Kitchen Contractor Shares Signs of a Cook’s Kitchen

By Inspired Remodels / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

It’s almost Thanksgiving and cooks around the country will be heading to the kitchen to prepare the annual feast. A cook’s kitchen is a workspace. Whether it’s a small galley or a spacious open area, it’s a studio for an artist and the medium is food. A kitchen that’s designed for cooking maximizes the space available and is built with efficiency in mind. As you work in your kitchen this holiday season, evaluate your space and see if your kitchen is a cook’s kitchen. According to Inspired Remodels, an Orange County kitchen contractor, these are the signs of a cook’s kitchen.

Don’t Waste Steps

Think about how the space will be used and design accordingly. The cook can grab a quick drink of water when drinking glasses are stored in cabinets next to the sink. Bakers shouldn’t have to walk across the kitchen for a sheet pan or baking tray. Provide storage for these items next to the oven. Install cabinets for dishware and flatware close to the eating area to make setting the table easy or close to the dishwasher to make unloading and stowing easier. Hang a magnetic strip next to the main workspace and store knives safely. Hanging your knives will help keep them sharp. Of course, the kitchen work triangle is still the base upon which all efficient kitchen designs are built.

Use the Right Height

A cook’s kitchen takes into account the height of the cook. No, we’re not suggesting that the countertops, cabinets, and microwave be custom built to the exact height of the cook. But, if the cook isn’t the average size, the kitchen shouldn’t be either. Raising or lowering countertops will make it much easier for an extremely tall or short person to work in the kitchen. Also, keep in mind if kid’s will be using the kitchen on a regular basis. A microwave that’s installed the standard 15 inches above countertop may not be safe for use by kids. A below countertop model make much more sense if kids are regular cooks in the kitchen. A step-stool built into the toeplate of a cabinet is a great way to get kids up to countertop height.

Functional Islands

An island in the kitchen can provide extra workspace and a place to eat. But a skilled kitchen contractor knows it shouldn’t do both. Decide whether you want the primary purpose of the island be to additional eating space or working space. You should not place seating at an island with a cooktop.

Workspace

Cooks need a place to work. That means more counter space. Most cooks want this extra space to be between the cooktop/oven and the sink. Occasional cooks who prepare simple meals don’t want or need as much counter space on which to work. An island without a cooktop can double as workspace and eating space if positioned properly in the work triangle.

Use Cleanable Surfaces

A cook’s mess doesn’t linger. Cooks want surfaces that are easy to clean. Undermount sinks don’t provide a place for crumbs to hide. Smudge-free surfaces on appliances hide fingerprints and matte surfaces don’t show grime as much as glossy ones. Matte surfaces are great for floors. Quartz is an easier care surface than granite and concrete resists heat damage. Solid shelves in the pantry and refrigerator are easier to clean and help keep spills contained.

Let the Light In

Use task lighting to enhance overhead lighting. Light colors make spaces appear larger and dark colors shrink space. Soft shades for the cabinetry visually expands a small room. Shaker and French farm house looks are popular because they can make even the darkest corner look light and bright.

Inspired Remodels – the Kitchen Contractor that Knows Cooking

When you are ready to step up your game and create a kitchen for cooking, contact Inspired Remodels. Inspired Remodels is the kitchen contractor that knows cooking. From designs that combine function and beauty to making the most of the room you have, Jason and Joe Mueller can create the kitchen of your dreams. When you’re ready to start cooking, call Inspired Remodels at (949) 716-1938 to schedule your consultation.