10 Kitchen Renovation Decisions I’d Make Again

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from our kitchen renovation, it’s that the decisions you don’t rush are usually the ones you end up loving the most.

We lived in our home for about six months before starting our renovation, and I’m so glad we did. It gave us time to understand how we actually used the space, what wasn’t working, and what would make the biggest impact day to day.

These are the kitchen renovation decisions we made that I would 100% make again, and what made the biggest difference in how our kitchen looks and functions today.

Our island is everyone’s favorite favorite gathering spot!

Living in the Space Before Renovating

This might be my biggest piece of advice.

We had a lot of people suggest renovating right away to avoid living through the mess. My (smart) husband pushed us to live in the space first, and I hate to admit it, but he was right.

Because of that time, we were able to fully appreciate the natural light our home already had and plan a lot of our decisions around that. We also had the time to see how we would use the space on a day to day basis, including what worked and what didn’t with the current layout. We also had recently found out we were expecting baby #2, so we were able to make selections with our growing family in mind.

We ended up making much better decisions because we didn’t rush right into the renovation.

Our kitchen before the renovation, which featured a penisula that we later turned into a large island.

Designing Around Natural Light

Once we lived in the home, we realized how the sun moved through the space and made layout decisions based on that.

We shifted certain elements, like the placement of our island, so the light hit the kitchen in a more intentional way.

Use light to your advantage when planning your kitchen renovation. We love the way natural light hits in our space!

Adding Wood Beams to Define the Kitchen

This is of my favorite design decisions and what really makes our home feel custom and like ours.

Even though our space is open concept, adding wood beams helped visually define the kitchen area and make it feel like its own space.

We get so many compliments on the wood beams. I think it’s because they truly added more interest to the space and even tied in with the stain of our hardwood floors.

The wood beams were our designer’s idea and we absolutely love them!

Choosing Appliances Early (and Going Panel-Ready)

We prioritized selecting appliances early in the process—and went with panel-ready appliances so they blend seamlessly into the cabinetry.

We were originally going to go with stainless steel appliances, but I’m so glad we went with a panel-ready fridge and dishwasher as it makes the entire kitchen feel cleaner. Plus, we get to avoid the hassle of always wiping down stainless steel appliances, which has been a big help with two littles around. Even though panel-ready appliances are more expensive, we think it’s worth the investment since both my husband and I agreed we only wanted to do a large scale renovation like this once!

Creating a Hidden Pantry

We had an awkward, unused space in the back of our kitchen that we turned into a hidden pantry that we absolutely love now. The former home owners were using this space as an office, but I didn’t want an office right outside the chaos that is the kitchen space.

Instead, we opted to create the hidden pantry that’s concealed by a door that blends right into the rest of the cabinetry. I love that we went this route. It gives us extra storage, a place to hide small appliances like our toaster, blender, coffee machine, Crockpot and baby items like our bottle washer and formula dispenser.

With all this extra storage, we’re able to keep our main kitchen area more clean and tidy. This is a huge win, especially for a family home!

Inside our hidden pantry off the kitchen

Going with a Large Island

Our island is the true center of our home. Our previous kitchen layout featured a peninsula that made the space, even though there wasn’t a wall, feel closed off from the rest of the house. It just didn’t flow the way we wanted it to.

We removed the peninsula and replaced it with a 9-foot island, and it completely changed how we use the space.

Now it gives us plenty of seating, tons of prep space, a natural gathering spot for hosting and everyday life

It’s where we drink coffee in the morning, where the kids snack, where we have most of our casual meals and where everyone seems to end up when we have people over. If you have the space, I would absolutely prioritize a larger island.

Mixing Warm Wood with White Cabinetry

I love that our kitchen is the mix of warm wood tones with white cabinetry. Two-toned cabinets can also help your kitchen stand the rest of time, in my opinion.

We didn’t want the space to feel too stark or all one note, and adding wood to the island and lower cabinetry helped bring in warmth and contrast.

It also ties in nicely with our hardwood floors and the wood beams, which makes everything feel really cohesive without being overly matchy.

If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, I highly recommend two-toned cabinets in your selections.

Prioritizing Function for Everyday Life

This was especially important for us with two young kids.

I didn’t just want a kitchen that looked beautiful in photos. I needed one that worked during the chaos of real life… like making dinner while holding a baby, or grabbing snacks while someone is melting down 🙃

We thought a lot about how we actually move through the space on a daily basis and in real, slightly hectic, everyday moments.

Things like where we naturally drop things when we walk in, what we reach for multiple times a day and how far I want to walk while cooking or cleaning.

Because of that, we made small but really impactful decisions.

Don’t Rush the Process

My biggest takeaway is this: don’t rush the process.

Taking the time to really understand your space and how you use it will lead to so many better decisions in the long run.

These are all choices we made that I would absolutely make again, and they’ve truly made our kitchen feel like the heart of our home.