Kitchen remodel - your favorite thing

The process of renovating and updating a kitchen space to improve its practicality, aesthetics, and overall value is known as kitchen renovation. This home renovation project often includes modifications to cabinetry, worktops, appliances, flooring, and lighting. Whether it's establishing a modern, open-concept kitchen, adding extra storage, or updating the design with new materials and fixtures, kitchen renovation allows homeowners to tailor their cooking and dining room to fit their preferences. It may significantly improve the kitchen's use and visual appeal, making it a more fun and efficient environment for cooking and entertaining. Depending on the homeowner's budget and aspirations, kitchen renovation projects can range from small improvements to total makeovers.

I do love my back bar refrigerator, here it is http://prestigerefrigeration.com/shop/back-bar-refrigerators/glass-door-back-bar-refrigerators-c-bb60g/ Especially when it's full. I prefer appearence of commercial kitchen equipment because of my profession, I'used to it.

Everyone- many thanks for all your comments and ideas. It's like you all let me peek into your kitchens (and mudrooms) and take notes. I really appreciate it. As always, Food52 community is so generous! When this thing is done (several months from now), I will try to post an update with before and after pics.

Big powerful hood so the fire department doesn't stop, by knife block drawer, big butcher block cutting boards cut to fit space beside stove, wok burner/large stock pot bunker, under counter plug strips appliances away
Deep sink

My kitchen remodel is 20 years old now and I'm due for another one soon. Things I'm glad I did include a wall of open shelving (not common at the time). It took me a while to figure out how to make it both functional and beautiful, but now it's a lovely focal point that makes me happy. I included a small tv in a cabinet, which was essential. I don't have access to a window, and the tv keeps me company while I work.
I did cream colored subway tiles and cabinets, wainscoting,a tin ceiling and green marble. It's a color combination that works well and I'm going to repeat it the next time.
I'm very happy I included a pot filler and love my knife drawer.
The island is just a work space, which is perfect since although I have a decent size kitchen, I don't have a lot of counter space.
I am very, very lucky and was able to turn a back door entrance into a pantry. Its the best thing ever. I can see everything I have when I walk in. Everyone loves to have a look around, which is inducement to keep it neat. I have one wide shelf that goes all around and had outlets put in it for the toaster, mixer, etc.
Things I wish I had done: self-closing drawers, vertical storage of sheets and cooling racks. I wanted a spot for a stool near the island, but the designer told me I didn't have enough width to do it. I'm most sorry about. During long projects, I long to be able to sit down.

In no particular order; love my pot filler (use it 3-4x/day), double ovens (with optional convection, bread proofing, etc.), and lastly, a stand alone refrigerator and stand alone freezer.

Another suggestion from my own experience regarding kitchen light fixtures. No matter how beautiful or perfect they may look keep in mind when the light bulbs go out you want to be able to change them without stress. I have great looking ones, but the fixtures have to come down in a couple of parts, require a step ladder and get really dirty. It is such a stress when those bulbs go out. I wish I had pendents.

Put the stove top in island and not against the wall. You can still join in the festivities.

How could I forget!
The "Insinkorator" http://www.insinkerator.com/en-us/Household-Products/Water-Products/Pages/default.aspx?from=homebanner
A hot water dispenser for the sink. So you'll always have hot water 'on tap' for making making sauces or a quick cup or pot of tea.

It's not for everyone but we love our matte soapstone countertops!

I'm so glad to have multiple dishwashers -- one full size and one set of stacked dish drawers (all with cabinetry facings), each positioned on either side of the main sink. It's definitely an extravagance but if you plan to entertain more it will solve the puzzle of what to do with the dinner dishes when a single dishwasher is full of prep dishes. If you only have room for one dishwasher, do consider two drawers -- they can be washed separately so small loads can get done in advance. The downside is that you can't put tall items like cookie sheets in them, but big things like that probably get washed in the sink most of the time anyway.

If I were doing my kitchen today, I would choose poured concrete countertops. They're incredibly durable, beautiful and much more practical than granite. (A lot less expensive, too.) I would surely put in a pot faucet if it were at all feasible.

We've been stuck in apartment kitchens for our whole adult lives, but the one thing we've taken with us from apartment to apartment is a huge butcher's block that my grandfather found at an auction for me. It weighs about 200 pounds and is a nightmare to move (up and down stairs in particular), but we use it every day and would never dream of getting rid of it.

For whatever reason, even good cooks seem to always have tiny cutting boards. They're awkward to use and not very efficient. Treat yourself and have a wooden countertop installed (but make sure it's chopping block quality and can stand up to abuse). Being able to treat your chopping surface as a work surface might change your life. At least, now that we've experienced it, we're never going back to normal cutting boards, even if it does mean hauling that monster butcher's block up the stairs.

One year after a semi-remodel to a 1950s ranch home kitchen: We added an island, changed the counters to marble, put in a touch-faucet, replaced a gas oven with an induction surface and a warming drawer, fitted out a tall, deep cupboard with drawers, added a small pantry, hung an industrial-quality pot rack, and The Friend made a series of pot-lid holders out of wood with varying depths that attach to the wall, so the useless wall space behind the pantry door is now wonderfully functional. We're really pleased with all of the changes, but the ones I'm going to miss when we go back overseas: The warming drawer and the touch-faucet**. The changes people comment on the most: The pot-lid wall and the touch faucet. (**I would put the induction cooktop first, but I have a 220v portable induction burner.)

Hey TobiT! Just out of curiosity, what's a mushroom room?

A wide, shallow drawer that has all of my spices laying down so you can read the label - and in alphabetical order. It makes me so happy every time I look for something.

I don't have these, but I think that having under cabinet toe kick drawers -- in the typically unused space right at the bottom -- is a brilliant idea. Here are some images: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/22114544/list/how-to-add-toe-kick-drawers-for-more-storage. I love my two ovens, above which I have a large cabinet with three vertical dividers, providing enough space for my cutting boards, half sheet pans, pizza peel, two-burner griddle pan, etc. Be sure to put in plenty of outlets. We love the flexibility of having a lot.

I worked with two designers when we remodeled our kitchen (and interviewed many), and although they were very helpful in many ways, I found that organizing space is very personal and it is hard for them to relate to what you have in mind. Also, designers often do not have infinite time to spend with every client, and hence will go with most generic/commodity layouts... Try to spend some time visualizing how you would like to organize things. Think about how you move in the kitchen. Think about where you would like to put pots/pans, where you would like to keep your small appliances (in/out), how you use your pantry, where you keep your knifes, your spices, how you take care of trash. Make a list, and then try to draw parts of your new space. See if things will fit. Compute the volume of your current kitchen -- and make sure that your new layout and cabinetry will provide about the same, otherwise be ready to sacrifice some items. You will be better equipped to work with the designers to create the space and layout that exactly fits your need. I found that designers can be very good in taking out space -- it especially happens once you start piling up "designated" drawers and cabinet gadgetry (like a knife drawer and spice drawer, and other tempting things). If you have a large space, go for it -- but if space is an issue -- be extra careful with such things. I also found that some kitchen designers like shelves -- they look cute in pictures -- when they put nice copper pots on them, or vintage china, or cool organic black and white objects, or whatever -- but if you do not keep them neat and organized -- shelves are prone to quickly turning into a terrible mess. One of the things that makes me incredibly happy about my kitchen is having two ovens (we have guests often, and the amount of parallelization is incredible). I also like to store small appliances out of sight and keep counterspace with zero clutter, so I allocated a small section in the pantry for that. I love my caesarstone (quartz) countertops, they are sturdy and easy to clean. Another thing I really, really, really care about are good lights, nothing makes me more depressed than cooking in a badly lit up kitchen. Research the under-cabinet lighting, or lights you will be putting above the island (for example, popular narrow beam lights can look sexy, but create partially lit up areas, or shadows that are terrible for kitchen work.) The color of the light is also important to me -- I hate cold, blue colored lights, and love yellowish, warm ones. If you have space to fit a large sink, go for it -- a tiny sink can be pretty crippling. Hope this helps. Good luck with the project!

One of the things we did during the design phase was look around the neighborhood for similar floor plans and look at those kitchens for ideas. Some of this was done on real estate web sites but we also were not afraid to knock on a few doors of people that had recently redone their kitchens. This quickly defined what was possible, what we liked and what we disliked.
As a result our 2012 kitchen remodel was completed in about 10 weeks (removed a wall, new tile floor, new cabinets and counter tops) and we only lost use of the kitchen for 2 days while the thin set dried. The best feature we added? We more than doubled the counter top space.

Kitchens are so personal. I love to bake, so having two ovens is the single most important thing for me -- but our first architect even asked "why would you want two?". When I told him so that I could cook a roast and a pie at the same time, he not only understood but asked to be invited to dinner. :) So, not for everyone, but super-important for me. Otherwise, it is really about function (see many above comments along same line). How you use your kitchen should dictate the design and where you spend your money. Know, too, that things like appliances -- which can be big $$ items -- can be done over time, since it should be a simple swap one out for the other. Of course, this only works if there is room for the appliance (most people only want one fridge or stove, but two ovens can be another thing all together!).

Don't know how much space you have, but mentioned this topic to a friend today. She said the best thing she ever did was to put in a half-height refrigerator for the kids for beverages and snacks. Makes a lot of sense - cuts own on opening and closing the big one, a lot.

Make a Temporary Kitchen space. Take a couple of doors off some closets. Cover them with shelf paper (get a brand that peels off well and put it on the inside face of the door---this to avoid stains on the door). Put those on a couple of 'saw horses'. Now you have some waist high counter space. Get one of those big containers of spring water with a spigot on it for the water supply...a toaster oven, crock pot, rice maker, and electric kettle (borrow them if needed). Check out an Asian or Mexican supermarket, or a restaurant supply store for a portable single burner---great for power outages and camping too!

If you go to an NKBA-certified designer, you'll get the good advice YOU need. See http://www.nkba.org/Design/Homeowners/ProSearch.aspx. The biggest mistake you can make is to go to a big-box home center. A professional will know the best options for your budget and offer selections and features that meet your needs now, as your kids grow up as well as for what you want to be able to accomplish. But more than that they know space planning, work area requirements, specifications, plumbing, lighting appliances, the pros and cons of your countertop options, hardware and the features you're asking about. As you're already working with an architect, now is the best time to bring in a kitchen designer! Your options are still open before your walls are built. But always go w/ a professional designer. It doesn't cost more, and it will save you headaches, disappointment and delays.

I did my kitchen 10 years ago December with a very limited budget and here are my thoughts on it now. I did not replace the cabinets. I repainted them. They are probably due for replacement now, but I'm glad I didn't do them over then. I spent the money on appliances, and I couldn't be happier that I did. My Jenn-Air Dual Fuel range is still performing fabulously. I only had one service call in 10 years, when the fan in the convection oven stopped mysteriously. My Jenn-Air dishwasher is still quiet and performing great. My favorite thing in the kitchen is my extra deep Franke sink. I would buy one again in a heartbeat. I also ended up with WilsonArt countertops. Wanted Corian, but even for the small space I was looking at over $5K for the Corian. The WilsonArt I chose looked very similar to the pattern I wanted in Corian, and it has performed very well and folks still mistake it for Corian.

I have a galley kitchen and made one side's counters 30 inches deep. That is my prep side of the kitchen and I love having the extra space. This is something that has to be planned early because the cabinets at the end need a deeper side put on (your cabinets will be standard depth, just the end pieces are deeper to cover the gap in back.)

The other things I am really glad I got: a deep, wide single bowl sink, under cabinet lighting that operates on a touch sensor, 15 inch deep upper cabinets, lots of big drawers and various pullouts. Agree with a previous poster about the vertical slots for cookie sheets. For me, a cooktop and separate wall ovens works best because I don't get hot while I'm cooking, like I used to at a range. I am right handed and prefer my dishwasher to the right of the sink. It's easier for me to rotate to put the dishes in, rather than have to cross my right arm over my body each time for a left-side dishwasher. You can really think about the ergonomics and how you use things as you plan.

One more thing is slab-style doors as they are easier to keep clean. No trim where dusty gunk can settle in.

Glad I didn't get: specialized cabinets/drawers like spice drawer, knife drawer, etc. I prefer to buy separate inserts I want and be able to swap them out if I decide to rearrange things.

If I ever have a kitchen with an island I would strongly prefer to have the island empty of cooktops, sinks etc. In my mind, I'd like to have that large open space to work on, use as a serving buffet, as a table with stools, etc.

I LOVED renovating my kitchen and hope to do it again in a year or two in our next house.

Think very carefully about storage and function.
First: Edit out things you don't need. Things you haven't used in a long time or tools that are too complicated to be bothered using. We have all purchased or been gifted with gadgets we thought would be great but turned out to be junk. Get rid of it all. If it doesn't up your game, then it is just clutter.
Second: Take inventory of what you do have and use. Consider the size and shape of everything. Think about how you want these things stored in your new kitchen. How often you reach for your favorite bowl/knife/pan should factor into where/how it is stored. As a designer I have gone so far as to ask the homeowner to empty every single draw & cupboard, assess the value of each piece and even measure the large or odd shaped items. Don't be surprised if you end up with several boxes of items to be donated. Often times people will use, wash, then reuse a favorite bowl before reaching for a second one.
Third: Make it easy to do the maintenance tasks. Can one of the kids be emptying the dishwasher while you are putting away groceries without crashing into each other?
Four: Think about traffic flow. If you want to entertain more, accept the fact that everyone will end up in the kitchen & plan for it. Work it out so the bar setup is away from the food prep. Consider a layout that includes a line-in-the-sand, like an island between guests and food prep. It keeps the cook involved in the party while providing needed work area to get dinner on the table. Have a second refrigerator guests & kids can access without interrupting the cook. I like wine and drawer refrigeration for this.
Most Important: Keep in mind that more than any other room in the house, in the kitchen Function must lead Form. A beautiful kitchen that doesn't function well is just exasperating!

Asking my friend homeowners. One or other of us like: soft self closing drawers (would have done cabinet doors too if they'd had them then), slot for stepstool, pull out drawers for trash and recycling, instant hot tap.

Second fridge/freezer in the garage. Pick one up on a sale or at a yard sale.

Here is a series of Food52 articles on a kitchen renovation: https://food52.com/blog/category/180-building-a-dream-kitchen

And some other hotline questions:
https://food52.com/hotline/5182-unexpected-kitchen-remodel-gas-cooktop-and-electric-wall-ovens-vs-free-standing-dual-fuel-range

https://food52.com/hotline/6435-kitchen-remodel-suggestions

Great ideas everyone. Keep em coming! And sorry about the typos/wonky language in my question - thought I'd fixed them all but my phone keyboard and autocorrect got the better of me!

My favorite thing is a cabinet with vertical dividers for storing cutting boards, cookie sheets, muffin tins, cooling racks, etc. A pantry and cabinets with pull out shelves, and an under cabinet pull out with bins for trash and recycling are also pretty great. Oh, and a good strong exhaust fan vented outdoors. So you don't smell last night's dinner all over your house.

My favorites include pull out deep drawers to keep my stand mixer, vitamix, food processor, etc and an industrial vent/range hood.

My favorite kitchen item--plenty of good quality cabinetry and granite island/countertops --makes cooking and entertaining easier when all food and serving items are easy to reach in one area and not spread out and stacked inside each other. Didn't need my high-end professional-style range--I entertain often and would have been fine with a good quality range with double ovens. Rule I followed--spend more now on good quality remodel and appliances; you won't regret it and it will be cost effective in the long run.

I don't have all these things and most are not unusual, but when I've seen them and used them, I waned them! Handless faucet (great for small kids), big farmhouse sink, smaller utility sink with gooseneck faucet for filling pots (or a pot spout at the oven), oven with warming drawer, kitchen cabinets with hydraulic arms that pull the shelf down to face height. These are popular for seniors but great for anyone who doesn't want to have to drag out a step stool to get things from the top shelf.