When you're renovating, it's helpful to consider what you want to achieve with the new design. Do you want to create a kitchen that feels spacious and is also easy to clean? The following ideas will help fulfil those two aims.

Visually Expand the Kitchen

If you don't want to pull down and move walls during the renovation, you can use other ways to visually make the kitchen seem larger. For example, use pale hues like white and cream that reflect light and give a feeling of extra space. If you find white bland, use beige, grey, pale blue or green instead. 

Minimising contrast is another way to produce an airy space. If the benchtop contrasts boldly with the splashback, which contrasts with the walls, your eye is drawn to the room's outlines. This can make the area seem cluttered and small. Conversely, if one pale surface seamlessly follows the next, a room feels more open.

However, contrast can add a pleasing drama to a design, so if you want to use a dark contrasting shade, use it on the floor and for elements lower in the room. Dark colours placed high on the walls can feel heavier.

Additionally, ensure that daylight can freely flow into the kitchen via large windows or a skylight. This prevents the room from visually looking smaller because parts of it are shrouded in dimness. An even spread of recessed ceiling and under-cabinet lights also helps.

Minimise Cleaning and Upkeep

Another aspect to consider during a renovation is how much cleaning and maintenance you are prepared to undertake. It's nice to have a beautiful kitchen, but if it takes endless hours to clean, your enthusiasm can wane. For minimal upkeep, install an under-mount sink that creates a smooth benchtop without a grime-catching rim. Glossy cupboards are attractive, but marks and fingerprints can show up more clearly, whereas they won't as much on matte doors.

If you don't want materials that need regular sealing, keep this in mind during the planning stage. Glass, ceramic, laminate, and engineered stone don't need sealants. Conversely, timber, butcher's block, and natural stone do.

Other ways to lessen cleaning include choosing flat-door cabinets without contours, which tend to collect grime. Integrate the fridge and dishwasher behind the cupboard doors during the kitchen renovations. Remember that induction cooktops are straightforward to clean. Additionally, make sure your kitchen has good ventilation to combat steam and humidity.

Contact a local kitchen renovation service for more info.