Best Sources for Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

The Kitchen Master

If you have overstuffed notebooks full of kitchen decor ideas and dog-eared magazine pages with little resource information to guide you, it may be time to organize your kitchen renovation ideas into a cohesive and accessible resource. As you plan your remodel project, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the volume of attractive options — so overwhelmed that the task begins to seem impossible.

But there are a variety of digital ways to organize your pictures as well as your thoughts, keep track of ideas, catalog sources, group style options, and even “visualize” what the finished room will look like. The digital world is at your fingertips and, in addition to visiting a local kitchen design showroom like The Kitchen Master’s, keeping an online notebook is a great way to facilitate your planning efforts and crystallize your thoughts.

Here are some of your best online options:

Houzz

An interactive site, Houzz can be a source of information, a personal “reference book,” a place to chat with design experts and homebuilding professionals, and a site where you can explore trends, styles and products. It is filled with real photos from around the world, and is a treasure trove for anyone looking for kitchen remodel pictures or remodeling ideas. At last look, there were 1019 stories listed under Kitchen Guides. That may be a bit overwhelming, but Houzz is certainly worth a visit!

Pinterest

If you don’t have a Pinterest account, now is the time to get one. It’s easy, and it’s free. Collect your ideas on your own public or private boards, update them at your leisure, share with friends and family, or simply use your account as a personal “file cabinet” for your wish list and kitchen decor dreams. Check out kitchen ideas from the privacy of your own living room, any time you want to be inspired. Use your Pinterest account any way you choose; access it via your smartphone as a visual shopping guide as your remodeling project progresses. Share your favorite ideas with your kitchen designer or your contractor to assure that you are on the same page, stylistically.

Your Local Library

Design books abound and you don’t have to have to buy armloads of trendy style magazines to find distinctive design styles. Most libraries have a well-stocked interior design or architectural section that will allow you to browse kitchen pictures at leisure. Look for before and after pictures from design professionals to get an idea of possibilities.

Remodeling Shows & TV

Not only HGTV, but cooking shows and sitcoms, as well as feature films, often can be the inspiration for kitchen remodeling ideas. If you fall in love with a vintage Julia Child kitchen after watching reruns of her cooking show (or after laughing through a DVD viewing of Julie and Julia), make a note to tell your designer or contractor. After all, you should love your kitchen, no matter how “kitschy” it is!