Gotta Have It | Kitchen Features to Add to Your Next Renovation List

Even though you may not be about to start a giant renovation, you may have one in the future so it never hurts to know exactly what you want.  Since the kitchen is a work space, there are always little things that can be done make it more functional and practical.  Some of these things may not be for you, but others may be things you never considered but would really love!  Remember, efficiency doesn't always translate into size.  Sometimes it's just well thought out and place features.

Sinks can be a very controversial topic when it comes to kitchens.  We're big fans of a deep single bowl sink, however, that in conjunction with a prep sink is spot on!  Prep sinks can be great for islands since that's a big open space when you would actually prep food.  They're also nice for entertaining!  If you've never had one of these little sinks, you don't know what you're missing.  However, once you get one, you'll never go back!

If you're big into hosting dinners, a warming drawer is something you'll definitely want to include on your "gotta have it" list for your next kitchen renovation.  This handy-dandy piece of equipment not only functions to keep food warm (duh!) if you've got a lot of items that need to go in and out of the oven and they need a place to stay in the interim, but it can also warm a plate of food that just needs a little zap.  Instead of going in the microwave where food can easily get overheated, a warmer functions similar to the heat lamp at restaurants and can make a plate of food just the right temperate.

If you don't have a ton of counter space, don't forget about the appliance garage!  This little addition is great for kitchens with minimal counter space because it hides the must have appliances while keeping them accessible.  They can vary in size depending the amount of appliances you're trying to conceal so they're a great thing to add when renovating because they're completely customizable.  Be sure to include an outlet in the back of your appliance garage so you can just roll the appliance out, use it, and tuck it back away!

Be sure to consider the environment when you are selecting your wish list of kitchen renovations.  Hot & cold water dispensers will waste less water since you won't have to wait for it to change temperature and a recycling center is always a good practice since it makes recycling more convenient!

Adding extra outlets will make your life a lot easier and under cabinet lighting will give your kitchen some additional depth.  But our very favorite "gotta have it" is built in speakers!  Make your kitchen a place you'll enjoy being with music playing to keep the mood fun! 

Kitchens are the heart of the home--there's a lot of time spent there preparing food, eating food, entertaining guests, and making memories.  Make sure your kitchen is a place you and others will want to spend time since it's inevitable anyway!