Do I have the money or even my own kitchen to do any of these things? Absolutely not. Am I still nodding along and dreaming about my ideal kitchen anyway? Yes, yes I am.
I live in a rental and just did mine with a deep orange wall I love. Cupboards were bad and I found replacement doors and drawers on sale in grey but a big improvement on what was there. I also wallpapered one wall that was in bad need of a. New surface.
I feel it. I've gotten permission from landlords to do quite a bit as long as the place can be returned to original. So I've replaced light fixtures or the covers on awful fluorescent covers. Replaced sink faucets, painted walls... Put up removable under cabinet task light.. I have had the back of a closet or pantry stuffed full of original bits I had to replace on move out lol but was worth it..
Hi from an American who just retired to Portugal. You and I are renovating a 100+ year old farmhouse, you just don't know how much your ideas are helping. Love your humor, thanks for turning on the light and you have ruined me forever on boob lights.
Oh my yes, I hate boob lights too. There are literally thousands of other light fixtures that can be used. If you don't have the money, save up for a few new fixtures in your main rooms like the living, dining and kitchen, and then get an electrician to install them all in one visit to, again, save money. In FL most of our lights are ceiling fan/light combinations and they do come with glass shades which can always be swapped out later if they begin to look dated. Fans can also be removed and spray painted and then reinstalled. Plus ceiling fan blades are usually two sided so if one has canework inserts, a 1980s style (remember those??), they can often be spray painted and the fan blades turned over for a flat wood look. It is amazing how paint can update items like that. I have one little wooden lamp I have repainted at LEAST three times to go with a change in decor. Ha, ha.
After 42 years in the same house, we were able to update our kitchen. My most excitement was over my new bridge faucet. It was love at first sight. 💕 I still look at it, seeing it as a piece of artwork. Doesn't take much to get this old girl excited!
Yes! Congratulations on finding your faucet love and being able to add it to your home. I'm in the process of designing the bathroom for my spouse and I. I happened to see a faucet on display while I was doing some recon shopping... in champagne bronze, which I hadn't ever seen before. 😍🥰 it completely decided the tone for the room. I am so excited!
I'm doing my kitchen now. It wasn't the initial plan, but it got bumped up the priority list when one of the wall cabinets fell off the wall and smashed to pieces. My faucet is going to be chrome. It's one of the ones with the pull out hose, but the hose is completely hidden in the design. I didn't get excited about cabinets or the sink but the tap was an immediate decision. I saw it. I wanted it. It shall be mine.
The anchoring tip is legit. I've had a salt shaker, pepper shaker, chili pepper shaker, and a thin bottle of olive oil just kind of cluttering up my counter. I use the multiple times a day while cooking, so it never made sense to put them away. After watching this video I just put them on a small decorative plate and the counter instantly felt more organized and even a bit fancier.
Agreed. I just bought a bakers shelf for my kitchen and moved things that were crowding the counter or on the floor (please, don't judge me 🫠). Now it looks so much better and has inspired me to do more!
Hard to keep clutter free when you cook every day. I want all my tools handy and at my disposal. Some people actually cook everyday. It's a kitchen folks!
I agree. I have to cook all of my meals due to food allergies but I still have to have a place in my cupboards for everything. Empty countertops are my thing.
@@marthayahoogillespie9567 I cook everything from scratch, including baking bread, and put things away when done using. It gives me so much peace of mind to look at clutter free counters🥰👩🍳
Totally agree. I also have no idea what’s so hard about grabbing a spatula out of a drawer vs out of a canister next to the stove. It’s entirely possible to have a functional kitchen without everything out on the counters.
I love how RUclips allows you to watch things after they happen in real life. I like to watch his videos late in the evening and I call it Nick @ Nite. 🥰
@@LesaBear612Yeah, I've had that concern also as we move from USB 2.0/3.0 to double-ended USB-C. Fortunately it's relatively inexpensive to swap those out 😊
We did this when we renovated and it was definitely a smart decision! However, anytime we go to a hotel or Airbnb now we forget to bring charger heads and kick ourselves 😂
I have the exposed side of kitchen cabinet hung with a collage frame of pictures of family cooking-- my mom stuffing a turkey, my husband making biscotti, my daughter helping me make cookies when she was 2 ( she is now 33) and what a fun element-- personalizes the kitchen for sure and such a conversation piece!!
I have the same and guest love it and have copied the look. Personalization over trendy decoration creates the coziness we secretly want but designers hate because it interferes with an overall design that depends on each element they chose working together. Throw in family photos and their design is off kilter.. With enough money and a few classes, many of us can figure design out. Brilliant design is highly personalized for emotional as well as physical comfort of the individuals living in the home, including adult partners and children and any adult roommates.
My daughter bought me an Aura frame for a gift, and though I like it ok its just another piece of tech in a way, too.There is something about a still photo that goes to the heart, maybe because I'm old(67) and some of the folks in the photos are not with me anymore? Don't know. I love the ones of my then young family too and we are all still here....I love whimsical stuff too, I had a print of a part of a Raphael painting that showed angels (cupids) shooting arrows down that hung over my bed. It was silly and no one saw it but my husband and daughters but I got a chuckle out of it.
I kind of get the whole "put the cabinets to the ceiling" thing, and it does look pretty. But, I just spent waaaay too much money to turn my old, ugly, and impractical kitchen into the kitchen of my dreams. I did not, however even consider the extra expense of cabinets to the ceiling. Why? Because I am 5'2" and there is no way I was going to pay thousands of dollars for cabinets I can't even reach with a stepladder, much less actually put anything in them. So, I now have not-quite-to-the-ceiling cabinets with a few pretty things that I do not need to access on display. It may not be the trendiest thing, but it looks good and works well for a short person.
If you google it, what a lot of people do is they make a second layer of cabinets above the first ones with glass panel doors and then just display art or interesting display pieces in there. It's actually a really cool look and you wouldn't ever need to go up there unless you are swapping out a new piece or changing it up seasonally, in which case you get a ladder and do it 2-4 times a year. It's a cool look. You can also just do the faux panel option too and then it is not usable, but still gives you the upscale look and you don't have to ever worry about climbing up there.
I LOVE the appliance garage at 18:35, because it's set back behind behind the wall somehow. The older garages stuck out from the wall, like just another cabinet sitting at counter level. And had a roll-up door like those Victorian writing desks. It looked almost as bad as the appliance.
I think you mean at 16:16; the time you posted is when the video ends. I love that! All that stuff is still on the counter, but not visible when you don't need it. The only problem is that it's a waste of space behind the cabinets above. For that reason, I kind of like the roll-up door idea, if you could maybe put tiles or metal slats on each section.
When we built our house I insisted on the cabinets going to the ceiling, which are 10 ft tall. Do we ever use those top cabinets? Absolutely not 😂 But hey, I don’t have to dust up there!
One thing I haven’t heard mentioned is NOT having wall cabinets! The kitchen in my house was fitted by the previous owner with ONLY below counter cabinets and it’s AMAZING! The room is bright and I have art on the walls! I only have one shelf which has a beautiful piece of art on it! I had to be very strict & cleared out SO much stuff that I didn’t actually need but I don’t miss the “hemmed in” feeling of having a cabinet right in front of your face nor the undignified climbing onto the counter to reach anything in the top of a cabinet!
Nick could do an entire video of Anchor Your Items! It’s an art form, and my favorite hint because it combines fun and functional. (I use anchors to camouflage the “outlet acne” on the wall above the kitchen counter.)
My mother --- a stained-glass artist and color-theory teacher at the nearby university -- collected random old prisms (e.g. prism-glass dangles from long-gone antique chandeliers being sold for next to nothing at Goodwill or neighborhood antique stores) and she hung them on transparent fishing line at various levels across her kitchen window. The rainbows of light passing from these 20 or so prisms was beautiful, creating almost a kaleidoscope effect on cabinets and walls as the light changed throughout the day. She also installed rolling shades upside down with a small pully at the top of the window for the shades' pull-cords. In this way, she achieved privacy from neighbors or people passing on the sidewalk, while leaving the top 1/3 of the window shades open to let in natural light and to give a clear view of the tree-tops outside. These vignettes of light and shifting greenery were a very lovely addition to each room. My grandmother collected interesting and antique bottles and filled them with colored water (food coloring works fine) and massed them in front of windows or well-lit mirrors to create almost a stained-class effect. None of these ideas are expensive, but they provide a way to bring in color in unique ways without needing to go to the trouble or expense of preparing and painting cabinetry or changing out tile back-splashes or countertops. I use pieces of thick, heavy, hand-made paper from Vietnam to cover the lower panes of glass in one window, to let the light through, illuminating the inclusions (flowers and leaves) embedded in the paper. Here's a link to the store where I bought the hand-made paper, but I'm sure it's available at other specialty stores. Be sure to get the heavy-duty paper, as thinner paper will absorb moisture from condensation on the glass and turn into a saggy mess fairly quickly. www.demedicimingfinepaper.com/
Edit: I've found a lovely room, I'm living with the owner and he's more than happy for me to paint my room and make it my own xoxo I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm currently living in a single bed hotel room with my cat yet I'm watching a video on how to make my kitchen look expensive. That's how much i love Nick's videos Edit: thanks for all the love guys. I never intended this to be a pity post but I'm overwhelmed by all the love. I've learned that in times like this sometimes humor is all we have. Monty Python said it best "Always look on the bright side of life"
I rent an apartment in an East Asian city with a ktichen so tiny and outdated (it has original green and orange 70s tile) that I have to snicker at the thought of actually doing any of this stuff, but I'm still watching lol I contact papered my cabinets -- there was no other option -- and changed out the hardware. It doesn't look expensive, but then "expensive" seems to mean "spending more money" which I'm not gonna do on a kitchen in a home I don't own.
Life can turn on a dime, if you keep this beautifully positive state of mind and get out in the world so that opportunity may meet you. I have been near homeless counting never single dime, and now I am in a paradise place. It is wonderful you are watching these videos to allow the dreaming, as long as the dreaming * feels amazing *. and does not bring feelings of lack. Once in my poorest times, I stood in a parking lot and realized I was surrounded by *billions of dollars*. of stuff and buildings and gardens, and I got to walk through it and sit within it, I live in a place with running water and infrastructure and transportation and coffee shops (even when I could not afford a coffee, I could sit near and take on the feeling of sitting in a cafe without worries!)....I could find expensive hotel lobbies with gorgeous restrooms to enjoy, and never feel I lacked it, because it is in fact there for us to find and use. Blessings to you! May abundance shower your days and may a heaven-of-a-home befall you
This life has so much ebb and flow. I pray yours will eventually take a positive turn. Don't lose hope. Many of us have struggles in our past. Blessings to you and kitty.
I so get it! Sometimes I come away from the HGTV and various RUclips channels and I feel sad versus inspired. I think, oh I am fortunate enough to have a little discretionary money to put towards making my place nicer and feel good about living there. But, 1) it isn’t enough to make a dent. 2) if I put it towards one project the rest of the place will look worse and I’ll fell worse. 3) Maybe i should just move but I cant afford that either; maybe even more expensive. Yikes. I came here to watch Nick and feel happy…
Another thing i dont think you mentioned specifically but under counter cabinet garbage that you can pull out. It’s a really simple thing to do and for me it’s always the first upgrade that surprisingly lots of people don’t do or think about to do
I'm surprised this didn't get mentioned. It is a big difference that is easy and cheap to remedy. I have friends that buy those overpriced "SimpleHuman" garbage cans which are supposed to be "beautiful" and they still look like trash cans and stand out. Why spend $100 on a trash can that only looks slightly better, when you can spend $30 on a pull out and install it under your sink to look 100x better? This is an underrated change that costs (relatively) little to massively elevate your kitchen.
@@JAlexanderCurtis 1000% we wanted a larger trash can and recycling in one cabinet so we converted that cabinet with a rev a shelf style (i think it was this brand or a similar brand). Sure it got rid of some of our cabinet storage but it wasn’t really needed and if we do eventually need more storage we could get an antique cabinet against a free wall. We used to have the 30$ option and put it under our sink when we had an apartment. I think some people get so caught up in the branding of stuff and forget there are other better solutions.
*Toe-kick lighting, panel ready appliances, corral items* . Thank you Nick for another great design tips video. One of the first things I did when I moved into my home seven years ago was install a rope light at the toe-kick in my kitchen. That subtle wash of light made navigating my new space in the middle of the night divine. Panel ready appliances are definitely "Goals", can't imagine doing a kitchen and not including them. Corralling items is a must. I always create a seasonal coffee station on a tray.
We re did our kitchen last year. Skipped all things super trendy; un lacquered brass, giant pendants, super busy stone. It's beautiful. It's sage and white, with a walnut island top. The best thing was running the cabinets to the (9ft) ceiling. Such a huge difference.
How/where did you get your walnut island top? I want to do this so it looks more like a dining table rather than kitchen counter. I just don’t know how to make it happen. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Nick! What a beautiful difference in my kitchen! Thank you! I replaced my old rusty faucet with a gorgeous, modern, sleek black faucet. I put in an ultra modern black ceiling fan. Black hardware on all the cabinets. On the open shelves I put on black matte pots. I painted the backsplash, window trim, toe kicks matte black. My kitchen is GORGEOUS. Thanks Nick! 😊
My cabinets are horrible but i don't have the $$ to replace them. 2 years ago i replaced my stainless sink with a black granite sink. I also got a high touchless faucet. They make me so happy. I can't hardly wait to fix up the rest of the kitchen. These are some great ideas to remember.
I went to Sherwin Williams and they recommended a color for my kitchen. It was difficult to find someone to install cabinets during the pandemic, so I decided to paint. I absolutely love them and get lots of compliments. I also changed all the pulls.
You might want to look at the kitchen remodels done with Dollar Tree items. We painted our cabinets and added new pulls. It can make a huge difference.
We had our kitchen updated. I asked for the perimeter cabinets in BM Hollingsworth green and the Island in walnut with brass hardware and faucet, I love it
We are 3/4 of the way through our kitchen renovation, our perimeter cabinets are Moss Green and the island is walnut and I have walnut and brass hardware on all the cabinets. It looks so good!
I was thinking this too. I love Nick's videos so I didn't want to say it...but it's true. Most of the ways to make kitchens look more expensive seem to be making kitchens *be* more expensive!
I'm assuming you already did all of the cheap upgrades he mentioned in the video?? Paint remains cheap and makes an impact. We once turned our generic, cheapo builder-grade cabinets into a deep red that interested us. When we sold the house we made them chocolate brown with offsetting cream accents. House sold in a day ... even though the buyers might not have loved chocolate brown, didn't matter because paint is just as easy for them too.
My kitchen is 16 years old, I still love it. Off white cabinets haven’t dated. I updated my faucet and regularly change decor on a couple of open shelves. I keep it very tidy and clean. I mix up by adding lamps, plants and flowers every now and then. . Love you ideas.
At 5'3" I cannot reach all the shelves on my upper cabinets as it is. When I renovated in 2012 I did not opt to change the upper cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling. If I remember right it would have been another $9k and purely aesthetic.
My husband and I are both 5'4" . I insisted that we keep the mock Tudor ceiling beams in our kitchen. The kitchen designers think we're mad, but I'm not paying twice as much to have extra cabinets we'll never use and I love those beams.
Love the idea of cabinets to the ceiling, but at 5'4" I already need to stand on a chair to reach the top shelf of my standard cabinets, or the decorative storage baskets above (for seldom-used items). If you plan to "age in place," there will come a time when it is no longer safe to be climbing on chairs or step-stools. I might invest in a small island with storage below.
I think you made excellent points throughout. Some of these suggestions were simple common sense, as well as good advice - like cleaning the kitchen up - and, some were more 'Oh, yes, I can see that.', which made for both an entertaining and nicely informative video. Thanks, as always - you're a pleasure to watch. :)
Hi Nick. I'm a new subscriber. I have been going down the rabbit hole of your videos and love how they're part design education and part humor. Thank you for taking the time to put out this great content for us.
My kitchen has a tall bookcase where I keep all my cookery books. It's so nice to have them to hand when I am trying to plan dinner. I have 2 botanical prints next to it and the top shelf has some fun things - a statue of the Buddha a friend made for me, a candle, some flowers....
It's great to have a bookshelf for your cookbooks. I'm almost at a point where I need to do that because my cabinet where I keep mind is getting too full 🤦♀️😊. I enjoy providing nutritious meals for my family and going old school is best for me.
Under cabinet lighting makes such a big difference. Not in just looks but in function. It puts the light right where you need it. I don't always like having my bright overhead lights on. Also, my light switch is in an incovenient spot. I like being able to turn on lights right where I am working. They can be cheap too. I got a couple $20 strip lights of amazon.
The kitchen in my apartment is 5'x12' and has no counter space so im pretty limited. But i did paint the backsplash bright green and i actually really love it. The color idea works imo.
If you have to work with that builder grade metal sink with the holes, please listen to me now. Replace the builder grade faucet set with one that has the spray hose thing even if it doesn't get enough water pressure to be useful. So that last hole looks intentional, because it looks dreadful and collects crud from the universe if you don't.
I would choose a faucet that is wall mounted. No splashes or hard water and soap scum build-up to clean. But you'd also need a sink without the holes. More costly in the beginning but probably worth it in the long run...at least for me!
Pendant lighting in an open space can create an almost disappearing wall affect between 2 separate rooms, like if your kichen borders your dining or living room with a bar, and you have pendant lights above the bar, turning them on and off opens and closes the space between the rooms. Living room and kitchen light on, bar lights off feels more like 2 rooms, just the bar or all 3 lights on makes it one large space
Love your advice and love that you get to the point so quickly. 👏👏 Even if you use your toaster every day, put it on a sheet pan (mine fits on 1/4 sheet pan) or other tray and put it away! It takes less time to get it out than it takes to clean the crumbs on the counter! Then dump the tray crumbs, quick and easy. Toasters left plugged in can be a real fire hazard, putting them away reminds you to unplug it. 🥰
I've already added a new faucet and new drawer and cabinet pulls, but adding toe kick lighting involves quite an electrical cost to make sure no outlets or cords show, so I'm skipping the toe kick lighting. A dimmer light can bring in some of that ambiance that that toe kick lighting might have otherwise provided.
I was watching one of those British hoarding shows this past week. This one would have someone come in and redecorate after the hoard is removed. She would ask what the people liked and then turn around and put in the most trendy cringe things. One episode when the hoard was removed it revealed an appointment that even if you walked into today (about a decade after it was filmed) you would say that it was a very nice. She put in all kinds of really tacky furniture that were such a quick trend that I don't remember existing. And probably never should have. I wouldn't trust her to redecorate my chicken coop.
😂 I totally understand. There's a woman on here, who I would say is a tidy hoarder, everything has a place but, every one of her rooms is crammed with stuff. (Insert eye roll here)
@@rachaelbruesch6306 have you been looking at my house? Ha ha. And I start to get the motivation to really straighten up, I start watching videos like this. Or I start watching legal AF to find out what the guy that needs to go to jail is doing. And it can kill an hour with no problem. But I shall get up and get busy.
@@rachaelbruesch6306I have an unused bedroom that I call my garage. The unfinished basement is too damp and dusty so all the things I no longer want and/or need go in there. I’m slowly clearing it out because I want to turn it into a walk-in closet so I do have a bit of motivation to do this. I used to do a sweep through all my stuff twice a year and get rid of things but they quit doing pickups during the pandemic. I don’t have a car and some of it is too heavy to move so will it will be free to those willing ri pick it up. Might sell some clothing online.
Can you do a video (very soon!) about tile choices for kitchens? I know you have had some shorts, but I am really trying to choose a beautiful look for our kitchen remodel, for a kitchen that is the room you enter from the front door (after a small entry), and I am trying to choose something timeless yet not boring, something artistic but not wacky. Can. you do a kitchen tile video of all types, stone and terracotta and glass and so on? Combining disparate types and bringing in artistry?
My kitchen reno starts in only 3 weeks and I’m so glad I thought about many of the items you are recommending. Upgraded faucet, high-end hardware, cabinets to the 9 ft ceiling, under cab lighting and in the upper most cabinets (glass front), and a dark blue island (all other cabs are soft white). I’m also using drawers for the lower cabinets. I think they are much more functional. Adding panels to the dishwasher and fridge was outside my budget, but you can’t see the dishwasher unless you are inside the kitchen. I’ll be replacing my fridge in 2-3 years and will have it paneled. I’m getting rid of the ‘over the range’ microwave and making it a built in next to the fridge. I’m also adding an appliance garage - something I’ve always wanted. I’m looking forward to decorating after the kitchen is done. Thank you for the wonderful advise you give.
If you have a 9 foot kitchen ceiling, I would think twice about running my cabinets all the way to the top. It’s fine for a kitchen with an 8 foot ceiling.
Trays and Lazy Susans are a HUGE boon for those with ADHD too. In the fridge, on the counter, in the pantry, in the bathroom... I love a beautiful, polished wood lazy susan for your olive oil, vinegar, salt jar, pepper mill... any seasonings you use daily or nearly daily (that coveted Everything But the Bagel seasoning). Another great opportunity to add function & art to the kitchen is how you store your cooking utensils. A beautiful handmade ceramic vase is a wonderful option. I also think smaller appliances can look nice if you choose them well & organize them. I actually love seeing my Keurig all nice and pretty next to my coffee canisters. I also think my electric kettle is really pretty too. It looks so nice sitting next to my mahogany knife block. Oh! I also love a plastic, clear lazy susan in the fridge for condiments so you don't have to pull things out to get to what you want. In the bathroom, I use a simple tray to coral the toothpaste, tooth brushes, my inhaler, his beard comb... the little bits that we need daily. (there's no drawers & no medicine cabinet). I also use a lazy susan in the other bathroom for my skincare. It's beautiful olive green & gold. Placed it on top of stackable drawer to keep things I use weekly, but not daily.
Little touches also make a space feel expensive. Gap filler cabinetry that houses cookie sheets. Pull out shelves for lower cabinets. Spice rack built into a cabinet door. The Lazy Susan corner cabinet is AMAZING! I also think a really nice pot rack is cool. It's functional and if you have nice pans, it works as art too.. especially if it's not a basic one but maybe, custom welded.
I love the concept of paneled appliances. Sadly, in the U.S. it doesn’t just look expensive, it is expensive. Will go for it though on the next kitchen renovation. Right now I’m trying to replace appliances in our existing kitchen layout and it’s not fun trying to find items to fit our space.
Plus, the planned obsolescence of high-tech, sensitive major appliances these days makes having them paneled seem like a very bad idea. Even a $4000 refrigerator will only last a few years. Very discouraging. I suggest going as low-tech as possible, even in a high end kitchen.
Since my kitchen is small, and has no kitchen island, I opted for a pendant that has a shorter 8" cord. It works great for task lighting, yet still gives a pendant vibe.
I LOVE appliance garages! I do a lot of gourmet cooking (yes, every day) so I have quite a few appliances that need to be easily accessible. Unfortunately, my tiny condo has no such capability for that. My prep space is about 1.5 ft x 0.5 ft 🙄But when I had a really big house (with a 1,000sf kitchen), I had appliance garages, along with other frivolous things like drawers...and cupboards with adjustable shelves...and a sink big enough to hold big stockpots. Oh well; at least I know what I want in the next house!
I came across u just today. we gutted and have remodeled our kitchen.. and Yes my cabinets are hanging in "mid air"!! I do put art work above them, along with plants. We will add some lighting up there. we did do the lighting under the cabinets, but not on the floor, as i have a couple of drawers that can move out from under the cabinets. and a roll about trash can drawer. We re did our kitchen for us, Not for someone else. My colors are Blues, Browns, creams and warm white. I accent with Coastal Blues, browns, creams. we do have stainless steel appliances, the last on the list is the range. we have a dark grey stainless steel sink which i think would look good on the stove. our cabinets are White Ash and Black ash. (Black doesnt mean black in the ash family) we custom built our cabinets ourselves. I clicked on your page to see how to accessorize my style into my new kitchen, which flows out into our living room and dining room, into our office and hallway. I loved your house tour as well!
@@utahdan231 they have all the same dimentions. So if you choose a dishwasher 45 for example, panels in all kitchen systems will fit. Similarily for other appliances
Currently in the middle of a kitchen reno myself. We knocked out walls, a closet installed a 23 ft support beam. The approach i took was making it functional for my 5'2 height! Im pushing 40 the days of climbing or getting out a latter to get something like seasoning is something im just done with! My kitchen is L shaped and i went dark gray shaker base cabinets with matt gold pulls. The short part of the L is where i have my uppers and i love them because they are white with glass fronts, vintage glass knobs, and they sit on our dove gray quartz countertop and go all the way to the ceiling beside them is our fridge that is also incased with white side panels and upper cabinet. By the time its all said and done we'll have spent 25k😢. However im never doing this again unless absolutely necessary so im picking things i think will age well.
I just renord my kitchen and IMO it is gorgeous. It is exactly what I have always imagied it could be. However going with paneled appliances eould have been more expensive than all my custom cabinets and I just didn't see the need. IMO my fridge is beautiful and I want it to be seen. My csbinets do not go to the ceiling because my ceiling slopes and putting useless bits of "boxes" above my custom cabinets would have looked ridiculous and again an expensive option. As it is I need a stool to access my top cabinets. Everyone's kitchen and the space it inhabits are different and often unique. People have told me thst mine looks like a million bucks. I don't care whether it looks expensive or not. I adore what I now have and it is a joy to work in. To me that is all that counts. However Nick enjoyed your presentation.😊
We bought a house with a galley kitchen. They had dark cabinets all the way to the ceiling. In this scenario it looked super small and cramped. We put in ones didn’t go all the way up. We put a very light wood and the space at the ceiling actually added dimension to the very narrow design.
Corralling is a favorite tip. My perfume, my laundry products on top of my washer, table scapes, etc. are on on trays or boards, etc. Layering your items even if you are a minimalist looks more intentional. Great video Nick! From Georgia US
Wow -- when you switched on the under-counter lighting, it really did add a lot of ambience. I have 10 ft. ceilings in the kitchen; not sure what to do with the existing cabinets to make them look up-to-date.
A lot of the kitchen inspo out there uses functional pieces that double as decor (like rustic style cutting boards, vintage style kettles, etc) and I never thought about adding non-functional pieces of art. Thank you Nick! A whole new world has opened in front of my eyes.
I love my new kitchen faucet! I only paid $40 for it on Amazon. It pulls down, it’s big too. I’m also changing out all the cabinet hardware for around $50. It’s so worth it!
Our apartment is a converted factory with absurdly high ceilings. The top of the cabinets are disgusting. The drawer pulls catch on things. The sink has one of those pull out faucets, but the weight that keeps it in place catches the pipes underneath (had to add a piece of cardboard to guide it around the pipes to avoid causing leaks). There's some open shelving but the cabinets are filled with plumbing which is so delicate I was told to be careful about putting items in the cabinets. Thankfully our last place had absurdly small cabinets (could not fit a 12" pan) so we already had a bunch of kitchen storage from ikea. People who design kitchens should try actually using them.
The old kitchen we're ripping out has wall cupboards that are too low, so the work surfaces are unusable for food prep. It does make sense because it doesn't have a high ceiling and it has ceiling beams, so you can't have the proper 55cm clearance from a worktop that is apparently industry standard now. We're ripping them out and having a couple of tall pantry cupboards instead. We'll have half as much countertop but twice as much usable surface.
Panelled appliances are easier in Europe because they usually come in the same suze as your cabinets. Even Ikea has sutions for this. You buy the special cabinet pop in the fridge or freezer and mount the door on hindges and attach it to the appliance door with special hardware. But frudges generally are smaller than in the US, built in or not.
Countertop space is sacred! Knives, coffee maker, done. And I have a ton of countertop space! Simply prefer the look and easier to clean. BTW, absolutely love your presentations. You are always mindful of people, their feelings and their budgets. Thank you.
I'm curious - Are most major appliances sold in Europe MADE in Europe? Germany for instance? If so, you are getting a much better quality product. Most major appliances in the U.S. are made in China and typically CHOCK FULL of high tech doo-dads that fail. The short life of these expensive products plus the premium for panel-ready designs (since they are not the norm) explain the difference.
@@aksez2u I'm in the UK and we probably aren't so different from the USA in that some are made in China, some in Europe. Here in the UK we have a brand called Ebac who make washing machines which are made here...they are more expensive but can be repaired and I think there is more of a push towards that repair not replace kind of mentality. As Doris said though, the price difference between a built-in dish washer and a free-standing model isn't much different in the UK/Europe although I personally prefer free standing as you get more choice of features. Most appliances I've bought come with a 5yr warranty but i would expect them to last much longer, I don't know how that compares with the USA?
@@sharonclaridge It sounds similar. Most appliances are made in China, a very few in the USA and a couple in Europe, Miele and Bosch (which tend to be good quality, but expensive). What kills me is how many high tech features they cram on them now and how fast they fail. I tried to use the automatic oven cleaning cycle on my stove and it burned out the motherboard. The appliance repair person said "Yeah, the motherboard is right by the heating coils and it always burns out" 😮 What? Not just planned obsolescence, insanity! I've also had 2 expensive refrigerators fail within just a few years of use. I don't think we even get a 5 year warranty unless we pay extra for the "extended warranty". Appliances used to last 20-30 years, for heaven's sake! I'd pay extra for nice, simple ones built to last.
Omg!! Nick !! I love your channel!! You are really providing interior design tips and ideas of real value in a short amount of time, this is beyond education, I have tried your designs tips in my home and they have helped me elevate my 32 year home, in a short amount time and within a budget!! Thanks so much!! So talented!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Love colour. We redid our kitchen two years ago….navy blue lower cabinets, just-off -white uppers. White quartz countertops, nickel hardware, pale green glass backsplashes, ss appliances, darker LVP flooring.. Accents are green or yellow….towels, soap, etc. We love it. (Used wine corks in a dish ( coordinating of course) keep away fruit flies….)
When we remodeled our kitchen, I ended up commissioning some art glass pulls/handles for my cabinets and drawers from a small glass artist whose shop I stumbled across on a trip and they are without a doubt my favorite "decor" thing in my kitchen. And they weren't even that expensive! But they are completely custom. Sadly her shop is now closed but I know there are many similar shops/artists out there and it's something I honestly never would have thought of doing until I saw some of her sample handles in her shop. Fun way to support small artists and also add custom/unique features to your kitchen (or bathroom for that matter).
I stir fry or pan fry a lot, impossible to keep kitchen looking shiny. The greased air plus dust is so hard to get rid off. I do try to keep things out if counter if not frequently used. No wonder some people remodel kitchen and baths every so often :)
@utahdan231 You either don’t stir fry or have never dealt with greased air. It lands everywhere when there is a surface. I do major cleaning 4 times a year, taking down everything and spread degreaser even on ceiling.
Hello from an European follower. Thank you for this video. My grandparents had a paneled frigde as long as I can remember. But I don't see that very often today sadly.
Getting ready for a major kitchen renovation. Original kitchen built in 2006 with that “Tuscan” orange undertone cabinetry just had to go. I appreciate your tips and tricks into making my new kitchen and by extension my open concept(living room/dinning room and kitchen) small bungalow more cohesive, elegant and punching everything up in terms luxury and of what it is I am trying to make my home “feel” like. Thank you NIck.
Part of the reason we were excited about the house we bought two years ago was the colourful kitchen cabinets! They’re a pastel blue, robins egg-ish. We just changed the knobs and drawer pulls and now I’m thinking I want to change the faucets…
Nick, a big no to the kickboard lighting! It will show all the dirt on my floors. LOL Gotta keep the eyes up! You are so fun to watch. Please center that console under the your clock, it's driving me crazy!
If you want the look of cabinets to the ceiling you can take existing cabinets and raise them on the wall so they touch the ceiling. Then add an open shelf below for nice accessible storage.
Do I have the money or even my own kitchen to do any of these things? Absolutely not. Am I still nodding along and dreaming about my ideal kitchen anyway? Yes, yes I am.
I live in a rental and am most probably yearssss away from having my own house but I was nodding along too 😂 gosh I love interior design videos 😅
Haha dare to dream!
I live in a rental and just did mine with a deep orange wall I love. Cupboards were bad and I found replacement doors and drawers on sale in grey but a big improvement on what was there. I also wallpapered one wall that was in bad need of a. New surface.
I feel it. I've gotten permission from landlords to do quite a bit as long as the place can be returned to original. So I've replaced light fixtures or the covers on awful fluorescent covers. Replaced sink faucets, painted walls... Put up removable under cabinet task light.. I have had the back of a closet or pantry stuffed full of original bits I had to replace on move out lol but was worth it..
You can still use some of the tips that Nick mentioned 😊.
Hi from an American who just retired to Portugal. You and I are renovating a 100+ year old farmhouse, you just don't know how much your ideas are helping. Love your humor, thanks for turning on the light and you have ruined me forever on boob lights.
Wellcome!
Once you see the boob light, you can’t unsee it!
Good for renovating a traditional home!!
Oh my yes, I hate boob lights too. There are literally thousands of other light fixtures that can be used. If you don't have the money, save up for a few new fixtures in your main rooms like the living, dining and kitchen, and then get an electrician to install them all in one visit to, again, save money. In FL most of our lights are ceiling fan/light combinations and they do come with glass shades which can always be swapped out later if they begin to look dated. Fans can also be removed and spray painted and then reinstalled. Plus ceiling fan blades are usually two sided so if one has canework inserts, a 1980s style (remember those??), they can often be spray painted and the fan blades turned over for a flat wood look. It is amazing how paint can update items like that. I have one little wooden lamp I have repainted at LEAST three times to go with a change in decor. Ha, ha.
After 42 years in the same house, we were able to update our kitchen. My most excitement was over my new bridge faucet. It was love at first sight. 💕 I still look at it, seeing it as a piece of artwork. Doesn't take much to get this old girl excited!
Yes! Congratulations on finding your faucet love and being able to add it to your home.
I'm in the process of designing the bathroom for my spouse and I. I happened to see a faucet on display while I was doing some recon shopping... in champagne bronze, which I hadn't ever seen before. 😍🥰 it completely decided the tone for the room. I am so excited!
I'm doing my kitchen now. It wasn't the initial plan, but it got bumped up the priority list when one of the wall cabinets fell off the wall and smashed to pieces. My faucet is going to be chrome. It's one of the ones with the pull out hose, but the hose is completely hidden in the design. I didn't get excited about cabinets or the sink but the tap was an immediate decision. I saw it. I wanted it. It shall be mine.
@@Draggonny Wow, I hope you got some good pictures. Nothing but thrills at your place. :)
I chose a bridge faucet too and love it! It’s so practical for filling large pots and I like that it swivels
Is there a reason you have to speak SO quickly? Love your show but this rapid- fire pace is a bit distracting.
The anchoring tip is legit. I've had a salt shaker, pepper shaker, chili pepper shaker, and a thin bottle of olive oil just kind of cluttering up my counter. I use the multiple times a day while cooking, so it never made sense to put them away. After watching this video I just put them on a small decorative plate and the counter instantly felt more organized and even a bit fancier.
The best tip is to keep your kitchen clutter free. I've been doing that for many years and it really adds serenity to your life....
Agreed. I just bought a bakers shelf for my kitchen and moved things that were crowding the counter or on the floor (please, don't judge me 🫠). Now it looks so much better and has inspired me to do more!
Hard to keep clutter free when you cook every day. I want all my tools handy and at my disposal. Some people actually cook everyday. It's a kitchen folks!
I agree. I have to cook all of my meals due to food allergies but I still have to have a place in my cupboards for everything. Empty countertops are my thing.
@@marthayahoogillespie9567 I cook everything from scratch, including baking bread, and put things away when done using. It gives me so much peace of mind to look at clutter free counters🥰👩🍳
Totally agree. I also have no idea what’s so hard about grabbing a spatula out of a drawer vs out of a canister next to the stove. It’s entirely possible to have a functional kitchen without everything out on the counters.
I love how RUclips allows you to watch things after they happen in real life. I like to watch his videos late in the evening and I call it Nick @ Nite. 🥰
I recommend upgrading electrical plugs to also have the USB charger option. It comes in handy all the time!
I agree I have done that, so useful as well
My concern, is that USB is going to be obsolete soon.
@@LesaBear612Yeah, I've had that concern also as we move from USB 2.0/3.0 to double-ended USB-C. Fortunately it's relatively inexpensive to swap those out 😊
We did this when we renovated and it was definitely a smart decision! However, anytime we go to a hotel or Airbnb now we forget to bring charger heads and kick ourselves 😂
I legit just put a usb charger thing in the bathroom next to our 1950s medicine cabinet because our *toothbrushes* are now usb only. Ridiculous.
I have the exposed side of kitchen cabinet hung with a collage frame of pictures of family cooking-- my mom stuffing a turkey, my husband making biscotti, my daughter helping me make cookies when she was 2
( she is now 33) and what a fun element-- personalizes the kitchen for sure and such a conversation piece!!
Love this!
I have the same and guest love it and have copied the look. Personalization over trendy decoration creates the coziness we secretly want but designers hate because it interferes with an overall design that depends on each element they chose working together. Throw in family photos and their design is off kilter.. With enough money and a few classes, many of us can figure design out. Brilliant design is highly personalized for emotional as well as physical comfort of the individuals living in the home, including adult partners and children and any adult roommates.
My daughter bought me an Aura frame for a gift, and though I like it ok its just another piece of tech in a way, too.There is something about a still photo that goes to the heart, maybe because I'm old(67) and some of the folks in the photos are not with me anymore? Don't know. I love the ones of my then young family too and we are all still here....I love whimsical stuff too, I had a print of a part of a Raphael painting that showed angels (cupids) shooting arrows down that hung over my bed. It was silly and no one saw it but my husband and daughters but I got a chuckle out of it.
I kind of get the whole "put the cabinets to the ceiling" thing, and it does look pretty. But, I just spent waaaay too much money to turn my old, ugly, and impractical kitchen into the kitchen of my dreams. I did not, however even consider the extra expense of cabinets to the ceiling. Why? Because I am 5'2" and there is no way I was going to pay thousands of dollars for cabinets I can't even reach with a stepladder, much less actually put anything in them. So, I now have not-quite-to-the-ceiling cabinets with a few pretty things that I do not need to access on display. It may not be the trendiest thing, but it looks good and works well for a short person.
Lololol! You can definitely look into the fake ones!
Preach! Us short people get so overlooked! 😂
If you google it, what a lot of people do is they make a second layer of cabinets above the first ones with glass panel doors and then just display art or interesting display pieces in there. It's actually a really cool look and you wouldn't ever need to go up there unless you are swapping out a new piece or changing it up seasonally, in which case you get a ladder and do it 2-4 times a year. It's a cool look. You can also just do the faux panel option too and then it is not usable, but still gives you the upscale look and you don't have to ever worry about climbing up there.
The “cabinets to the ceiling” tip is eye opening. 🤯👌
"The farm house tea towel, oh look at that, I'm interesting!!" You always find a way to crack me up...😄
What! I love my tea towels! (ya'll know not to USE that one...use the black one on the stove!
Am I the only one who wants a Nick Lewis book and perhaps some products like textiles?? 👍👍
I LOVE the appliance garage at 18:35, because it's set back behind behind the wall somehow. The older garages stuck out from the wall, like just another cabinet sitting at counter level. And had a roll-up door like those Victorian writing desks. It looked almost as bad as the appliance.
I really hate those appliance garages you are referring to. I actually hate any cabinets sitting on the countertop.
I think you mean at 16:16; the time you posted is when the video ends.
I love that! All that stuff is still on the counter, but not visible when you don't need it. The only problem is that it's a waste of space behind the cabinets above. For that reason, I kind of like the roll-up door idea, if you could maybe put tiles or metal slats on each section.
When we built our house I insisted on the cabinets going to the ceiling, which are 10 ft tall. Do we ever use those top cabinets? Absolutely not 😂 But hey, I don’t have to dust up there!
Even closed door cabinets get dusty. I should know. I have a whole house full of cabinets I can’t reach!
I hear you LOL. Love it ....
So true!!
Pahahahah
One thing I haven’t heard mentioned is NOT having wall cabinets! The kitchen in my house was fitted by the previous owner with ONLY below counter cabinets and it’s AMAZING! The room is bright and I have art on the walls! I only have one shelf which has a beautiful piece of art on it! I had to be very strict & cleared out SO much stuff that I didn’t actually need but I don’t miss the “hemmed in” feeling of having a cabinet right in front of your face nor the undignified climbing onto the counter to reach anything in the top of a cabinet!
Yes! So glad to hear you love it- we are planning no upper cabinets as well- thanks for the boost in confidence
Nick could do an entire video of Anchor Your Items!
It’s an art form, and my favorite hint because it combines fun and functional.
(I use anchors to camouflage the “outlet acne” on the wall above the kitchen counter.)
Can you give a link where I can learn more about this? I'm very curious and my Google search wasn't effective
@@Mikhaelin12:31 in the video
My mother --- a stained-glass artist and color-theory teacher at the nearby university -- collected random old prisms (e.g. prism-glass dangles from long-gone antique chandeliers being sold for next to nothing at Goodwill or neighborhood antique stores) and she hung them on transparent fishing line at various levels across her kitchen window. The rainbows of light passing from these 20 or so prisms was beautiful, creating almost a kaleidoscope effect on cabinets and walls as the light changed throughout the day. She also installed rolling shades upside down with a small pully at the top of the window for the shades' pull-cords. In this way, she achieved privacy from neighbors or people passing on the sidewalk, while leaving the top 1/3 of the window shades open to let in natural light and to give a clear view of the tree-tops outside. These vignettes of light and shifting greenery were a very lovely addition to each room. My grandmother collected interesting and antique bottles and filled them with colored water (food coloring works fine) and massed them in front of windows or well-lit mirrors to create almost a stained-class effect. None of these ideas are expensive, but they provide a way to bring in color in unique ways without needing to go to the trouble or expense of preparing and painting cabinetry or changing out tile back-splashes or countertops. I use pieces of thick, heavy, hand-made paper from Vietnam to cover the lower panes of glass in one window, to let the light through, illuminating the inclusions (flowers and leaves) embedded in the paper. Here's a link to the store where I bought the hand-made paper, but I'm sure it's available at other specialty stores. Be sure to get the heavy-duty paper, as thinner paper will absorb moisture from condensation on the glass and turn into a saggy mess fairly quickly. www.demedicimingfinepaper.com/
Edit: I've found a lovely room, I'm living with the owner and he's more than happy for me to paint my room and make it my own xoxo
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm currently living in a single bed hotel room with my cat yet I'm watching a video on how to make my kitchen look expensive. That's how much i love Nick's videos
Edit: thanks for all the love guys. I never intended this to be a pity post but I'm overwhelmed by all the love.
I've learned that in times like this sometimes humor is all we have.
Monty Python said it best "Always look on the bright side of life"
I rent an apartment in an East Asian city with a ktichen so tiny and outdated (it has original green and orange 70s tile) that I have to snicker at the thought of actually doing any of this stuff, but I'm still watching lol
I contact papered my cabinets -- there was no other option -- and changed out the hardware. It doesn't look expensive, but then "expensive" seems to mean "spending more money" which I'm not gonna do on a kitchen in a home I don't own.
Life can turn on a dime, if you keep this beautifully positive state of mind and get out in the world so that opportunity may meet you. I have been near homeless counting never single dime, and now I am in a paradise place. It is wonderful you are watching these videos to allow the dreaming, as long as the dreaming * feels amazing *. and does not bring feelings of lack. Once in my poorest times, I stood in a parking lot and realized I was surrounded by *billions of dollars*. of stuff and buildings and gardens, and I got to walk through it and sit within it, I live in a place with running water and infrastructure and transportation and coffee shops (even when I could not afford a coffee, I could sit near and take on the feeling of sitting in a cafe without worries!)....I could find expensive hotel lobbies with gorgeous restrooms to enjoy, and never feel I lacked it, because it is in fact there for us to find and use.
Blessings to you! May abundance shower your days and may a heaven-of-a-home befall you
I hope this is a temporary situation i belive that gratitude is huge You have a roof and you are safe and with your cat awww
This life has so much ebb and flow. I pray yours will eventually take a positive turn. Don't lose hope. Many of us have struggles in our past. Blessings to you and kitty.
I so get it! Sometimes I come away from the HGTV and various RUclips channels and I feel sad versus inspired. I think, oh I am fortunate enough to have a little discretionary money to put towards making my place nicer and feel good about living there. But, 1) it isn’t enough to make a dent. 2) if I put it towards one project the rest of the place will look worse and I’ll fell worse. 3) Maybe i should just move but I cant afford that either; maybe even more expensive. Yikes. I came here to watch Nick and feel happy…
Another thing i dont think you mentioned specifically but under counter cabinet garbage that you can pull out. It’s a really simple thing to do and for me it’s always the first upgrade that surprisingly lots of people don’t do or think about to do
I'm surprised this didn't get mentioned. It is a big difference that is easy and cheap to remedy. I have friends that buy those overpriced "SimpleHuman" garbage cans which are supposed to be "beautiful" and they still look like trash cans and stand out. Why spend $100 on a trash can that only looks slightly better, when you can spend $30 on a pull out and install it under your sink to look 100x better? This is an underrated change that costs (relatively) little to massively elevate your kitchen.
@@JAlexanderCurtis 1000% we wanted a larger trash can and recycling in one cabinet so we converted that cabinet with a rev a shelf style (i think it was this brand or a similar brand). Sure it got rid of some of our cabinet storage but it wasn’t really needed and if we do eventually need more storage we could get an antique cabinet against a free wall. We used to have the 30$ option and put it under our sink when we had an apartment. I think some people get so caught up in the branding of stuff and forget there are other better solutions.
*Toe-kick lighting, panel ready appliances, corral items* . Thank you Nick for another great design tips video. One of the first things I did when I moved into my home seven years ago was install a rope light at the toe-kick in my kitchen. That subtle wash of light made navigating my new space in the middle of the night divine. Panel ready appliances are definitely "Goals", can't imagine doing a kitchen and not including them. Corralling items is a must. I always create a seasonal coffee station on a tray.
We re did our kitchen last year. Skipped all things super trendy; un lacquered brass, giant pendants, super busy stone. It's beautiful. It's sage and white, with a walnut island top. The best thing was running the cabinets to the (9ft) ceiling. Such a huge difference.
How/where did you get your walnut island top? I want to do this so it looks more like a dining table rather than kitchen counter. I just don’t know how to make it happen. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Love sage
@@LSUTigerMom Our cabinet maker also built tables. He made the top for us. Maybe find a furniture maker in your area.
Nick! What a beautiful difference in my kitchen! Thank you! I replaced my old rusty faucet with a gorgeous, modern, sleek black faucet. I put in an ultra modern black ceiling fan. Black hardware on all the cabinets. On the open shelves I put on black matte pots. I painted the backsplash, window trim, toe kicks matte black. My kitchen is GORGEOUS. Thanks Nick! 😊
Anchoring items on tray - what a cheap, actionable idea - will implement next week, thanks
My cabinets are horrible but i don't have the $$ to replace them.
2 years ago i replaced my stainless sink with a black granite sink. I also got a high touchless faucet. They make me so happy. I can't hardly wait to fix up the rest of the kitchen. These are some great ideas to remember.
I went to Sherwin Williams and they recommended a color for my kitchen. It was difficult to find someone to install cabinets during the pandemic, so I decided to paint. I absolutely love them and get lots of compliments. I also changed all the pulls.
You might want to look at the kitchen remodels done with Dollar Tree items. We painted our cabinets and added new pulls. It can make a huge difference.
When one is replacing the kitchen hardware don’t forget the regular door hinges. Love your videos!
Exactly what I was looking at in my own kitchen that doesn’t have any drawer or door pulls.
Boxing to the ceiling is worth it just in time saved cleaning up there.
Art in the kitchen? Absolutely!
Under-counter lighting is USEFUL. It keeps you from chopping off fingertips, helps you measure accurately, AND makes it feel more premium. DO IT.
The farmhouse towel. "Look at me,
I'm interesting." Love you, Nick!
We had our kitchen updated. I asked for the perimeter cabinets in BM Hollingsworth green and the Island in walnut with brass hardware and faucet, I love it
We are 3/4 of the way through our kitchen renovation, our perimeter cabinets are Moss Green and the island is walnut and I have walnut and brass hardware on all the cabinets. It looks so good!
Of all the home decor videos I've viewed on RUclips, yours stand alone. Thank you!
Love you Nick but this video should be called How to Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive by Making It Expensive. 😉 😊
I was thinking this too. I love Nick's videos so I didn't want to say it...but it's true. Most of the ways to make kitchens look more expensive seem to be making kitchens *be* more expensive!
hahaha I thought the same thing about a few of these tips :)
I agree. This one kind of bummed me out.
I'm assuming you already did all of the cheap upgrades he mentioned in the video??
Paint remains cheap and makes an impact. We once turned our generic, cheapo builder-grade cabinets into a deep red that interested us. When we sold the house we made them chocolate brown with offsetting cream accents. House sold in a day ... even though the buyers might not have loved chocolate brown, didn't matter because paint is just as easy for them too.
Neutral wall paint color, white cabinets, same color metals -faucet and drawer pulls, under cabinet light. Cheapest upgrades 🤷♀️
My kitchen is 16 years old, I still love it. Off white cabinets haven’t dated. I updated my faucet and regularly change decor on a couple of open shelves. I keep it very tidy and clean. I mix up by adding lamps, plants and flowers every now and then. . Love you ideas.
At 5'3" I cannot reach all the shelves on my upper cabinets as it is. When I renovated in 2012 I did not opt to change the upper cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling. If I remember right it would have been another $9k and purely aesthetic.
My husband and I are both 5'4" . I insisted that we keep the mock Tudor ceiling beams in our kitchen. The kitchen designers think we're mad, but I'm not paying twice as much to have extra cabinets we'll never use and I love those beams.
Love the idea of cabinets to the ceiling, but at 5'4" I already need to stand on a chair to reach the top shelf of my standard cabinets, or the decorative storage baskets above (for seldom-used items). If you plan to "age in place," there will come a time when it is no longer safe to be climbing on chairs or step-stools. I might invest in a small island with storage below.
Just because the shelves are there doesn’t mean you have to fill them.
I think you made excellent points throughout. Some of these suggestions were simple common sense, as well as good advice - like cleaning the kitchen up - and, some were more 'Oh, yes, I can see that.', which made for both an entertaining and nicely informative video. Thanks, as always - you're a pleasure to watch. :)
Love the idea of under cabinet, toe kick and drawer lighting.. thank you Nick 😊✌
Hi Nick. I'm a new subscriber. I have been going down the rabbit hole of your videos and love how they're part design education and part humor. Thank you for taking the time to put out this great content for us.
My kitchen has a tall bookcase where I keep all my cookery books. It's so nice to have them to hand when I am trying to plan dinner. I have 2 botanical prints next to it and the top shelf has some fun things - a statue of the Buddha a friend made for me, a candle, some flowers....
It's great to have a bookshelf for your cookbooks. I'm almost at a point where I need to do that because my cabinet where I keep mind is getting too full 🤦♀️😊. I enjoy providing nutritious meals for my family and going old school is best for me.
Under cabinet lighting makes such a big difference. Not in just looks but in function. It puts the light right where you need it. I don't always like having my bright overhead lights on. Also, my light switch is in an incovenient spot. I like being able to turn on lights right where I am working. They can be cheap too. I got a couple $20 strip lights of amazon.
The kitchen in my apartment is 5'x12' and has no counter space so im pretty limited. But i did paint the backsplash bright green and i actually really love it. The color idea works imo.
If you have to work with that builder grade metal sink with the holes, please listen to me now. Replace the builder grade faucet set with one that has the spray hose thing even if it doesn't get enough water pressure to be useful.
So that last hole looks intentional, because it looks dreadful and collects crud from the universe if you don't.
I would choose a faucet that is wall mounted. No splashes or hard water and soap scum build-up to clean. But you'd also need a sink without the holes. More costly in the beginning but probably worth it in the long run...at least for me!
Pendant lighting in an open space can create an almost disappearing wall affect between 2 separate rooms, like if your kichen borders your dining or living room with a bar, and you have pendant lights above the bar, turning them on and off opens and closes the space between the rooms. Living room and kitchen light on, bar lights off feels more like 2 rooms, just the bar or all 3 lights on makes it one large space
Love your advice and love that you get to the point so quickly. 👏👏 Even if you use your toaster every day, put it on a sheet pan (mine fits on 1/4 sheet pan) or other tray and put it away! It takes less time to get it out than it takes to clean the crumbs on the counter! Then dump the tray crumbs, quick and easy. Toasters left plugged in can be a real fire hazard, putting them away reminds you to unplug it. 🥰
What a great idea! Am so darn tired of sesame sesame everywhere from my bagels, now I'll be able to curtail that mess.
I make tea every morning and I still keep my electric water boiling kettle in the cupboard everyday. I love clean kitchen counters.
I've already added a new faucet and new drawer and cabinet pulls, but adding toe kick lighting involves quite an electrical cost to make sure no outlets or cords show, so I'm skipping the toe kick lighting. A dimmer light can bring in some of that ambiance that that toe kick lighting might have otherwise provided.
I was watching one of those British hoarding shows this past week. This one would have someone come in and redecorate after the hoard is removed. She would ask what the people liked and then turn around and put in the most trendy cringe things. One episode when the hoard was removed it revealed an appointment that even if you walked into today (about a decade after it was filmed) you would say that it was a very nice. She put in all kinds of really tacky furniture that were such a quick trend that I don't remember existing. And probably never should have. I wouldn't trust her to redecorate my chicken coop.
😂 I totally understand. There's a woman on here, who I would say is a tidy hoarder, everything has a place but, every one of her rooms is crammed with stuff. (Insert eye roll here)
@@rachaelbruesch6306 have you been looking at my house? Ha ha. And I start to get the motivation to really straighten up, I start watching videos like this. Or I start watching legal AF to find out what the guy that needs to go to jail is doing. And it can kill an hour with no problem. But I shall get up and get busy.
@@rachaelbruesch6306I have an unused bedroom that I call my garage. The unfinished basement is too damp and dusty so all the things I no longer want and/or need go in there. I’m slowly clearing it out because I want to turn it into a walk-in closet so I do have a bit of motivation to do this.
I used to do a sweep through all my stuff twice a year and get rid of things but they quit doing pickups during the pandemic. I don’t have a car and some of it is too heavy to move so will it will be free to those willing ri pick it up. Might sell some clothing online.
Can you do a video (very soon!) about tile choices for kitchens? I know you have had some shorts, but I am really trying to choose a beautiful look for our kitchen remodel, for a kitchen that is the room you enter from the front door (after a small entry), and I am trying to choose something timeless yet not boring, something artistic but not wacky. Can. you do a kitchen tile video of all types, stone and terracotta and glass and so on? Combining disparate types and bringing in artistry?
My kitchen reno starts in only 3 weeks and I’m so glad I thought about many of the items you are recommending. Upgraded faucet, high-end hardware, cabinets to the 9 ft ceiling, under cab lighting and in the upper most cabinets (glass front), and a dark blue island (all other cabs are soft white). I’m also using drawers for the lower cabinets. I think they are much more functional. Adding panels to the dishwasher and fridge was outside my budget, but you can’t see the dishwasher unless you are inside the kitchen. I’ll be replacing my fridge in 2-3 years and will have it paneled. I’m getting rid of the ‘over the range’ microwave and making it a built in next to the fridge. I’m also adding an appliance garage - something I’ve always wanted. I’m looking forward to decorating after the kitchen is done. Thank you for the wonderful advise you give.
If you have a 9 foot kitchen ceiling, I would think twice about running my cabinets all the way to the top. It’s fine for a kitchen with an 8 foot ceiling.
...all the things bubbling up in the kitchen 😂, always good fun to watch and thank you for good ideas! From Europe😊.
Trays and Lazy Susans are a HUGE boon for those with ADHD too. In the fridge, on the counter, in the pantry, in the bathroom... I love a beautiful, polished wood lazy susan for your olive oil, vinegar, salt jar, pepper mill... any seasonings you use daily or nearly daily (that coveted Everything But the Bagel seasoning). Another great opportunity to add function & art to the kitchen is how you store your cooking utensils. A beautiful handmade ceramic vase is a wonderful option. I also think smaller appliances can look nice if you choose them well & organize them. I actually love seeing my Keurig all nice and pretty next to my coffee canisters. I also think my electric kettle is really pretty too. It looks so nice sitting next to my mahogany knife block. Oh! I also love a plastic, clear lazy susan in the fridge for condiments so you don't have to pull things out to get to what you want. In the bathroom, I use a simple tray to coral the toothpaste, tooth brushes, my inhaler, his beard comb... the little bits that we need daily. (there's no drawers & no medicine cabinet). I also use a lazy susan in the other bathroom for my skincare. It's beautiful olive green & gold. Placed it on top of stackable drawer to keep things I use weekly, but not daily.
Little touches also make a space feel expensive. Gap filler cabinetry that houses cookie sheets. Pull out shelves for lower cabinets. Spice rack built into a cabinet door. The Lazy Susan corner cabinet is AMAZING! I also think a really nice pot rack is cool. It's functional and if you have nice pans, it works as art too.. especially if it's not a basic one but maybe, custom welded.
Cleaning the kitchen is great advice. Not going to bed without the doing the dishes so they're not waiting on you the next morning 😹
I love the concept of paneled appliances. Sadly, in the U.S. it doesn’t just look expensive, it is expensive. Will go for it though on the next kitchen renovation. Right now I’m trying to replace appliances in our existing kitchen layout and it’s not fun trying to find items to fit our space.
Plus, the planned obsolescence of high-tech, sensitive major appliances these days makes having them paneled seem like a very bad idea. Even a $4000 refrigerator will only last a few years. Very discouraging. I suggest going as low-tech as possible, even in a high end kitchen.
Hi Nick, I am in dire need of a video from you about bathrooms especially bathroom fixtures ❤❤❤ PLEASE 🥺
Love the idea of having art in the kitchen. Thank you, Nick!
Since my kitchen is small, and has no kitchen island, I opted for a pendant that has a shorter 8" cord. It works great for task lighting, yet still gives a pendant vibe.
Paneled appliances reminds me too much of 1970s wall paneling (coughmylivingroomcough). I actually like to see the appliances.
I LOVE appliance garages! I do a lot of gourmet cooking (yes, every day) so I have quite a few appliances that need to be easily accessible. Unfortunately, my tiny condo has no such capability for that. My prep space is about 1.5 ft x 0.5 ft 🙄But when I had a really big house (with a 1,000sf kitchen), I had appliance garages, along with other frivolous things like drawers...and cupboards with adjustable shelves...and a sink big enough to hold big stockpots. Oh well; at least I know what I want in the next house!
Love Nick ideas
Straight forward, realistic and mostly make sense. I love it
I came across u just today. we gutted and have remodeled our kitchen.. and Yes my cabinets are hanging in "mid air"!! I do put art work above them, along with plants. We will add some lighting up there. we did do the lighting under the cabinets, but not on the floor, as i have a couple of drawers that can move out from under the cabinets. and a roll about trash can drawer. We re did our kitchen for us, Not for someone else. My colors are Blues, Browns, creams and warm white. I accent with Coastal Blues, browns, creams. we do have stainless steel appliances, the last on the list is the range. we have a dark grey stainless steel sink which i think would look good on the stove. our cabinets are White Ash and Black ash. (Black doesnt mean black in the ash family) we custom built our cabinets ourselves. I clicked on your page to see how to accessorize my style into my new kitchen, which flows out into our living room and dining room, into our office and hallway.
I loved your house tour as well!
Oh darling, they are standarized - they all fit to the panels 😁 greetings from Poland
What is standardized, dearest?
@@utahdan231 they have all the same dimentions. So if you choose a dishwasher 45 for example, panels in all kitchen systems will fit. Similarily for other appliances
I'm out of breath just listening.
You do know you can slow down the voice speed?
Currently in the middle of a kitchen reno myself. We knocked out walls, a closet installed a 23 ft support beam. The approach i took was making it functional for my 5'2 height! Im pushing 40 the days of climbing or getting out a latter to get something like seasoning is something im just done with! My kitchen is L shaped and i went dark gray shaker base cabinets with matt gold pulls. The short part of the L is where i have my uppers and i love them because they are white with glass fronts, vintage glass knobs, and they sit on our dove gray quartz countertop and go all the way to the ceiling beside them is our fridge that is also incased with white side panels and upper cabinet. By the time its all said and done we'll have spent 25k😢. However im never doing this again unless absolutely necessary so im picking things i think will age well.
I love your freakin’ videos! You’re the best. 😃so fun to watch!
I’ve been a kitchen and bath designer for 29 years and you’re on point sir ❤🎉🤓🙌👏🏠
Ever heard of a quooker? It is a faucet that combines a normal faucet with a 100 degrees Celsius water faucet. All the crack in Europe
Those sound cool but they are VERY expensive, as one might imagine. They can also filter and make fizzy water.
In the US, we have an option for a separate faucet with hot filtered water, but it's expensive and not common. I haven't heard of a combined faucet.
If you just take the combination normal/bowling water it costs about 1600 dollars. Just do not buy custom made cabines and invest in comfort
They are amazing!
Yes my daughter has one. Wonderfully easy to use too
I just renord my kitchen and IMO it is gorgeous. It is exactly what I have always imagied it could be. However going with paneled appliances eould have been more expensive than all my custom cabinets and I just didn't see the need. IMO my fridge is beautiful and I want it to be seen. My csbinets do not go to the ceiling because my ceiling slopes and putting useless bits of "boxes" above my custom cabinets would have looked ridiculous and again an expensive option. As it is I need a stool to access my top cabinets. Everyone's kitchen and the space it inhabits are different and often unique. People have told me thst mine looks like a million bucks. I don't care whether it looks expensive or not. I adore what I now have and it is a joy to work in. To me that is all that counts.
However Nick enjoyed your presentation.😊
I love the modern appliance garage! I remember they used to be small and looked out dated.
We bought a house with a galley kitchen. They had dark cabinets all the way to the ceiling. In this scenario it looked super small and cramped. We put in ones didn’t go all the way up. We put a very light wood and the space at the ceiling actually added dimension to the very narrow design.
Corralling is a favorite tip. My perfume, my laundry products on top of my washer, table scapes, etc. are on on trays or boards, etc. Layering your items even if you are a minimalist looks more intentional. Great video Nick! From Georgia US
Wow -- when you switched on the under-counter lighting, it really did add a lot of ambience.
I have 10 ft. ceilings in the kitchen; not sure what to do with the existing cabinets to make them look up-to-date.
A lot of the kitchen inspo out there uses functional pieces that double as decor (like rustic style cutting boards, vintage style kettles, etc) and I never thought about adding non-functional pieces of art. Thank you Nick! A whole new world has opened in front of my eyes.
I love my new kitchen faucet! I only paid $40 for it on Amazon. It pulls down, it’s big too. I’m also changing out all the cabinet hardware for around $50. It’s so worth it!
Change the outlet covers to match tiles.
Nick can we see your new house? Vlog the progress? 😊😊
I think there were some problems and it's on hold.
Our apartment is a converted factory with absurdly high ceilings. The top of the cabinets are disgusting. The drawer pulls catch on things. The sink has one of those pull out faucets, but the weight that keeps it in place catches the pipes underneath (had to add a piece of cardboard to guide it around the pipes to avoid causing leaks). There's some open shelving but the cabinets are filled with plumbing which is so delicate I was told to be careful about putting items in the cabinets. Thankfully our last place had absurdly small cabinets (could not fit a 12" pan) so we already had a bunch of kitchen storage from ikea. People who design kitchens should try actually using them.
The old kitchen we're ripping out has wall cupboards that are too low, so the work surfaces are unusable for food prep. It does make sense because it doesn't have a high ceiling and it has ceiling beams, so you can't have the proper 55cm clearance from a worktop that is apparently industry standard now. We're ripping them out and having a couple of tall pantry cupboards instead. We'll have half as much countertop but twice as much usable surface.
Panelled appliances are easier in Europe because they usually come in the same suze as your cabinets. Even Ikea has sutions for this. You buy the special cabinet pop in the fridge or freezer and mount the door on hindges and attach it to the appliance door with special hardware. But frudges generally are smaller than in the US, built in or not.
Countertop space is sacred! Knives, coffee maker, done. And I have a ton of countertop space! Simply prefer the look and easier to clean. BTW, absolutely love your presentations. You are always mindful of people, their feelings and their budgets. Thank you.
Agree 100%! Indeed, as European I do not understand why would anyone NOT do panel-ready-appliances. In here it is not much more expencive.
I'm curious - Are most major appliances sold in Europe MADE in Europe? Germany for instance? If so, you are getting a much better quality product. Most major appliances in the U.S. are made in China and typically CHOCK FULL of high tech doo-dads that fail. The short life of these expensive products plus the premium for panel-ready designs (since they are not the norm) explain the difference.
@@aksez2u I'm in the UK and we probably aren't so different from the USA in that some are made in China, some in Europe. Here in the UK we have a brand called Ebac who make washing machines which are made here...they are more expensive but can be repaired and I think there is more of a push towards that repair not replace kind of mentality. As Doris said though, the price difference between a built-in dish washer and a free-standing model isn't much different in the UK/Europe although I personally prefer free standing as you get more choice of features. Most appliances I've bought come with a 5yr warranty but i would expect them to last much longer, I don't know how that compares with the USA?
@@sharonclaridge It sounds similar. Most appliances are made in China, a very few in the USA and a couple in Europe, Miele and Bosch (which tend to be good quality, but expensive). What kills me is how many high tech features they cram on them now and how fast they fail. I tried to use the automatic oven cleaning cycle on my stove and it burned out the motherboard. The appliance repair person said "Yeah, the motherboard is right by the heating coils and it always burns out" 😮 What? Not just planned obsolescence, insanity! I've also had 2 expensive refrigerators fail within just a few years of use. I don't think we even get a 5 year warranty unless we pay extra for the "extended warranty". Appliances used to last 20-30 years, for heaven's sake! I'd pay extra for nice, simple ones built to last.
Omg!! Nick !! I love your channel!! You are really providing interior design tips and ideas of real value in a short amount of time, this is beyond education, I have tried your designs tips in my home and they have helped me elevate my 32 year home, in a short amount time and within a budget!! Thanks so much!! So talented!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Totally off topic, but I hope your property in the Okanagan Valley is safe from the horrible fires around Kelowna, Nick!
I like the ideas you have and really love reading the comments of your videos. Everyone here is so creative and they have such great opinions 😊
Love colour.
We redid our kitchen two years ago….navy blue lower cabinets, just-off -white uppers.
White quartz countertops, nickel hardware, pale green glass backsplashes, ss appliances, darker LVP flooring..
Accents are green or yellow….towels, soap, etc.
We love it.
(Used wine corks in a dish ( coordinating of course) keep away fruit flies….)
When we remodeled our kitchen, I ended up commissioning some art glass pulls/handles for my cabinets and drawers from a small glass artist whose shop I stumbled across on a trip and they are without a doubt my favorite "decor" thing in my kitchen. And they weren't even that expensive! But they are completely custom. Sadly her shop is now closed but I know there are many similar shops/artists out there and it's something I honestly never would have thought of doing until I saw some of her sample handles in her shop. Fun way to support small artists and also add custom/unique features to your kitchen (or bathroom for that matter).
I LOVE those over the door cabinet organizers!! I use them for everything. They're super convenient.
Hey Nick, you always provide useful tips and I enjoyed your contents and your sense of humour so much ! Keep up the good work ❤
Fabulous advice, thanks Nick. I’m a designer and found your comments and ideas inspiring.
Open plan shelving not on the list? I am SHOCKED! 😘
I stir fry or pan fry a lot, impossible to keep kitchen looking shiny. The greased air plus dust is so hard to get rid off. I do try to keep things out if counter if not frequently used. No wonder some people remodel kitchen and baths every so often :)
Washing after helps a lot.
@utahdan231
You either don’t stir fry or have never dealt with greased air. It lands everywhere when there is a surface. I do major cleaning 4 times a year, taking down everything and spread degreaser even on ceiling.
I made matching covers for my appliances out of old sheets - great way to add color!
Hello from an European follower. Thank you for this video. My grandparents had a paneled frigde as long as I can remember. But I don't see that very often today sadly.
Getting ready for a major kitchen renovation. Original kitchen built in 2006 with that “Tuscan” orange undertone cabinetry just had to go. I appreciate your tips and tricks into making my new kitchen and by extension my open concept(living room/dinning room and kitchen) small bungalow more cohesive, elegant and punching everything up in terms luxury and of what it is I am trying to make my home “feel” like. Thank you NIck.
Part of the reason we were excited about the house we bought two years ago was the colourful kitchen cabinets! They’re a pastel blue, robins egg-ish. We just changed the knobs and drawer pulls and now I’m thinking I want to change the faucets…
When we redid our kitchen I was surprised to find that it did not cost much more to put in cabinets to the ceiling than the short ones.
Nick ...you are the best. I always look forward to your videos. And your suggestions and ideas are so point on.
Ooh planning a total kitchen renovation. ❤
GREAT video, Nick! I really enjoyed this one! 😊❤
Nick, a big no to the kickboard lighting! It will show all the dirt on my floors. LOL Gotta keep the eyes up! You are so fun to watch. Please center that console under the your clock, it's driving me crazy!
European viewer here, paneled appliances are amazing and so are your videos, Nick!
If you want the look of cabinets to the ceiling you can take existing cabinets and raise them on the wall so they touch the ceiling. Then add an open shelf below for nice accessible storage.
I agree with adding color. It does make a kitchen seem more designer/more expensive. Many designers caution against this..but I like it.