It’s often said the kitchen is the heart of the home. That was especially true in ancient cultures, where the kitchen stood at the center of every dwelling and served as the social lifeblood of the family, but it remains an accurate metaphor today. The kitchen is one of the first rooms people enter when they return home, making the fixtures, appliances, and tiles seen and used everyday gain intimate significance. When moving or upgrading, memories of past homes needn’t be lost; many can be incorporated and customized into any kitchen remodeling designs.
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purpose of remodeling is certainly to upgrade and beautify a room or home, but that doesn’t mean every inch of it needs to be replaced. Unless a kitchen design is intended to be completely chic and modern, some old fixtures and tiles can be reused: not left untouched, but moved. If re-tiling a floor, some of the old ceramic can be broken into a mosaic above the sink, or a custom light switch cover can simply be moved—preserving the thrill of a new look without throwing out the colors and materials that have been a backdrop of a family for decades.
Similarly, when moving to or building a new home, removable fixtures like cabinet hooks can be taken and installed in the new kitchen. Experiencing the pleasure of new appliances and upgraded counters should remain the purpose of remodeling, but a completely new room can seem sterile and foreign, especially to young children. As the heart of the home, a large percentage of our lives are invested in the kitchen, and its walls, floors, and appliances gain significance and invoke memories and emotions. Completely dismantling all those memories discounts that investment, so when planning to remodel a kitchen, it’s wise to consider what might be reused.