Think all kitchen designs are basically the same, following a standard format with a few changes made for personal style and color scheme? Think again!  At McDaniels Kitchen and Bath we know that every kitchen remodel is as unique as your own family and must be designed to meet the individual requirements of your household.

This is why we follow a personalized approach, pairing you with one of our design experts and utilizing our unique design process.  In this way, we make sure you achieve your vision and don’t get stuck with a one-size-fits-all kitchen design that really does not meet your needs or match your personality. Sometimes this means going against the common conventions or latest style trends, but hey if you can’t be a rule breaker and express your unique style in your own kitchen, where can you?

Here are a few examples of how to customize your kitchen design to create a space as unique as your own fingerprint.

1. Bigger isn’t always better.

It seems the trends in today’s homes are towards bigger everything.  Large, open plan kitchens abound filled with professional sized cooking areas and refrigerators big enough to hold a year’s worth of food.  Don’t get caught up in the need to supersize everything if this does not meet your needs or simply goes beyond your available space.  In this East Lansing kitchen remodel, the homeowners preferred to maximize available storage by installing a “dorm-sized” refrigerator.  They only keep essential items to hand and instead rely on a secondary refrigerator in the garage to store additional food.

kitchen design with mini fridge

2. Add a small pop of color…or even better, a bold color change.

White, gray, and natural wood tones are all very popular choices for kitchen design, and for good reason.  They fit any home décor and will not go out of fashion.  What if these color scheme choices just make you yawn?  If you love color and will not be truly happy with an all neutral kitchen, do not let popular color schemes tie you down.  The Haslett, MI kitchen remodel below left brings a bright pop of color to the space with a blue and yellow tile backsplash.  The Holt, MI kitchen design below right, on the other hand embraces a bold color scheme with green kitchen cabinets and black appliances.

cream cabinets with blue backsplash
green kitchen design

3. Glam it up with sparkly light fixtures.

Recessed ceiling lights, undercabinet lights, and in cabinet lighting, perhaps combined with pendants over a kitchen island are perfect for creating a multi-layered kitchen lighting scheme.  If a standard pendant light just doesn’t make your style sparkle, why not choose a bold light fixture that will really light up your day?  The sparkling pendant sits over the dramatic waterfall countertop of the kitchen peninsula, drawing the eye to the centerpiece of this Mason, MI kitchen design.

waterfall edge countertop

4. A few of your favorite things.

An open plan kitchen means that it is integrated into the wider home living spaces and therefore into the style of these spaces.  This is one reason why kitchen design styles have become so much more sophisticated.  An open plan design is also an excellent opportunity to highlight favorite personal items that really define not only your style, but your personality.  This Lansing, MI loft is a perfect example of this, with the kitchen’s unique “Rum Runners” refrigerator visible from the living area, and the collection of guitars lining the hallway on view from the kitchen.

kitchen design with wood ceiling beams
Kitchen design with hardwood floor

5. Entertainment value.

The popularity of open plan kitchen designs has also grown out of kitchens taking center stage as the focal point for family activity and entertaining.  People always migrate to the kitchen, and why not since the best smells in the house are coming from this room! The open plan design offers fluid movement between kitchen and living spaces, making casual entertaining much easier as you can cook while talking to guests.  Or, in the case of this Spartan Fan’s kitchen design in Williamston, MI, install a television that will satisfy both the living and kitchen areas so everyone can watch the big game!

white kitchen design

There are plenty of ways to make your kitchen one-of-a-kind to fit both your style and your personality.  Let our kitchen design experts help you customize your kitchen and check out more unique kitchen remodels in our gallery!