14 Signs Your Kitchen Is In Desperate Need Of Remodeling

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Your kitchen is the heart of the home — but what happens when that heart starts to feel a little sad? Kitchens, like any room, can over time become drab, tattered, and in need of a rejig. In fact, we'd argue that kitchens require a lot more TLC than some of the other spaces in your house. As high-traffic areas constantly exposed to moisture, heat, and food waste, they can rapidly become grubby and deteriorate.

The problem is that a lot of us don't see the signs until it's way too late. Experts suggest that you should remodel your kitchen every 10 to 15 years, but if you simply don't know when the last time that your kitchen had a rejig was, it's easy to put off doing any work until it's way too late. Well, not anymore. With these telltale visual cues, you'll be able to properly assess whether your kitchen just needs a little spruce (or you're not cleaning your kitchen properly), or a full-on remodel. Plus, we'll show you some little-known signs that the very design of your kitchen could be outdated, making your cooking experience way more complicated and cumbersome than it actually needs to be.

One of the biggest signs that your kitchen needs a little (or a lot) of work is how separate it feels from the rest of your interiors. Modern kitchens are generally designed to be part of an open-plan concept, which is in line with contemporary tastes for cooking and dining areas to be incorporated with each other. Although these kinds of designs have come and gone, in recent years they're more popular than ever. A 2024 survey conducted by Houzz found that more than 40% of homeowners remodel their kitchens to be more open to other interior spaces, removing any separation between cooking and living spaces.

As such, if your kitchen is sequestered into a separate room, it's a sign that it was potentially designed before these kinds of tastes were the norm. That may not always be the case, of course, and a lot of the time kitchens are placed in separate rooms out of necessity, or simply because the architect preferred it that way. However, a lot of the time, it indicates a kitchen left in the past. While you may not be able to remodel your entire house to make your kitchen more open-plan (we get it, that costs a lot of money), it's useful to bear in mind that a closed-off, older kitchen could bear other signs that it needs a remodel, especially if it hasn't been rejigged since it was first built.

Next time you open your cabinet doors, pay attention. How do they feel, and how do they sound? If they're hard to open and emit a creaky sound every time they're moved, it's likely a sign that they need a rejig — and that your kitchen at large might need one too.

Cabinet doors are some of the most-used items in your kitchen, as you're constantly having to go into them to get your dishes, glasses, and pantry items. Over time, they deteriorate, rendering them clunky and eventually unusable. It's always a good idea to try and address them before they break entirely, as this can be way more costly to deal with, as well as more annoying.

Luckily, creaky or stiff cabinet doors are relatively easy to fix, and won't cost the earth either. Having said this, you may want to consider whether replacing them entirely is a better long-term option. Plus, if your cabinets haven't been addressed since you last remodeled your kitchen, you may want to check whether other parts of the space need attention as well.

In a lot of kitchens, counter space is at a premium — but in older kitchens, it can be a rarity. As kitchens have evolved, they've increasingly taken into consideration the amount of additional appliances and kitchen gadgets that most people are using in their homes. Designers take into account the fact that folks will need space to put their toasters, microwaves, air fryers, rice cookers, electric kettles, crock pots, waffle irons, sandwich presses ... Honestly, the list goes on and on.

So, if you find that you run out of counter space after putting just one or two of these items into your kitchen, it's a sure sign that you need a remodel. Redesigning kitchens can free up space and create additional counter real estate, allowing you to place all of your electrical goods down without fear of clutter. Having said all that, if you can't afford a full remodel but still need extra space, there are some nifty ways to achieve this. You might be able to mount or hang some of your appliances to free up counter space, or store them above your cabinets when they're not in use. You can also employ modular solutions, like mobile kitchen islands on wheels or large cutting boards that you can place over your sink to create temporary space, or you could simply reorganize your kitchen. 

The rise of smart technology has been unstoppable, and it's only just begun. Smart technology began to be integrated into kitchens in the early 21st century, with voice-controlled devices like Amazon Echo and the Alexas that reside in them gradually being incorporated into designs. Less audible, but no less useful smart technology advancements like fridges that keep track of inventory or appliances integrated with smartphones are increasingly on the rise, and they're far from a gimmick: They make cooking way easier.

Over time, kitchen designs will gradually get more and more focused on incorporating smart technology — and so if your current kitchen has no capacity for it, and uses more rudimentary appliance designs, you may want to think about remodeling. A remodel with smart tech in mind can future-proof your kitchen and increase its resale value to tech-savvy house buyers. That's not to say you absolutely have to include smart technology in your kitchen (some folks are just fine with a more analog approach, and honestly, that's totally fair), but it's definitely worth considering.

If you want a clue as to whether your kitchen needs a remodel, check out your countertops and barstools. If they feel a little too high, you're going to want to think about rejigging things. High countertops and barstools are a relic of the past, and can make your kitchen feel inaccessible and hard to work in. The higher your surfaces are, the less room you have to play with in the upper half of your kitchen, and things generally just feel a little cramped and cluttered (and, in the case of your barstools, precarious).

If you're unsure as to whether your countertops and barstools are genuinely too high, and therefore featuring a more old-fashioned design, you should bust out the tape measure. Countertops that measure at around 42 inches will be outdated, whereas counters and stools that come in at 36 inches or so will have a more modern design. As you might expect, this is the kind of issue that can only really be resolved with a larger remodel of your kitchen, and lowering your countertops can reduce cabinet space underneath them. However, it will open up the higher spaces in your kitchen nicely.

In an ideal world, you'll forget your fridge exists until you reach into it. Modern design solutions have made huge strides in integrating fridges into your kitchen effectively, and advances in technology have turned what can be a loud and clunky machine into something that's whisper-quiet. If that isn't the case in your kitchen, though, you may be in need of a remodel. Over time, fridges can become louder and warmer as they strain to keep operating, and it may well be that you need a new one. If this loudness is accompanied by a lack of space, it could be the case that you've outgrown your fridge — and you may find that elsewhere in your kitchen, things are feeling a little tight.

It's also important to figure out whether your fridge is tired or genuinely broken. If your refrigerator is emitting a banging or knocking noise, this could be a sign that its interior parts could have deteriorated or loosened. You should call a repairman immediately if this is the case, as your fridge could stop working at any point.

As time's gone on, it feels like everything's got bigger — and that's certainly true of food. Not only have food products themselves got larger, but the sheer amount of options available is way bigger than it would have been for previous generations, thanks to our increasingly globalized world and interest in international cuisines. Unfortunately, this also means that food, and appliances or those essential kitchen tools that we use to cook them, take up more and more space in our kitchens. If you find that your kitchen can't hold it all and things are spilling out onto countertops, you may need a remodel to increase storage space.

If you can't afford a full-scale remodel just yet, though, you're in luck. There are a bunch of ways you can increase storage space without getting the sledgehammers out. Try working in some wall storage, with mounted magnetic strips to store your knives or hooks to hang your pots and pans. You can also install some open shelving, which you can stack your plates on or display herbs and spices.

When you're next in your kitchen, take a look at your appliances. Can you see them? Do they poke out from under your countertops or sit on top of them, loose and clunky-looking? If the answer to either of these is yes, you may need to do a remodel. Integrated appliances are all the rage, and give your kitchen's appearance a sleekness that non-integrated appliances don't. As well as this, they're also great space-savers: By integrating your fridge-freezer, microwave, or oven instead of having to place them somewhere else in your kitchen, you free up space elsewhere for appliances that can't be incorporated as easily.

Having said this, it's worth thinking about whether integrated appliances will suit your living situation and habits. If you know you like to swap small kitchen appliances out fairly regularly, getting in-built ones may not be the best option, as you might find that they're harder to change. They can also be tricky to remove if you ever move house, and may well be harder to repair, as the handyman will have to take apart half of your kitchen to get to the back.

Sometimes, cooking in certain kitchens can be way more stressful than it should be. It can be difficult to put your finger on exactly why that is, until you examine a kitchen's flow. The flow of a kitchen makes or breaks how easy it is to work and cook in it. If your kitchen is poorly designed, the main trio of elements that you need to make a meal (your storage spaces, cooking spaces, and sink) will be separated and disparate, and you find yourself flustered and running all over the place to get what you need. This can lead to burnt meals, a lot of mess, and even more stress, even if you're giving your kitchen a full nightly shutdown. 

Poor flow is one of the best reasons for a large-scale remodel, as it'll be an investment not just in your kitchen experience, but in the experience of any subsequent buyers. When redesigning your kitchen, think like a triangle. The kitchen triangle is a well-established design principle that places your sink, hob, and fridge at 90-degree angles from each other, allowing you to move between them seamlessly without anything getting in the way. Make sure your countertops are also close by, so you can prepare your food easily.

Kitchen lighting is more important than you think. The kitchen is a room that needs a lot of brightness, for the sheer fact that it's an intensely practical space where you're handling sharp knives, hot pans, and multiple different ingredients. Modern kitchens generally have a combination of ambient and task lighting, with the former providing the general vibe and the latter delivering illumination in areas that need it most. Accent lighting can also be a key feature, giving your kitchen nuance and a sharp aesthetic.

Some older kitchens, however, may have just one or two of these, which can lead to both a lack of appeal and a lack of function. Outdated kitchens can appear dingy and dark, and have gloomier corners which may well be the areas that you're trying to cook your food in. If this is the case, your kitchen may no longer be fit for purpose, and both your lighting and your kitchen more generally could be in need of an update. If you can't stretch to a full rework of your lighting, though, you can still add brightness on a budget by using an Under Cabinet Lighting Kit.

Although upper cabinetry might seem like a logical thing to have in a kitchen, you might be surprised to hear that it's on the way out. A lot of the most up-to-date kitchen designs remove upper cabinets from the equation entirely. Instead, they focus their storage on the lower levels of the kitchen, or in floor-to-ceiling cabinets that place everything you need in one key space.

The idea behind this is that upper cabinets can create a sense of enclosure in a kitchen, thereby making the room feel smaller and more cramped. Designs that remove upper cabinetry free up the higher areas, allowing things to feel bright and airy, and also giving you space to hang up artwork or pictures. This makes your kitchen feel like more of a living space, instead of a room that's purely functional.

So, if your kitchen is heavy on the upper cabinets, you might want to think about how you could shift them elsewhere. During a remodel, ask whether you can replace solid sections at lower levels with built-in cabinets to create more space. You'd be surprised by what architects can come up with.

Mold is probably the biggest issue you'll face in your kitchen (and, indeed, in pretty much any room in your house). The problem is that it can be pretty difficult to spot. In kitchens, mold manifests in ways that aren't just through its classic black, fuzzy spots. It can seep into your cabinets and under sinks, creating unpleasant smells and warping material. It can also cause your grout or caulk to begin to deteriorate, ruining any water sealing and further increasing the risk of damage.

It's wise to keep an eye (and nose) out for any of these signs, and if you spot them, you should definitely consider whether it's time for a remodel. Once mold has set in, it's almost impossible to get rid of without ripping everything out and starting again. Over time, mold will continue to fester and spread into every part of your kitchen, and you can't exactly remove all the moisture from it to help slow growth — kitchens need to have running water and are constantly warm and steamy, after all. Although you might be able to get rid of isolated spots, widespread mold requires professional intervention.

How's your hardware looking? It may seem like a small detail, but kitchen hardware can be a big indicator that your kitchen is way past its prime. Not only can old hardware drag down the look and aesthetic of your kitchen, but it can also be impractical and lacking in efficiency. This can make your kitchen clumsier to navigate, and may make you more prone to accidents in it.

Jayne Everett, Naked Kitchens creative director, agrees. "Hardware for kitchen cabinetry is a super important design consideration and can make or break the final look of a kitchen," she says over at Homes & Gardens. "Handles should never be too fussy or large which can be overbearing on the sleek design." Instead, you should go for something that combines an unobtrusive feel with a sense of your own personal style, and for hardware that's easy to use. The good news is that a lot of the time, you can get away with updating your hardware without having to change the entire layout of your kitchen, and it'll still make things feel fresh and new.

Eclectic decor might work in some parts of your house, but in the kitchen, it's harder to stomach. Generally speaking, you want your kitchen to feel like a cohesive space that has a key aesthetic. When it feels like their interiors are random, with several different design principles or ideas smashing together, it can make your kitchen feel both old-fashioned and lacking in harmony.

If this is the case in your kitchen, it's likely time for a total remodel. Kitchens can become mismatched when parts of them have been reinvigorated or refitted without the other parts being considered, which may be easier on the wallet, but which could have inadvertently ruined one of the key rooms in your house. When remodeling your kitchen, aim for a connected selection of materials and colors, keeping your countertops and cabinets all in the same style. Make sure any of your appliances work with your color scheme and general aesthetic, too.