When renovating your kitchen, it's easy to have a big picture in mind. You may decide that you want to take your outdated kitchen of a few decades ago and turn it into something that reminds you of a farmhouse, or a Dutch cottage. Perhaps your goal is to create something worthy of a restaurant. But before your big picture renovation can be completed, you'll have to make a lot of smaller scale decisions as well. You may have to decide on whether or not you want to spring for door mounted spice racks, or whether or not you want to choose concealed hinges for your cabinets, or if decorative hinge options might be right for you. Even choosing the right cabinets, in general, can be more of a challenge than you might initially think; after all, you can often expect to have kitchen cabinets for up to 50 years, unless you change them out, due to their staying power. With that being said, let's look into some of the things you should consider when renovating your kitchen.

Concealed Hinges Versus Decorative Hinges
When it comes to specialty hinges, you're probably choosing between concealed hinges, or the types of more obvious hinges that you'll likely see in more decorative cabinet doors, though concealed hinges can certainly be used on decorative cabinet doors. With that being said, there are many benefits to choosing concealed hinges over the alternatives, sometimes referred to as five knuckle hinges. Concealed hinges are often much easier to use and maintain, and are set within the door, which means that they are more grounded and less likely to loosen. Another benefit of using these types of hinges is that when the cabinet door is closed, they can't be seen. This means that as they age and wear down, they'll be less visible. Concealed hinges also close without additional hardware, which can't be said about five knuckle hinges. They're also easier to remove, as well as easier to adjust if need be. While some prefer the looks of more decorative hinges, concealed hinges don't interfere with the appearance of decorative cabinets, which can sometimes look cluttered if they're overwhelmed with other decorations.

Painting Cabinets Versus Staining Cabinets
Chances are that before your cabinets are initially installed, they will have simple, plain appearances. They are given color through furniture paint, or otherwise furniture wood stains. Paints and stains allow cabinets to take on the types of colors that will correspond with the overall look you want your kitchen to have. While paint will allow for a more full-coverage coat of color that isn't limited to more naturalistic colors, a wood stain is, of course, meant to be natural-looking, or at least less thick and opaque. There are several different types of stains as well -- gel-based stains as well as water-based stains, which will produce different results. Keep in mind that while a stain has a less impactful color, paint will be more likely to chip, and flaws in the paint will be more noticeable. With that being said, because a coat of paint is easier to remove, it's also easier to change -- if you don't like a stain, it can be difficult to alter.

To Add Extras, Or To Leave Them Out
A mounted spice rack or childproof locks may not seem to be the types of things that you should be concerned about adding. They're extras. However, you should add them in before you're finished with your renovation, if possible. For one thing, it's less stressful to add in extras before you're finished with the overall renovation. For another, it's actually often more cost efficient to take care of all of these things at once, rather than waiting to add them in. Consider how much these small additions can help add value to your kitchen, plus make it more convenient to use and aesthetically pleasing.

Ultimately, your kitchen renovation is up to you -- do what you want to do with it! You're sure to get the results that will please you that way, and that is what matters most.