1. Smart Stuff That’s Not Stupid
Okay, I know “smart kitchen” sounds like tech bro nonsense, but hear me out. Some of this stuff is genuinely useful.
Like being able to turn on your oven while you’re stuck in traffic on 635. Or checking what’s in your fridge while you’re at Tom Thumb so you don’t buy milk when you already have two cartons. My neighbor has an induction cook top that boils water in like 30 seconds – saves her tons of time when she’s making pasta for her three kids.
But don’t go crazy with it. That fridge that orders groceries for you? Skip it. The voice thing for setting timers when your hands are gross from handling raw chicken? Keep it.
2. An Island That Doesn’t Suck
Most kitchen islands are too small and basically useless. You need one big enough that two people can work without wanting to kill each other.
Here’s what works: make part of it bar height so kids can eat breakfast there, and keep the main part regular height for cooking. Tons of drawers underneath – I’m talking deep ones that fit your big pots. And for the love of all that’s holy, put some electrical outlets in there. Everyone’s got phones and tablets these days.
One family I worked with in Plano said their new island ended the daily fight over who gets the good counter space. The mom can prep dinner on one end while the dad makes school lunches on the other. Game changer.
3. Storage That Makes Sense (Finally)
Those open shelves look great on Instagram until you realize your dishes don’t match and you’re constantly wiping dust off everything.
Mix it up instead. Open shelves for the pretty stuff you actually want people to see. Closed cabinets with good organizers for everything else – and I mean everything else. Nobody needs to see your collection of plastic containers with missing lids.
The pantry situation is where people really mess up. Get those pull-out drawers so you can actually see what you have. I had one client who found expired canned goods from 2019 buried in the back of their old pantry. Don’t be that person.
4. Countertops That Can Take a Beating
Your counters need to survive real life. Red wine spills, hot pans, your teenager dropping their backpack on it – all of it.
Quartz is popular because it’s tough as nails. Looks good, doesn’t stain, you don’t have to baby it. If you’re dead set on marble because it’s pretty, just know you’ll be stressed every time someone puts down a glass without a coaster.
Wood cutting board sections are nice if you bake a lot. Nothing beats rolling pie crust on wood. Just don’t put the whole kitchen in butcher block unless you enjoy constantly oiling wood surfaces.
Get samples and take them home. Your kitchen lighting is different from the showroom, and you’ll be staring at these things every day for the next 15 years.
5. Lighting That Doesn’t Make You Look Dead
Bad lighting ruins everything. You know that feeling when you’re trying to chop onions and you can’t see because your own shadow is in the way? Yeah, that.
Under-cabinet lights fix the shadow problem. Pendant lights over the island give you good light where you actually work. And please, please get dimmers. The light you want for cooking dinner is not the same light you want for wine with friends.
If you can swing it, add a window or skylight. Natural light makes everything better – your food, your mood, even your coffee tastes better when you can see outside.
Real Talk for Dallas Folks
Every house here is different. Maybe you’ve got one of those 1940s bungalows in Lakewood, or a new build out in Frisco. Either way, these features work – you just adapt them to your style and budget.
Don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing. That massive wine fridge might be cool, but if you’re more of a beer family, it’s a waste of money. Extra storage though? Everyone needs that.
Think about what bugs you most about your current kitchen. Can’t find anything in your cabinets? Need better storage. Always fighting for counter space? Bigger island. Hate how dark it is when you’re cooking? Better lighting.
Your kitchen should make your life easier, not give you more stuff to worry about. When my clients call me six months later to tell me how much they love their new space, it’s never about the fancy finishes. It’s because they can finally cook dinner without wanting to scream.
The best renovation is one that fixes your daily problems while giving you a space you actually enjoy hanging out in. Everything else is just bonus.
