Starting Your Modern Cincinnati Kitchen Remodel
Are you a Cincinnati homeowner looking for a kitchen design company with experience in true modern design? Well, congratulations, reader, because you’re in the right place! When choosing the best designer or kitchen contractor for your remodel, we have one piece of advice: keep it local. (And we don’t just say that because we’re local 😉) The fact of the matter is, local remodelers are more hands on, and their in-person availability means they can be there every step of the way to ensure your kitchen remodeling reflects your style and desires. A local remodeler will be able to be there with you on site to take measurements, walk the space, and troubleshoot in person to make sure you get the modern design that you desire. As an added bonus, someone with local connections has better relationships in the area, meaning they already have a rolodex of people they love to work with, and suppliers they know will be able to give you the best products, prices, and results.
But beware! You don’t just want any local remodeler. You also want to make sure that the designers and contractors you choose have an expertise in true modern design (bonus points if they have an established relationship!), so that they can make sure everything comes together correctly — from the start of your remodel to the installation of the finishes.
What Does a Truly Modern Kitchen Look Like?
The first question you’re going to have to sort out for yourself as you embark on your modern kitchen remodel is this: what do I actually mean by the word “modern?” As Cincinnati designers, we at NOLI have come to realize that “modern” can mean different things for different people. When it comes to Cincinnati, we’ve discovered that there’s Italian modern (aka what we specialize in here at NOLI) and Cincinnati modern (a local take on a modern design with slightly different aesthetics). Cincinnati modern usually means white color palettes, slab doors and slim hardware pulls. This is a perfectly lovely design style you may be familiar with in the kitchens of friends and family you adore, but it differs slightly significantly from Italian modern. Italian modern kitchen design focuses on natural materials like wood and stone, using them as a springboard for a neutral color palette that can include lighter colors but LOVES darker tones, but also black, browns, greens, and tonal grays. It emphasizes flush, integrated, or floating styles for cabinets and appliances, with no visible or protruding hardware.
Not sure what we mean? Take a look at this Findlay Market townhouse we redesigned for an architect and his wife.
As you can see here, we’re still getting the white color palette of a Cincinnati modern design, while also incorporating the most important elements of a true modern kitchen. The high-gloss white lacquer is integrated with quartz to create a sleek seating counter. All the appliances are integrated, and there is no visible hardware to be found. In many ways, this client got the best of both modern worlds!
For us, this remodel was easy-peasy because the new kitchen was applied to a space that did not need new framing. In this case, we were able to work hand-in-hand with the remodeler to ensure floors were level and avoid any unsightly gaps and the bottoms or ends of our installations. Additionally, we went with a monolithic cabinet style which is generally more forgiving if we found any areas where gaps or leveling were going to be an issue.
Now, let’s move to another modern kitchen makeover we did in Mt. Adams.
One of the things we loved about this home was its hilltop view of Cincinnati. We designed this kitchen layout to make the most of that view, white still aligning with the home’s interiors. This was a difficult install due to a number of factors, like walls that were not true (meaning everything is lined up correctly), which led to difficult alignments with some visible end gaps. In the end, our installers saved the day by heavily shimming new, modern cabinets in the back to bring them in plane. In places where gaps were still present, the builder muddied and feathered the drywall to meet the cabinets to create a seamless result.
In the end, our client got results that were consistent throughout the kitchen, allowed for ample storage, and paired it with a double island design to allow plenty of space for guests to gather and enjoy the view for themselves. The flush-mounted, sleek built-in kitchen hood blends in with its surrounding cabinets making it both functional and design-forward. And to top it all off, we included a splash of sintered stone (one of our favorite modern design materials!)
Next up, let’s talk about this Indian Hill kitchen remodel that perfectly reflects how the client and local designer relationship should work.
For this remodel, NOLI was brought in alongside PLATTE Architecture + Design on a project inspired by the home’s heavily wooded surroundings. Because we were all local, we were able to hold several detailed design sessions with ourselves, PLATTE, and the client to choose each element of this modern kitchen’s design, from the natural colors and materials to every cabinet and finish. The results are a kitchen that reflects the home’s surroundings, inviting the outside in and playing off the natural beauty outside by incorporating mossy greens, warm grays, and woodland browns. It was a match made in Cincinnati remodel heaven!
One of the major successes of this remodel is that we were able to reframe the walls to be true so that the corner of the closet left of the oven and the bathroom would be perfectly square and the continuing paneling came out flush and plumb. It was a detailed execution that the remodeler artfully executed. And the results speak for themselves…
The NOLI portfolio is full of examples of modern redesigns across neighborhoods like Mount Lookout, Over the Rhine, Indian Hill, Columbia-Tusculum, Oakley, and more – just check out our website for more amazing examples from all over Cincinnati!
Still Looking for a Cincinnati Remodeler with Modern Expertise? Choose NOLI.
Now that we’ve extolled the virtues of looking locally for your kitchen design team, it’s time to let you know that we here at NOLI would love to work with you to create the modern kitchen of your dreams. Whether you’re starting from scratch or are already behind schedule, we’re here to help make the process easier with hands-on, in-person support for our Cincinnati clients (while still maintaining relationships with our master Italian fabricators to ensure you’re getting the very best of everything.)
Stop by our Cincinnati showroom to meet us in person and get started on your design! We can’t wait to meet you.
