What the Suburbs of Philadelphia Are Actually Doing with Their Kitchens

If you've lived in surrounding Philadelphia long enough, you know the kitchens around here have a story. A primary craftsmans Bungalow in Swarthmore with its period 1940s trim A rehabbed Victorian in Haverford, where the galley kitchen looks like a second thought. A sprawling colonial in Blue Bell, where the kitchen is technically large but never has enough counter surface.

These houses are full of personality — and challenges, with sprawling kitchens built for a bygone era. That's why Delaware County kitchen remodeling has become one of the home improvement services in the area. Homeowners are not following trends but getting kitchens that reflect how they live today.

Why Delaware County and Bryn Mawr Are in the Midst of a Kitchen Boom

Over the last few years, however, something seems to have changed in the attitude toward home investment on the Main Line and in nearby Delaware County communities. The reality of this post pandemic world where people are working from home, doing more cooking and spending to much time in their living spaces has developed kitchens from a "nice to update" position over to the "non-negotiable".

This actually happens to be a good timing for homeowners thinking about kitchen remodel in Delaware County or Bryn Mawr. The real estate market of the area remains very unforgiving and still favors renovations done well. A thoughtful kitchen remodel — or at least one that does not destroy the integrity of the home's architectural period while modernizing it for real life — is a constant driver of tangible resale value in place like Radnor, Media, Newtown Square and Swarthmore.

Bryn Mawr, in particular, is a design challenge local builders are intimately familiar with: the homes here date from Victorian, Tudor and Colonial Revival to mid-century Modern — sometimes on the same block. A beautiful kitchen remodel that seems perfect in a 1960s split-level may seem totally wrong in an 1890s stone farmhouse. This is one reason it is more important to use contractors who are already knowledgeable in the Main Line market, than perhaps new suburban developments.

Kitchen Remodel Delaware County: What It Actually Entails

So actually, let's be more precise as to what we mean by kitchen remodel — that can mean different things depending who you ask!

In a small refresh, you may get new hardware, paint your cabinets and replace an aging light fixture. This can run $5K-15K and is a great choice when your lay out works, but the visual elements are stale.

A mid range remodel is where things really start to enhance, you add some new cabinets, countertops, and appliances as well but similar in shape. If you are in the standard Delaware County market expect anywhere from $25,000–$60,000 depending on what it is made of and how old your house is (older homes often expose plumbing or electrical surprises hiding behind the walls).

A gut renovation is where you change the layout, such as knocking out a wall that separates the kitchen and a dining or living area to create an open concept space, adding an island if this is necessary, potentially running new plumbing or electrical lines and purchasing nice finishes for the entire home. Cranford and surrounding Main Line communities routinely see these project running in the $75,000–$150,000+ range for higher-end builds.

None of these numbers should be alarming — but it is the return that matters. In the competitive Delaware County housing market, an effective kitchen renovation usually returns 60–80% of its cost in added value on the home, with even higher rates of return enjoyed in neighborhoods where buyers anticipate modernized kitchens.

Before we talk about the top kitchen design trends seen in Main Line homes in October 2023.

Tour a recently remodeled kitchen in Bryn Mawr or Villanova today, and you might notice several recurring themes. These are not simple national trends trickled down — they speak to local taste, the region's older housing stock and how those who live on the Main Line entertain specifically.

Open concepts with appreciation for original design. By far, the most popular renovations are removing walls separating kitchens and living spaces from one another; still, experienced local contractors advise against sacrificing the character of older homes in home-improvement projects. The ultimate goal is a better connected flow, not an empty open floor played that wipes out everything interesting about the house.

Two-tone cabinetry. All-white kitchens are evolving into more complex palettes: warm white or off-white uppers with navy, forest green or deep charcoal island. It does this most effectively in the Delaware County homes that feature architectural details in their own right – it provides richness without competing.

Quartz over granite. Granite used to be the premium countertop choice, but quartz has largely taken over for local remodels from 2000 on. The explanation for this is pragmatic: quartz is non-porous, needs no sealing and provides a more uniform color and pattern. That durability difference is true for families with kids, which provides a typical profile in communities such as Newtown Square and Springfield.

Islands optimized for the actual way we inhabit our gatherings Kitchen islands in Bryn Mawr homes are no longer just another fancy prep surface and instead more frequently serve as multi-purpose hubs, with seating for casual meals at one end, a section providing an extra prep sink, and storage worked in. The island has developed into the working and social hub of the culinary area.

Better lighting, done right. In any professional kitchen renovation, under-cabinet task lighting, statement pendants over the island and recessed ceiling lights on different dimmers have become de rigueur. When done well, lighting changes the way a kitchen feels at any hour of the day.

Montgomery County Kitchen Remodeling: A Bit Of A Different List

Homeowners in Delaware County and Bryn Mawr typically are renovating older, denser housing; here, kitchen remodeling in Montgomery County, PA covers a broader range of home types — from historic borough homes to Blue Bell or Montgomeryville new construction.

So common ground for Montgomery County Kitchen Projects is being organized around the area's needs of an active family. That's plenty of families in communities like Plymouth Meeting, Horsham and Collegeville whose kitchens need to perform: multiple cooks, homework on the island, weekend entertaining and everyday living that a pretty-but-impersonal kitchen just won't stand for.

And this is the reason Montgomery County contractors frequently stress over the "work triangle," or the relationship between the refrigerator, stove and sink is often described as the basis of any layout plan. A stunning-looking kitchen that forces you to stroll ten steps from the stove to the sink will still irritate you as long as it's on your home.

Montgomery County remodels also seem to be even more ambitious when it comes to storage planning. Deep pull-out drawers rather than lower cabinet shelves, built-in pantry solutions, appliance garages to keep counters clear and custom corner solutions all consistently come up in project planning discussions.

Pre-Contract Questions Worth Asking

If you are building a kitchen remodel in Bryn Mawr, Media, Blue Bell or throughout Delaware and Montgomery counties these questions can save you time and money:

Does the contractor have specific age-appropriate experience? Asbestos, knob-and-tube wiring or old plumbing lurks behind the walls of homes common in these counties pre-1950. A contractor who has experience with older Main Line homes will expect these problems; a specialist in new construction may not.

How does project management process work anyway? Remodeling a kitchen where people live is an inherently disruptive process. When will the contractors come, and in what order, who gets project work done on your behalf?

How do they deal with surprises? Surprises are not uncommon in a region where many kitchens have not been touched -whole home bathroom remodel for 30+ years. Direct question: what are the rules for pricing if something unexpected is found? An experienced, reputable contractor will go ahead of time and have that contract prepared for such a scenario.

View completed projects in homes with similar characteristics. Images of previous jobs at nearby Delaware County or Montgomery County residences lets you picture what to expect — as well as whether their style sense complements your own.

The Bottom Line

A Kitchen remodel near Delaware County or Bryn Mawr is, but it always pays off in the housing market here. Homes in this part of the world are worth investing in, and of all the spaces within them, it is the kitchen that reflects that investment most immediately in day-to-day life, but also long-term value.

The same reasoning goes for Montgomery County kitchen remodeling: the best projects age well because they are designed around how a particular family actually lives, not just what looked good on a mood board.

And that begins with employing the right people for the job — contractors who know the local housing stock, the local market, and unique character of those cities these homes call home.

Are you remodeling your kitchen in Delaware County, Bryn Mawr or Montgomery County? It begins with a consultation to help you understand what is realistic for your home, your timeline and budget — before you decide on any design work.