I spent $50,000 remodeling my kitchen. Here are the 5 smartest decisions I made — and one thing I wish I'd avoided.

I spent years saving money so I could have the kitchen of my dreams.

Jill Schildhouse I spent years saving $50,000 for a kitchen remodel that'd give me the space of my dreams.

I'm glad I kept my layout the same and chose a timeless color palette for the space.

Reupholstering my dining chairs saved me money, but I wish I hadn't done this project during summer.

I hated my kitchen for 19 years and spent just as long saving to remodel it.

My goals were to build a bright, modern kitchen that was more functional, offered additional storage solutions , and created a cohesive look when viewed from the two entryways to my living room.

After spending nearly $50,000 on my kitchen remodel, there are a lot of choices I'm glad I made — and only one I really regret so far.

I'm glad I kept my kitchen layout the same.

My kitchen before (left) has almost the same layout as my kitchen now (right).

Jill Schildhouse.

Early on, one designer who bid on my project proposed removing some walls and the soffit ceiling and adding an island to help me reach my storage and design goals.

The idea sounded great in theory, but it would've put me about $20,000 over budget, between the construction, ductwork, and the need for taller cabinets to fill the higher ceiling space.

The designer I ended up hiring urged me to keep my current layout and showed me how we could do so while adding the functionality I wanted.

Choosing a timeless color palette makes me confident that the kitchen will age beautifully.