Kitchen Remodeling Orange, CA
Cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and flooring for Orange kitchens, chosen in one showroom and installed by one crew.Orange has some of the oldest houses in the county and some of the most distinctive mid-century ones, often a few minutes apart. A kitchen in a 1910s bungalow near the Plaza and a kitchen in a 1960s Eichler need very different plans, and the city has separate design rules for each.
City Tile & Cabinets has remodeled kitchens across central Orange County since 1998. Our family-owned showroom on State College Boulevard is about 4 miles from Old Towne Orange and the Plaza, close enough to bring a cabinet door over on a lunch break. You choose cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and flooring in one place, and our own crew installs them.
What Orange Kitchens Usually Need
Old Towne Orange. The streets around the Plaza and Chapman University hold some of the oldest buildings in the county; the city traces the earliest of them to the 1880s. Kitchens in these bungalows and Craftsman homes are usually small, with plaster walls, older wiring, and wood floors on raised foundations. Owners tend to want more storage without losing the character of the house, so shaker or inset cabinet doors, painted finishes, and handmade-look backsplash tile are common choices.
The City of Orange adopted Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne in 1995. Interior kitchen work generally goes through the standard building permit, but changes visible from the street, like a new window or a bump-out, are where design review comes in. Confirm with the Community Development Department before you settle on a layout that touches an exterior wall.
The Eichler tracts. Fairhaven, Fairmeadow, and Fairhills were built between 1960 and 1964 and hold 339 homes, Eichler’s only tracts in Orange County. The city designated all three as local historic districts in 2018, with design standards that cover changes visible from the street. Eichler kitchens are open to the living space, with post-and-beam ceilings and walls of glass, so cabinet and countertop choices are on display from the whole house. Flat-panel cabinet doors, slim countertop profiles, and simple tile tend to fit the architecture best. Many Eichlers also have radiant heat in the slab, which changes what flooring can go down; our Orange flooring installation page covers that.
El Modena and the mid-century tracts. Ranch homes from the 1950s and 1960s often have a closed kitchen with a soffit above the cabinets. Taking out the soffit and running cabinets to the ceiling adds storage without changing the footprint. Opening a wall to the family room is the other common request, and it brings a permit and sometimes a beam.
East Orange and the hillside neighborhoods. Larger homes toward Orange Park Acres and Santiago Canyon usually have generous kitchens that are ready for their first or second update. Layouts work, so the budget goes into materials: larger islands, full-height backsplash, and upgraded countertops.
How an Orange Kitchen Remodel Runs
- Showroom visit. Bring photos, rough measurements, and anything you plan to keep. You see full slabs, cabinet doors, and tile side by side under the same light.
- In-home measure. We come to your home in Orange, measure, and note plumbing, gas, and electrical locations.
- Written scope and estimate. Materials, sequence, and timeline in writing before anything is ordered.
- Ordering. Stock cabinets arrive quickly. Custom cabinets typically take four to eight weeks. Natural stone slabs are reserved before fabrication is scheduled.
- Demo and prep. Old cabinets and counters come out, and walls and floors are prepared.
- Install in sequence. Cabinets are set and leveled, countertops are templated and fabricated in our shop, then backsplash and flooring go in.
- Walkthrough. We go through every door, drawer, and seam with you before the job closes.
Permits, Energy Code, and Older Homes
Orange permit applications are submitted through the city’s online portal and handled by Building and Safety Services at City Hall on Chapman Avenue. Moving a sink, adding circuits, or changing walls will need a permit; a straight countertop or cabinet-front swap usually will not. We plan the schedule around plan check and inspections.
New permanently installed lighting in a permitted kitchen has to meet the California Energy Commission’s Title 24 lighting standards, which in practice means high-efficacy LED fixtures. Plan under-cabinet and ceiling lighting with the cabinet layout so fixtures land where you work.
Homes built before 1978, which includes all of Old Towne, the Eichler tracts, and most of El Modena, may contain lead-based paint. The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires any contractor paid to disturb painted surfaces in those homes to be a certified firm using lead-safe practices.
Choosing Materials for an Orange Kitchen
Countertops. Quartz is the low-maintenance pick. Granite and quartzite suit owners who want natural variation and do not mind resealing. Porcelain slab handles heat and sunlight well, which matters in an Eichler kitchen with a wall of glass.
Cabinets. Plywood boxes hold up better than particleboard near the sink and dishwasher. Shaker doors suit Old Towne; flat panels suit the Eichlers and newer homes. See our kitchen cabinets page.
Backsplash. A full-height slab backsplash behind the range is easy to clean. Tile gives more color and texture for less money; compare options on our backsplash tile page or in the backsplash visualizer.
Flooring. Porcelain tile handles spills and traffic best. Engineered wood suits raised-foundation homes in Old Towne. Radiant-heated slabs need flooring rated for radiant heat.
Why Orange Homeowners Come to Tile Row
Our showroom at 1535 S State College Blvd sits on Tile Row, one mile from Angel Stadium and about 4 miles from Old Towne Orange. You can stand in front of the actual slab, hold the cabinet door against it, and set the floor tile at your feet before you commit. We are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We fabricate countertops in our own shop and install with our own crew, so one company answers for the job from the first sample to the final walkthrough.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Orange?
In most cases, yes. Moving plumbing, adding electrical circuits, or changing walls requires a permit from the City of Orange. A countertop or cabinet-front replacement in place usually does not.
Does the Old Towne historic district affect an interior kitchen remodel?
Interior-only work generally does not trigger historic design review. Changes visible from the street, like windows or additions, can. Check with the city’s Community Development Department before finalizing plans.
I own an Eichler. Anything special to know?
The city’s Eichler design standards cover changes visible from the street, so interior kitchen work is mostly unaffected. The bigger practical issue is radiant heat in the slab, which affects flooring choices and any work that cuts into the floor.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
Countertop and backsplash updates usually take one to two weeks. A full remodel with new cabinets typically runs four to eight weeks of work, plus permits and any custom cabinet lead time.
Do you come to Orange to measure?
Yes. After a showroom visit, we schedule an in-home measure anywhere in Orange and give you a written estimate.
Can I keep my layout and still get a kitchen that looks new?
Yes. If your cabinet boxes are sound, new doors, counters, backsplash, and hardware change the look at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.
Plan Your Orange Kitchen Remodel
Visit our showroom at 1535 S State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806, call 714-278-3576, or request a free quote to schedule an in-home measure in Orange.