A kitchen remodel is one of the most common projects homeowners choose when undergoing a home renovation. An all new kitchen can be exciting, but the renovation process can also be rather daunting. Proper advance planning goes a long way toward making sure your renovation turns out exactly the way you want it to. The most important thing when reimaging your kitchen is to preserve or improve its functionality, while also giving it a fresh new look. In addition to hiring just the right expert, here are a few things to remember in order to get an outstanding kitchen you’ll love to cook in and that you can enjoy for years.
Set a Budget
The first step in planning your dream kitchen is to set a budget that you will stick to throughout the process. Any remodel that involves moving load-bearing walls will likely be very expensive. Likewise expanding the square footage of your home to allow for a larger kitchen will be very costly. If you are prepared for this expense, great! But you can also change up the look of your kitchen with new appliances, a fresh coat of paint and refaced cabinets. Decide how much you are willing and able to spend and how long you want workers taking over part of your home first before focusing on the specific details of your new kitchen’s look.
Focus on Function
Sit down and make a list of everything you will have in your kitchen. This includes cooking implements like pots and pans, gadgets and utensils, but also includes pantry items like spices and dry goods. Think about what makes sense for the flow of your kitchen. Where should the spice rack go? Where will you store large pots and mixers? If you are adding or expanding a pantry, how should that fit in with the rest of the kitchen? This sort of planning is especially important if you are undergoing a major kitchen overhaul. If you have the luxury of building your storage spaces like drawers and cabinets from scratch, make sure everything is placed exactly as you need it.
Plan Your Lighting
A dark kitchen is difficult to work in, and will not be welcoming to family and guests. This is a frequent problem with recessed lighting. Instead, plan for more ambient light to properly illuminate your kitchen. This is especially important when you are performing tasks like chopping and slicing vegetables or decorating a cake. If you are undergoing a major renovation where you will have the luxury of deciding on window placement, now is the time to study where the light hits your home at different parts of the day, so you can place your windows in a manner that will maximize natural light.
Avoid Trends
A kitchen isn’t something most of us redo every 5 years. Since you will be living with whatever you decide on for quite awhile, its best to avoid decorative trends that will seem dated in just a few years. Plus, if there’s any chance you will be moving in the next few years, a timeless, classic look is more likely to appeal to buyers. You can still achieve a bright and fun look with accessories such as linens and tableware.
Choose the Right Contractor
The right contractor can make or break a kitchen renovation. Ask around for references and recommendations. If you have any neighbors or local friends who have recently had similar work done, ask if you can see the results, and find out how satisfied they were with the process. Was the project completed on time and within budget? Also be sure to ask your prospective contractor about their insurance coverage and how they handle unexpected issues. Get at least three bids before you make a decision on a contractor, and don’t necessarily go with the lowest bidder.