Remodeling your kitchen requires a creative vision and a multitude of decisions about functionality, technology, and aesthetics. The time and money you spend in upgrading your kitchen generally yields the highest remodeling ROI (return on investment). Focus your kitchen remodeling design efforts on creating a visually appealing, functional, and updated kitchen that will increase your joy of cooking and increase your home’s value.
Steps to a successful Kitchen remodel:
1. Budget & Planning: Determine a realistic budget that covers all aspects of your remodel, including design, permits, appliances, materials, and labor. Allocate funds for contingencies to handle hidden conditions. Provide adequate time in your schedule to allow you to be engaged in the design process, in selecting appliances, and in resolving hidden conditions. Budgets and schedules are often negatively impacted by delays in product availability and skilled labor availability. Plan accordingly!
2. Design & Layout: Plan your kitchen layout based on your specific needs, optimizing space and workflow. Consider the kitchen's workflow and ensure easy access to essential areas like the stove, sink, and refrigerator. Pay attention to the work triangle for ease of movement and efficiency in food preparations. An efficient kitchen is an effective kitchen.
3. Appliances: Select energy-efficient appliances that fit your cooking habits and kitchen layout. Technology has not only improved appliances from an energy conservation basis, but it has also made devices more user friendly and easily connected to our other devices. Ensure your selected appliances complement the remodel design and are appropriately sized for the space available. Upgrading some basic utility services such as electric, gas, water and sewer may be required.
4. Cabinetry & Storage: Choose between framed and frameless cabinetry construction. Framed cabinets offer a traditional look with solid wood face frames for greater stability and generally are easier to modify to field conditions. Frameless cabinets are sleeker, more contemporary, and offer more internal space and larger drawer box capacity. The choice is yours and should support the creative vision for your kitchen remodel, your budget, and personal preferences. A good goal is to optimize storage space. Consider innovative storage solutions to maximize space utilization, such as pull-out racks, bins, trays, adjustable shelving, corner cabinet organizers, and built-in step stools. Be willing to accept higher costs for heavy duty, commercial grade, slides, glides, and self-closing hinges, they are worth the price. Larger kitchens will benefit from separate dry pantries and prep areas for flowers, catering services, dish storage, additional cold storage, and large meal assemblies.
5. Countertops & Surfaces: Select durable and easy-to-maintain countertop materials and cabinetry surfaces/finishes that suit your style and budget. Countertop materials like granite, quartz, stainless steel, or butcher block offer quality, aesthetics, and functionality.
6. Lighting & Electric: Plan for adequate lighting, combine ambient, task, and accent lighting to create a functional and visually appealing kitchen. Install lighting fixtures strategically over work areas like the countertops and cooking spaces. Make all outlets close to wet areas and surfaces GFI. Avoid popup countertop outlets, focus instead on outlets built-in to the cabinetry box and kitchen walls. Positioning countertop outlets horizontally improves accessibility and softens the visual profile. Adding USB ports for tablets, phones, and some appliances is essential for today’s tech centered kitchens.
7. Flooring: Choose flooring materials that are durable, non-slip, easy to clean, and complement your overall design. Options include hardwood, tile, stone, or vinyl, each with its unique advantages. Area rugs and floor mats in work areas are not only easy on the feet but prevent wet spots from becoming slipping hazards. A well selected area rug is an excellent accent to the overall kitchen remodel design.
8. Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation to eliminate odors, moisture, and cooking byproducts. Incorporate a properly sized range hood that effectively removes smoke and steam while cooking plus provides additional task lighting to the cooking surface. Although principally a functional item, your vent hood can be a significant design feature in your kitchen remodel.
9. Fixtures, Finishes & Details: Select fixtures that will elevate your food preparations and complement the overall design. Pay attention to finishing touches like paint colors, backsplashes, task lighting, and hardware. These details will significantly impact the overall look and feel of your newly remodeled kitchen.
10. Professional Help: First hire experienced design professionals, an Architect, and Interior Designer. These design professionals will guide you through the design process, contractor selection, and subsequent remodel, ensuring you a successful, low stress and value enhancing project.
Remember, communication and planning are crucial throughout your kitchen design and remodeling process. Draw on the Architectural and Interior Design talent and experience offered by the STUDIO @ Westmoreland Farm™ to assist you in remodeling your kitchen. They will help identify and prioritize what matters most to you in your kitchen, and tailor your remodel design to meet each one of your needs.