It’s a dream of any homeowner to have a home that’s not only cozy but also classy. You can make that dream a reality by sprucing up your home. You don’t have to do a complete makeover, though. Sometimes, one specific area will do—like your kitchen.
Remodeling your kitchen is more than just about enhancing the look of the space. It’s about improving its functionality and upgrading it so that it meets your family’s needs or suits your personal style.
When preparing for a kitchen renovation, it’s crucial to consider your preferred kitchen style and features. You need to focus on essential elements, like storage, layout, materials, lighting, appliances, and color, to achieve the kind of kitchen you want and need.
Below is a list of tips you can follow to plan a kitchen renovation well:
1. Hire Qualified Contractors
To ensure a smooth process, hire reliable contractors you can trust, such as Easy Reno. Reputable contractors can guarantee a successful kitchen renovation since they have the qualifications, certifications, and experience to get the job done.
Start searching for one by researching different companies and going over their customer reviews. Asking for referrals will be helpful too. After all, word of mouth remains one of the most effective methods to find a qualified contractor. Check with family members, friends, colleagues, or even your neighbors if they have worked with a kitchen contractor and find out whether they have had pleasant experiences with them. It will also be worth asking them specific questions, like what made their experiences great and how well the contractor performed their job. Once you’ve gathered recommendations and researched potential contractors, it’s beneficial to focus on those who partner with established wholesale cabinet companies. For instance, companies like Highland Cabinetry or Kitchen Cabinet Kings offer a range of high-end wholesale cabinets that could significantly enhance the quality and appearance of your kitchen renovation. Highland Cabinetry wholesale cabinets are known for their quality and style, making them an excellent choice for a sophisticated kitchen update. This partnership ensures you get access to top-tier cabinetry at wholesale prices, allowing for a luxurious renovation without overspending.
2. Set A Budget And Stick With It
Any successful home renovation project involves a sufficient budget. Therefore, you need to set a budget and stick with it to avoid unnecessary expenses. Additionally, you should refrain from making any changes along the way, so you can stay on track with your budget.
List the costs of your project and determine how these costs will break down. Here are some examples:
- Labor – 35%
- Cabinets – 30%
- Appliances – 20%
- Fixtures – 5%
Having a list will give you a clear idea of how you’ll use your budget and prevent you from overspending.
3. Consider The Layout And Design
The kitchen layout design is another aspect you must take into consideration when planning a kitchen renovation. Without it, your kitchen won’t be functional.
Develop an effective work triangle: the arrangement between your sink, stove, and refrigerator.
Each leg of the triangle should have a distance between 4 and 9 feet. This means that you should be able to access cooking, cleaning, and food storage areas easily. In other words, there should be enough room for you or other people to prepare food and clean up.
4. Position Your Appliances Correctly
Decide on the appliances you need and position them correctly. As mentioned earlier, the stove, refrigerator, and sink should be close to each other, so food preparations are smooth. The dishwasher should, of course, be near the sink. If you have a large kitchen area, you can have the dishwasher installed in the kitchen island with a second cleanup sink. You can put your coffee maker in a beverage station and place other appliances in pull-out shelves.
Lastly, ensure that plumbing connections for water supply and waste, ducts and vents for extraction, and power sockets are all in their appropriate positions before updating the flooring or plastering.
Strategically positioning your appliances and separating preparation, cooking, and cleaning zones will create an easy flow in your kitchen.
5. Take Account Of Storage And Cabinetry Style
Thinking about what you want to store in your kitchen before designing the space is just as crucial. For instance, if you need space for storing your wine, create a dedicated shelf. You can also consider making a space for smaller appliances like the kettle and toaster to keep your kitchen tidy. Aside from keeping appliances in pullout shelves, you can store your utensils.
Besides storage, select the cabinetry style you prefer. Do you want traditional or contemporary cabinetry? You should also decide on the door style of your cabinets and the layout of your cabinetry to avoid incurring extra costs midway.
6. Choose Kitchen Lighting
Just like the layout and appliances, lighting is a significant part of a kitchen. Picking the wrong lights will ruin not only the aesthetics of your kitchen but also its functionality. Strange light patterns, for example, tend to be distracting. Opt for an even and continuous grid pattern instead.
You’ll never go wrong with warm white lights, as they’re the most inviting. Add pendant lights above the sink or island. These lights should hang about 12 to 20 inches below an 8-foot ceiling. Just add 3 inches for each additional foot of ceiling height. So, if your ceiling is 9 feet, the pendant lights should hang between 15 to 23 inches below.
Take advantage of natural light as well to make the space look modern, bright, and spacious. You can include sliding doors, bi-fold doors, or roof lights to attract more natural light into your kitchen.
Takeaway
Renovating your kitchen can be challenging and stressful. But if you plan for it well, it will be an exciting and memorable experience.
