5 Things to Know Before You Start a Kitchen Remodel
There is simply no other more complex space in your house to design than your kitchen. Like any great battle it is often won by preparation and not courage alone, so if you are thinking of embarking on this quest then good prep will save you time, money and potentially your marriage.
Creating the best kitchen design is not an easy process, whether it’s a large kitchen in Beverly Hills or Brentwood or a remodel in a downtown condominium, the key to any of these great design projects is planning, and here are 5 things you should do before you start your new kitchen.
1. Be realistic about how you really live.
One of the things I have learned by creating homes and specifically designing kitchens, is that people do not really change. By that I mean the way you live now and use your kitchen will probably look a lot like the way you will use your new kitchen. So design the space around how you work now. That is not to say your new cooking space shouldn’t be bigger, or nicer or have a different style.
2. Make decisions about appliances before you start
The basis of all kitchens are the appliances. After all, it’s all about food prep and that requires an appliance generally. Start with a basic idea of what your budget is, and shop to that. Then create a list of what your must haves will be, things like a gas cooktop but an electric oven, also the features you want in each appliance. Having this list will make shopping a lot easier. Then do lots of research, read reviews and ask your friends. Narrowing down your choices before you step foot in an appliance showroom will help you stay focused and will avoid getting overwhelmed with choices.
3. Be realistic about your storage style
Everyone will use their kitchen in a different way. Some people are super tidy and organized and love open storage where they can see everything at the ready all the time, this requires a very particular mindset. Others like hyper organized drawers and cabinets while others are a combination of the two. Recognizing your style ahead of time will make planning easier as well as avoiding costly mistakes and changes.
4. Try out your countertop material
There are many things in your kitchen that will make or break its success, but the countertop choice is close to the top of that list. Making the right choice for you is critical. So once again, create a list of what is important to you–is it durability over all else? Color? Texture? Does it have to be marble? Are you willing to try a new synthetic material? All of these are things you need to consider. Once you are down to the last few choices, try and get your hands on a good size sample and use it in your kitchen for a week or two, cut on it etc and see how it performs. A try out like this will help you get a true sense of how this material performs.
5. Hire a Designer
Designing a kitchen is a complicated business, Not only are there all of the above to consider, that is all before you start demolition, electrical, plumbing , lighting etc. Trying to take this on by yourself is a challenge, but also, placing all your faith in a contractor, regardless of how good they are, is fool hardy. A good designer will be abreast of latest technologies, understand your design priorities and be able to synthesize all that into a beautiful creative solution designed just for you.
The team at Mark Cutler Design have been creating kitchen environments for over 20 years, why not give us a call and set up a free design consultation, to see what we can do for you and your family.