Kitchen Remodeling 101

It's that time of your life. You're ready to remodel your kitchen, personalize it and make it your own. This is awesome because a kitchen remodel is one of the best investments for a homeowner. In this blog, we're looking at some tips to keep in mind before you start your kitchen remodel.

Pick Your Countertops First

Start your kitchen remodel with countertops. It costs more than anything else in your kitchen and can affect your color palette and eventually kitchen design. The amount of space you allot to countertops in your kitchens depends on number of family members and how frequently you cook.

Common varieties of countertop materials are granite, soapstone, tile, zinc, plastic laminate, quartz, and marble. Moreover you can stylize your kitchen countertops with different textures, colors and shapes (curved edges, U-shaped). Research the options so you can choose the one that suits your kitchen the best.

Follow Up With Cabinet Design

Once you know how much area is being used for your countertops, the next step is to accommodate for cabinets. This includes shelves and drawers for kitchen storage. The cabinets should always be designed with functionality in mind for example shallow drawers for cutlery and deep drawers for pots and pans.

Modern cabinet designs incorporate glass and designer cabinets to break the monotony. Open shelves are also very common in many kitchens. DIY storage ideas are great inspirations for cabinet design for example rotating shelves in corners or sliding spice rack above your cooktop. And finally, don't forget to include multiple power sources during this step.

Choose Your Appliances

Consider the size of your family, your dietary habits, your kitchen design while making appliance decisions. For example you might prefer a cooktop over a rangetop (more) or a side-by-side refrigerator over a french door refrigerator (more). Research appliances to choose what's best for your kitchen. Keep in mind the space required to use the appliances before purchasing so that appliances do not block walkways.

Another thing to consider is the color. Appliances are available in white, black, stainless steel, black stainless, grey, chrome etc. Colorful appliances are also available that provide wonderful contrast and pop of color to your kitchen design. Eventually your appliances should be efficient and coherent with your countertops and cabinet design.

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Add A Kitchen Island

Kitchen Islands are an excellent way to provide an extra space for cooking, prepping, eating and even entertaining. Keep your island in mind when you are planning your counter space. The size of the island should be proportionate to the size of the kitchen and not block the walkways. The National Kitchen & Bath recommends at least 42 inch island between an island and perimeter cabinets and appliances.

It is common for people to have a cooktop and ventilation designed within an island. Sometimes even a sink is included in the island. You have a lot of flexibility with kitchen islands when it comes to color, texture, size and features. Research different island designs to see what works with your kitchen layout.

Finish Up With Backsplash

Consider if your style is traditional, modern, contemporary or a combination before you start shopping for backsplash. A good backsplash will take into account the materials, color and style of your floor, countertop, cabinets and appliances. Generally tile and stone are most commonly used for a backsplash. Sticking to one design is common but many homeowners use a combination to give a unique look for example like mixing stone mosaic with glass tile.

Final Thoughts

Remember that kitchen flow is the key to your design. If you have a family of 4, you need to provide adequate counter space. If you bake a lot, you might want to invest in double wall ovens (more) instead of a range. If you love to entertain guests frequently, you might require a bigger kitchen island with seating. When it comes to kitchen remodeling, pre-planning is very important to make sure that your dream kitchen looks and feels exactly like you imagined.