To Remodel or Not…The steps to ask yourself before you take on your kitchen.
Are you in the process of trying to decide whether to…
Update or Re-model Your kitchen?
Follow these steps below to find out what your desire is.
Step 1. Find Inspiration for your New Kitchen
Look through magazines, go to trade shows, shop local kitchen design studio’s or even your local Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Create a file to keep all of your images in and throw in some color & fabric swatches, appliance brochures, wood finishes that catch your eye and anything else you can think of that will help round out the process.
Step 2. Plan your Total Remodel Budget.
First, come up with what you CAN spend. Then, as seeing that number isn’t difficult enough, add 10% more on top of that for “over budget” encounters. This always happens! Your job will never come in at that number that you have in your head, and rarely, if ever comes in lower. It’s better to be prepared then shocked at the end, when you hadn’t budgeted in for over-spending.
Step 3. Locate and Hire a professional…Whether it’s a Contractor, Residential or Commercial Designer or a Remodeling Professional.
It’s always good to meet with a few to see who you click with the best. Whether you are just working with a Contractor or a Contractor AND Designer, you want the experience to be a pleasant one and the people that you will be seeing on a daily basis for a few months are bound to get on your nerves, but remember the qualities that drew you to them in the first place.
Also, when hiring just a Contractor to do the job, keep in mind they are trained to “Build”, NOT design. It’s always good to have someone who can pull it all together in a pretty package, rather than using design basics that may or may not go together, or items that look like the job the Contractor just finished up before yours.
Let PC Design llc help you find the right option. Email pcdesign@mac.com or visit www.affordableinteriordesigners.com
Step 4. Determine Your Kitchen Layout
How often do you cook? Where does your water come in? Do you need big workstations for rolling out dough? Are “to-go” dinner’s your norm? How many people will be eating in your kitchen nightly? Do items need to be accessible to small children? Left or Right handed? Do you need to be able to clean out large stock pots in the sink? Porcelain or Stainless? Granite or Corian? Wood or MDF? Look vs. Function? These are just a few questions to ask yourself….. there are more!
Single Line Kitchen
L-Shaped Kitchen
U-Shaped Kitchens
Galley Kitchen
Island Kitchens
Let PC Design llc help you find the right option. Email pcdesign@mac.com or visit www.affordableinteriordesigners.com
Step 5. Choose the Right Flooring Material
Wood, Granite, Vinyl, Stone? There are as many flooring options for the kitchen, as there are for your Foyer. You need to think about how much you will be standing while cooking. Do you need cushioning where you will be doing most of your prep work? What type of flooring surrounds the areas leading to the kitchen? Clean-ability? Is there a door to the exterior that is often used, especially by children, or coming in from the garage/mudroom?
Step 6. Decide Whether to Replace or Reface Your Cabinets
What kind of budget are you working with? Do you have good sturdy cabinets that just need a face lift. Are your cabinets falling apart, off the wall, moldy, too small???
There is a lot that goes into replacing cabinetry and sometimes people have a good structure and just want to update, or improve them, a little. That’s where refacing comes in.
If you are dealing with cabinets that are too old, moldy from moisture, coming off the wall, the wrong style for the design of the overall home, too small, don’t go all the way to the ceiling, etc… consider replacing your cabinetry.
There are too many options of things you can do to cabinets (painting, re-styling, changing the doors, adding glass, opening up) to go into all the options for refacing.
When replacing cabinets, make sure you buy from a reputable dealer or kitchen supplier and make sure that when they are being installed you follow directions closely or hire someone with expertise in this area.
Step 7. Buy Appliances That Match Your Needs
Stainless, black, white….. Oh my!
These aren’t your only options as you may think.
Do you prefer gas? Electric, double oven, convection, convention, double sided fridge, top bottom fridge, double or single bowl sink, arched faucet, spray faucet, and more…..
Do your homework before you purchase and think what is most effective for your home and not just what is stylish. There is nothing worse than purchasing a major appliance and then not being able to figure out how to use it, or realize, maybe you really didn’t need it all.
Let PC Design llc help you find the right option. Email pcdesign@mac.com or visit www.affordableinteriordesigners.com
Step 8. Pick a Countertop Surface That Fits Your Lifestyle
These days selecting Countertops can take as long as picking out all of your appliances. There are so many choices out there ranging from Eco-friendly to High-End designer looks.
Here are just a few samples of what you are able to choose from:
Keep in mind when making your selections that some surfaces may not be suitable to what your needs may be. If you cook a lot, you might need something that can handle heat, moisture and a lot of abuse like granite or stainless. If you are looking to update with something sleek looking but your budget is middle of the way, a low priced granite that is readily available maybe another option. If you decide you like the wood, or butcher block look, keep in mind the process to keep it in good shape on a yearly basis. Bamboo, Tile, Glass & Marble are all very pretty, but the durability isn’t as good as using a Granite, Corian, or Stainless. This is where your design professional will add great value and alleviate any misconceptions you may have toward one product or another.
Step 9. Select Faucets and Sinks With Style and Utility
There are so many types of faucets you can choose from that you can go crossed eyed from just trying to tell the difference. Here are a few to give you an idea:
Step 10. Complete Your New Kitchen With Proper Lighting
There is nothing more important in your kitchen than proper lighting. This is the only room in the home that can’t have TOO much lighting.
There are three types of lighting you will need:
General: The lighting that is coming from the center (ceiling) of the area offering the overall lighting source for the room.
Accent: Lighting that illuminates cabinetry, creates an “Effect” in the kitchen. Shows of design, creates an almost artistic aspect to your kitchen.
Task: Specific purpose lighting. A light placed strategically over the sink for washing dishes. Lights underneath cabinetry to highlight areas on the counters. Pendant lights are Task lights for an Island where you would generally find that people gather, food is placed, or even to dine under.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the options, selections and details involved in Remodeling your kitchen, contact a professional. In the end, it will likely save you endless hours of worry AND costly mistakes.
Contact pcdesign@mac.com or www.affordableinteriordesigners.com for more information.
