Planning a Kitchen remodel

So you are planning to remodel your kitchen, where do u start?  Planning a kitchen remodel includes finding your style, scope of work and hiring a professional.

Finding your style: According to Rebekah Zaveloff, a Principle designer at Kitchen Lab, “Most people are at loss when told to define their style”  You need to be sure of what style of kitchen you need, is it modern, contemporary or traditional?

For those that don't know exactly what they want, try to explore your style, try to visit the internet, magazines, blogs etc for various ideas and mark out what you like, you may chose to create a folder of the kitchen pictures that you like.

Scope of work. Are you planning an addition to the already exciting kitchen, do you want to move the entire kitchen and replace it with a new one, will you need new electrical, plumbing and flooring in the process?? Start with your wish list this will help you determine the scope of work. However, a trusted designer, contractor or architect can help you determine the scope of work.

Hiring a professional. Even if you are not hiring a designer and taking the DIY (Do It Yourself) option, you will need a professional at some point. Unless you are making your own cabinets, own electrical, own plumbing and flooring.

Otherwise, whether your kitchen needs a minor face lift or a complete gut job, seeking help from a designer is always a well worth investment. Designers do not only have access to the tools but also are equipped with the inside scoop on current trends, new materials, what is and what is not durable  etc. also they have done a lot of research which saves you a lot of time, money and frustration.

A few things to consider

• Are you remodeling your kitchen within the same exciting footprint? 
•  Are you changing the color of your kitchen? 
• Do you want to relocate the sink or range? This calls for plumbing and moving the gas lines 
•  Are you planning to extent the wall? This might require structural work and more unforeseen costs. 
•  Are you adding marble or granite to your counter tops? 
•  Are you adding more lighting and cabling to your kitchen? 
•  Detailed pricing upfront will help you meet your budget and where to start

For a beautiful, comfortable kitchen:

Cabinetry:  The type of Cabinet construction can have a significant impact on how your kitchen looks. Full overlay, frameless are more contemporary (no hinge seen the door overlays the frames of the cabinets) while the framed cabinets with visible hinges is more of traditional.

The color of the cabinet will also add impact of course, black, white or cream, natural brown wood or colored wood whatever you opt for, try as much to create a comfortable and appealing look for your kitchen.

Countertops: The counter tops are often the focal point of a classic kitchen. Commonly we have Stone, ceramic tile, wood or plastic laminate for such tops.

Stone: Marble and Granite usually stand out with their natural beauty.

Even though many homeowners know there are maintenance issues with marble, they still opt for it because of its irresistible beauty.

Granite on the other hand is the best option for counter tops and is highly recommended by most designers and contractors for its strength and durability.

Wood; will create a beautiful impression and bring out the art of the kitchen depending on how it’s designed. It is also very easy on glass and china ware. However, the type of wood used matters a lot and may determine the durability.

Lighting: there are loads of nooks in the kitchen that need to be lit to avoid cases of accidents, rodents, cockroaches etc. 
You could use LEDs or energy saver whatever you like. Lighting will give life to the kitchen thus making it worth spending most of your time.

Use curtains in the kitchen only if you must. if the window creates enough security, then you might as well opt to go with out curtains and have enough light.

It is always important to have ample lighting for safe and effective cooking. 

Avoid dim lighting in the kitchen and try to make it as bright as you can. 
 

Storage: A kitchen is one of the most used rooms and can therefore be the messiest rooms if storage is not managed right. Yes even with the cabinets you might lose it here. Try as much as you can to clear out empty boxes and tins, check for cracked or old pots and dishes that you think you might not need soon or later.
Label the tins and cabinets of their contents if you must to avoid confusion and congestion.

Create a hanging rank for cooking utensils like spoons and pans that might not fit into the cabinets other than have them piled together.

Have your designer or carpenter create a vertical section in the cabinets for your trays if you wish. This saves space and i think it is cool.

The more you keep in check of all the kitchen equipment, the more you have the storage issue under control.

Décor: Ladies you realize you spend most of the festive and fun family days in the kitchen, Christmas, Easter, Thanks giving, and Birthdays preparing meals for the people you love. So why not turn the kitchen into a room worth living... add flowers to bring life to it, hung a picture on the wall to bring morale, and color to make it welcoming…and then you will have the most beautiful kitchen and comfortable room in your home…. Let this Easter find you cooking in a beautiful kitchen. Till then….

Sarah.