5 Tips to Plan Your Kitchen Remodel
At its best, architecture is a conversation that structures have with the people that inhabit them. A home’s kitchen is unique in that it can be a community space, a place of utility and purpose, or both simultaneously. It’s important to understand the way your kitchen could work for you before you remodel. No aspect is insignificant. The key to making your new kitchen a success is to develop a plan that is flexible but adheres to your needs and as many of your wants as possible.
1. Identify What Already Works
A kitchen remodel doesn’t need to be an absolute change in the configuration of what you already have. You will likely begin with an idea of what things you don’t like about the space, so take some time first to decide which things work well for you just the way they are. As you research different styles of kitchens to aspire to, this will give you a foundation that you can fall back on when making layout choices.
2. Decide What Needs to Change
The scope of your kitchen remodel will depend on the number of issues you are having with it. The temptation is to get the biggest and best of everything, but first, consider what you plan to use your kitchen for. Try coming up with a list of things you want from it and rank them. A kitchen that is designed with cooking every day in mind may look and feel different than one where people wander in sometimes to grab snacks from a big pantry or fridge. These aspirations are what you can build upon the foundation you have already set.
3. Budget Your Space
Depending on your physical constraints, it may be unnecessary or superfluous to add certain things. The last thing you need is clutter, so consider ways to make the most out of every addition you make. An island with space for seating makes more sense in a roomy kitchen than in one where it could be necessary to build it around the dishwasher, sink, and stove, for example. Cabinet space is equally important as you want to end your renovation with a place for everything. Identifying your needs early in the process will make these choices easier. You may also decide to annex extra space from adjacent rooms.
4. Consider the Style of Your Home
Respecting the architecture of the rest of your house will guide you to create a new kitchen that looks like it belongs in it. Something modern and geometrical will always look jarring in a house that is otherwise rustic and humble, especially if you have no plans to modify the rest of your home. Even if you plan to sell, having a flashy kitchen might make the rest of the house look lackluster in comparison. The key is to find balance and communication throughout the physical layout of the entire structure. Always be mindful that you don’t develop tunnel vision, see the big picture too.
5. Keep Multiple Options
Once you have a general plan, you can decide a budget easier if you have a tiered list of options in different price ranges so that you can prioritize what is important enough to spend more on without compromising the atmosphere you’ve already chosen. This allows you a flexibility that you might not have if you settle only on specific items one by one. You will be able to set a budget cap and then find the best combination to stay within it. When it comes to the hard choices, it will also feel less like you’re abandoning anything you had already set your heart on.
