If you are planning a kitchen remodel, you certainly will want to take some time to plan and think about how you want your new kitchen to look and perform.
Modern, traditional, romantic, or maybe even a luxury kitchen?
You kitchen design contractor will help you with this, of course, but you should also keep the following six best practices in mind as you embark on this journey:
It is important that you remember that a kitchen is a functional environment. Over the years, this room has become a place where families gather to do everything from homework and getting a snack to watching television and yes, sometimes cooking. Since this is the case, it can be easy to forget that this room is primarily a workspace.
Prioritizing a workflow in the kitchen is easy to do when having the classic kitchen triangle, which is a design feature that keeps the sink, refrigerator and cooktop close to each other in the shape of a triangle. It is also necessary to give yourself enough counter space to prepare meals, but you do not want so much space that it is difficult to get from one space to another.
2 – Use Established Kitchen Design Ideas
It can be difficult when you go into this process with the idea that you are going to come up with something entirely new. Instead, you must realize that new ideas are just a matter of mixing or re-mixing ideas that are already established. You can do this by working with your designer and taking features that you like from already established kitchens, and then applying these feature into your home. The designer can tell you what features will work for your home, and which will not do without major construction.
3 – Smaller May Be Better
Though extremely large kitchens have become the trend in recent years, most homeowners find that there is such a thing as a kitchen that is too big. First, a large kitchen does not work or function as well as a small kitchen, and a small kitchen is less expensive and better for those who cook.
This being said, if you have your heart set on a large, spacious kitchen, then you should certainly talk to your contractor about this. Just keep in mind that this is a decision that you should think about, however, because the more space you take up for the kitchen, the less space you will have for the rest of your home.
4 – Think About Your Kitchen Island: Do You Need It or Not?
If you currently have a kitchen island, you have two choices: you can incorporate it into your new kitchen, or you can remove it. Alternatively, if you currently do not have a kitchen island, you may be considering installing one. Kitchen islands have been trendy for a couple of decades now, but there are some pros and cons of these features.
First, people install these items for more counter and storage space, and it is true that islands offer this advantage. However, many homeowners find that the island also serves as the perfect spot for “stuff” to gather, and they often get messy and cluttered.
You also have to think about if your kitchen has enough room for a kitchen island as well as for the perimeter counters. Designers recommend that you have at least 42 inches of aisle space between the island and the counters. This is a minimum length, and the National Kitchen & Bath Association recommends 48 inches, which is four full feet of space.
5 – Don’t Allow Kitchen Lighting to Be an Afterthought
Many people neglect to incorporate lighting into their kitchen design process, or only think about it after the rest of the kitchen has been designed. Instead, make sure that you are thinking about the lighting throughout the entire planning process.
6 – Choose a High-End Countertop Material
Finally, it is important that you choose a high-end countertop material for the kitchen, such as granite or engineered stone. Though this is a more expensive option, it will add the most value to your home. If these options are a bit too expensive, you may want to consider granite tiles, which are more affordable. Also, keep in mind that there are pros and cons of both granite and engineered stone, but there is not much difference between the engineered stone brands. Cambia, Silestone and Zodiaq are some brands you may come across, and they are all manufactured in an almost identical way. The only difference between brands is the color, design and warranty options.
Though renovating a kitchen is something that most homeowners will go through at one point or another, it does not have to be extremely difficult. This is especially the case if you keep the above tips in mind.
