A kitchen renovation is perhaps one of the biggest interior design undertakings you can take on. It’s not for the impatient, disorganised, or impulsive, and it’s an often stressful and intricate process. You will undoubtedly need to enlist the help of a contractor and designer to fulfil your vision, but before you do, there are a number of elements you’ll need to consider. The next time you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, read over these tips so that you can be prepared and ready for the smoothest renovation ever.
Think about why you’ve chosen to renovate your kitchen. It shouldn’t be solely because the tiles are outdated or you’d like to upgrade your appliances. Think about what your lifestyle requires—are you someone who frequently cooks meals from scratch and needs additional counter space to prepare? Do you entertain guests frequently and host dinners? Are some of your appliances not necessary enough for your needs? Think about what you use, what you don’t, what you wish you had, and what you can do without. Assess the main goals you’re looking to achieve with the functionality of your space before moving on to the more visual elements. From here, you can build an outline of your space that checks off every box.
Next, you’ll want to determine your budget and timeframe, as the two often go hand in hand. The extent of your renovation correlates directly to both, so if you’re looking to have an extensive renovation done, you’ll need to think about preparing a considerably large budget, as well as a definite stretch of time where you’re prepared to have your home under construction. Especially if plumbing is involved, you’ll need to be ready for your kitchen to be fairly unusable for the time being. On the other hand, if you simply cannot afford the time or budget, you may need to cut some elements out. Talk this over with your team before proceeding to the next touches.
Now you’re ready to think about the visual components of the design process and how you want your kitchen to look. Consider rearranging the layout, by way of an island, additional counter space, or including a dining area. If you’re decidedly going big with your renovation, don’t be afraid to stray from the formation and structure that your kitchen has always had. With the help of a professional contractor and interior designer, they can come up with a design that utilizes the space differently and breathes more life into the room. The framework you began with does not necessarily have to be what you stay with.
There are a number of smaller design elements to consider that will be consistent throughout the space that many reduce to an afterthought. For instance, the inclusion of newly constructed cabinets also implies new hardware and finishes to think about. Focus on the pairing of the cabinet and the hardware as a single unit, so that they can be properly matched from the early design phases instead of swapped out with repeated trial and error. The same goes for a sink and hardware combination.
Cohesion should be a consistent thought throughout your process. From light fixtures, to hardware, and then the more obvious components like counter-tops and back-splashes. A kitchen has many overlapping textures and patterns, so it’s important to look at it as a whole, as well as by individual pieces. Once you’ve mapped out the essentials and laid down the majority of the heavy lifting, you can easily fill the room with decorative pieces that add the final touches to your space, but fully encompass the aesthetic of your created space.
