Kitchen Remodeling Checklist
Kitchen Remodelling Checklist: Things to consider before you start
The kitchen is often one of the most lived-in room in most homes. From family diners to intimate get-togethers, it’s in the kitchen that most memorable times are created. It’s no wonder then that many homeowners want their kitchen to be a cozy, inviting place. What if it’s not? What if you live in an older home that has a “well used” kitchen?
Well, some simple remodelling can breather new life into that space. But homeowners must exercise great caution when planning their renovations. If not done correctly, you could end up hating your remodelled kitchen.
Your Remodelling Check List
So, without further ado, lets dig right into the meat and potatoes of what to consider in a kitchen remodelling project:
1) Your Intentions
Before you even think about WHAT you need to remodel in your kitchen, think WHY? Your intentions behind the remodelling project will guide you through the WHAT and HOW decisions you’ll need to make going forward.
For instance, the decisions homeowners make about kitchen renovations in preparation for a home sale, are different than those they’ll make if they plan to live in the home and enjoy the remodelled room. A simple example is the colour scheme. Most realtors will tell you that if you plan on selling, neutral colours are most preferred by homebuyers. The new owner can then use that as a canvas to add his/her own personality to the home.
But if you plan on spending the next 3 to 5 years in your home, then remodel to fit your personality. And if that means painting your kitchen bright pink – then so be it, because that’s what makes you most at ease when you cook a meal or have guests over for dinner!
2) Your Storage Needs
One of the biggest mistakes people make when remodelling their kitchens is to skimp on cabinetry. Once the renos are done, and you start running out of storage space, the first impulse is to run out and buy stand-alone (and often mismatched) cupboards and closets. And it goes down hill from there.
Next, you start piling stuff on your counter-tops and on the kitchen table. Within a few months of your extensive kitchen remodelling project, the kitchen is the one place you want to stay away from! And that all happens because you felt you didn’t need more storage.
The golden rule when thinking kitchen storage during a remodelling project is: More is less!
3) Your Vision
A little-known secret when planning a kitchen remodeling project is “vision”. Sometimes, especially if this is your first remodelling exercise in a while, you might wish for the “ideal”. That’s when things can get tricky.
If you lose sight of the fact that you have older inhabitants living with you, you may plan for something trendy, like those gorgeous lower base cabinets you saw in a glossy magazine. There’s nothing wrong with that vision. However, the older you get the more challenging it becomes to store or retrieve items in those cabinets. Instead, consider installing deep, long pull-out drawers that can offer easy access. When it comes to kitchen remodeling vision, think functional!
Get Help!
Unless you are a pro at it yourself, you should consider consulting a professional kitchen remodelling expert first, before you start tearing down walls and putting up cabinets. The last thing you want is to have to undo what you (or someone else) has done! The golden rule in kitchen renovations is PLANNING! Professionals have lots of tools and experience to get it right the first time.
