Remodeling Your Kitchen: What you need to know
Chances are your kitchen is where you spend most of your time at home. It’s not just where you cook — it’s where you entertain friends, help the kids with homework, manage schedules, and steal a moment of quiet “me time” in between it all.
When it’s time to upgrade after years of wear and tear, or rethink the layout of your newly purchased home to accommodate all of that activity, understanding what to expect when contemplating a kitchen remodel can help make a potentially high-stress experience go smoothly. Dare we say, with the right design team, it can even be fun!
Where to start
You might start off thinking that you just need to replace your countertops or perhaps just your floor. But the more you dig in, the more you realize countertops or flooring aren’t going to solve the issues the kitchen has.
Talking with a trusted design company from the very beginning is worth your time. Good designers will take into account not just how you want the space to look, but how you want to use it.
For example, open-plan layouts are very popular and lend themselves well to more casual lifestyles. A professional designer will be able to understand how to maximize your space and make suggestions you might not have considered — like transitioning away from a formal dining room to make room for the kitchen island of your dreams. Or looking at load bearing walls and determining the value of moving them to allow for a better plan
Choosing what works for you
Take the time to consider the most important aspects of your remodel. For example, paint and accessories can be fairly easily interchanged, but flooring, plumbing and electrical features aren’t simple to switch out once the remodel is near completion.
Whether your current kitchen is large or small, the first thing to do is identify your priorities and talk about them with your design team. Discuss what isn’t working for you in your current space, how you’d like to use the space — including which appliances you want easy access to — and your storage needs. Additionally, think about how many cook in your home. Do you enjoy cooking together? Do you enjoy entertaining? This could drastically change how a kitchen is arranged.
A good design team will listen, and be able to make recommendations that use your space efficiently without sacrificing style. For example, high-end, professional grade appliances can be gorgeous statement pieces that also offer exactly the function and performance you want in your new kitchen. But is that the right way to spend your budget? Maybe. Or are other ways to accomplish your goals? This is another area where having a good relationship with a trusted design professional is of immense value.
Refined Renovations architects and designers create custom kitchen solutions for homeowners that consider everything from the right appliances, to the best way to blend the old aesthetic of the house to the new, to even what features the kitchen should have for your life. They listen well and value your input so it wouldn’t be wasted time thinking about things like the usefulness of vegetable drawers, pantry access or even home organization centers.
Life during the remodel
Depending on how extensive your renovation is, your kitchen upgrade could take anywhere from five months from design to completion, to a year for ambitious designs.
Having a good rapport with your remodeling team and open, honest communication about needs and expectations will make living at home during your kitchen upgrade a lot easier.
Fortunately, Refined Renovations is skilled at working and planning so that clients can keep using their home and living their lives even while the remodel is underway. Cleanliness is of utmost concern so don’t imagine dusty, messy spaces when using Refined Renovations. You’ll be amazed at the thoroughness of the process.
A great remodeling project happens when everyone is on the same page, and comfortable having real conversations with one another. That’s the kind of relationship Refined Renovations cultivates with clients, because when done right remodeling is an exciting and fun undertaking.
Tags: kitchens