4 Steps to Planning
a Better Kitchen Remodel
Perhaps nowhere else in your home does the successful blending of form and function result in as much payback and long-term satisfaction as in your kitchen. But kitchens are arguably the most complex room in your home when it comes to planning. There are also exciting new products on the market all the time. Getting help planning your kitchen, such as from our professional designers, is something we really recommend.
But your role in the planning process is also critical, so here are some tips on planning your kitchen remodel so that you and the designer can work together to develop the best possible kitchen for you and your family.
1. Define how your new kitchen will be used and who will use it. (Consider now and over the life of your kitchen.) With this list you are helping map out how the kitchen must function. List things such as:
- How many people live in the house (now and during the life of the kitchen)?
- Will you do much entertaining that will require food preparation or staging in the kitchen? If so what is your typical size event? (4 people, 20 people, 100 people?)
- What are the ages of the people in the home and who will be using the kitchen? (Children, teens, adults, seniors, anyone with mobility or range of motion issues?)
- What do you typically use your kitchen for? (Only cooking, cooking and eating, or cooking, homework and as "family central"?)
- Typically how many people use the kitchen at the same time and are they all cooking or doing different things at the same time? (An efficient kitchen layout for one person cooking can get pretty crowded if two or more people are in the kitchen, especially if more than one person is cooking.)
- What types of cooking do you do? (Mostly family meals? Cooking for parties? Lots of baking? Preparing gourmet meals?)
- How much refrigerator and freezer space do you need? Maybe a wine cooler/refrigerator?
- How big and what type of range top/stove and oven (or ovens) do you want?
- Do you need more than one sink? Or a pot-filler faucet at the stove?
- How much counter space do you need and what type of counter top is best?
- How much and what type of storage?
- If one of the "functions" of your new kitchen is to convey a certain look or impression to the family or visitors, include this in your list.
- Include any other special requirements for the kitchen.
When you have finished listing all the functional requirements of your kitchen you're not done yet!
  2. Determine what you can afford or what you want to spend.
3. Look online or in magazines for ideas to help you communicate your design preferences and the look you have in mind for your kitchen. A website like Houzz can often provide you with all the reference and inspiration you will need. You can even create and online "idea book" with the images you have collected.
4. List your priorities for the project. What are the most important things you want? What are things that would be really nice to have? What are the things you could live without if you had to?
With the above things done you are now well prepared to sit down with our designers to move into the design process for your new kitchen. A process that, because of your preplanning, will be more successful and provide you even greater satisfaction than you had hoped.
Maintenance Tip: Inspect Your Fire Extinguishers
Every home should have a fire extinguisher for the safety of you and your family. Make sure your extinguisher is not blocked by coats, boxes, or other objects. Inspect the canister for dents or rust. Also, check that the pressure is at the recommended level and there are no leaks. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when dealing with fire extinguishers. If you are not sure whether your fire extinguisher is working properly, replace it or have it serviced.
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Mike Winn |
