Kitchens are the pinnacle of a home, they are where not only meals are made, but memories too. If you have been thinking about undergoing a kitchen renovation or kitchen remodel, needless to say this will be a monster of a project. It doesn’t matter if you want to renovate a small kitchen or just do a simple kitchen cabinet renovation, there is a lot to consider and some homeowners can feel lost in the process or just don’t know where to start.
Don’t fret or worry, we have all the best kitchen renovation tips for you below to help ensure that your kitchen makeover is a dream come true instead of a nightmare.
Get Professional Design Help
When it comes to your kitchen renovations, the planning stage should take more time than the actual construction. By taking the extra time to plan, you can stay on time with your construction and answer the age old question “how long does a home renovation take?”.
Now, unless you have extensive knowledge about kitchen renovations, it’s best to consult a professional kitchen designer. A good kitchen designer will be able help conceptualize your style decisions, foresee any problems, help create your timeline and schedule contractors.
Some of our other tips for planning a kitchen renovation are:
1. Study your existing kitchen
Know the exact measurements of your kitchen will help you plan for any new appliances or furnishings and avoid making mistakes. When you create a drawing of your kitchen make sure you measure your doorways, counters, walkways, etc. Don’t forget to include heights as well!
2. Think about traffic patterns and ergonomics
You want to account for how the flow of your kitchen will be, but also think about details that make your kitchen enjoyable to work in, pull-out shelves or drawers, oven placement are all great accessible features to consider.
Choose Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures Early
Appliances have a huge impact on the layout of your kitchen. When you are planning and designing your kitchen, make sure to include leaving clearance for circulation around door openings, taking that into account alongside depth and width will help ensure perfect fits. It’s also important to think about ventilation in your kitchen and make adjustments as needed.
Shopping for your sink early can also help save you from headache down the line too. Depending on the style of sink you want may lead you to change the location of other appliances to help ensure a good fit. By taking the time to shop early for your appliances will help you design your kitchen with the best flow and functionality.
Choose One Focal Point
Even though it’s tempting to pick your kitchen with flashy decorative and stylish pieces, it’s always best to have a singular focal point in your kitchen. This is especially important for small kitchen renovations too.
By having a singular focal point you allow that piece to truly shine and to allow your kitchen to have a harmonious feel instead of cluttered competition between different pieces.
Do a Dry Tile Run
If you have your heart set on a beautiful tile floor, it’s important to make sure you do a dry tile run. Tiles, very similar to fabric, have a dye lot and can vary in colour when you receive the bulk order. Once you unpack all your tiles, place all of them out before you lay on the mortar. This will allow you to see all variations in the tiles and you can hide the less appealing ones (there’s always a couple) in more inconspicuous spots like under the cabinets.
Get Samples
When you find a colour or pattern you like it’s tempting to just buy, buy, buy. But pumping your brakes is a good thing, whether its paint, wallpaper, tiles, countertops, cabinetry or even flooring, try and get a sample. Samples allow you to test out how colours and textures will look in your home and is the best way to visualize how your renovation will actually turn out.
Make Design Choices Yourself
Having clear and transparent communication with your contractors can help save you time, money but most of all peace of mind. Establishing a good rapport with your team will help set clear expectations, keep your project progressing on time and save you from unexpected (and pricey) costs.
Plan For Storage
Storage is one thing that will never go out of style. With your new kitchen reno you have the opportunity to add storage that has a stylish flair.
Some storage ideas you may want to consider are:
- Adding an under sink pull-out
- Under counter kitchen island storage
- Mixing open shelving and traditional cabinetry
Plan For Lighting
Lighting is a game-changer in any room,especially in your kitchen. It can make your kitchen appear larger and brighter, and it will also help you work more efficiently and safely.
Since you’re already remodelling your kitchen, there is no better time to add in task or ambient lighting. These different types of lighting have different purposes and effects, so consulting with your design team will help you choose the best lighting for your space.
Consider Cleanup
Now before you get caught up in all the flashy lights and glamour of a newly renovated kitchen, bear in mind cleanup also needs to be planned for as well.
Those beautiful open shelves will make your space open and inviting but the items on them will have to be cleaned since dust, grease and other elements can get on them more easily. When you’re designing your new kitchen, think and plot out where your garbage and recycling will go, you wouldn’t want them in an inconvenient spot that makes them inaccessible when you’re prepping and cooking or where they are too far from the sink.
The Professionals You’ve Always Wanted
Instead of sifting and searching through countless renovation companies, look no further than Moose Kitchen and Bath! Here at Moose Kitchen and Bath, we are with you from beginning to end. Hiring multiple contractors to complete your reno takes a lot of research, time and effort, when you hire a professional renovation company (like us) it helps the renovation go a lot smoother.
Our team can help you have a hassle-free renovation process since we have years of experience and countless completed renovation projects. We pride ourselves on efficiency, our team covers every detail of your project so your kitchen renovation project will be completed on time and on budget. We even go the extra mile to hire a project manager to ensure everything is up-to-date and under control.
Contact us today to get started on the journey to your dream kitchen!