Thinking of remodeling your kitchen? Want to ensure that as well as looking amazing, it’s practical, functional, and pleasant to spend time in? Here are a few things you need to consider before going ahead with your project:
Put function first
The kitchen is one of the most functional spaces in the home….well it is if you get it right anyway. That’s why, when you’re planning to remodel the space, you need to spend some time thinking about how you use the kitchen. That way, you can designate spaces for prepping food, spaces for cooking, washing, refrigerating your food, and…well you get the idea. Ince you have the functions of the kitchen and the optimum spaces for them down, you can start thinking about the aesthetics of the space.
On the subject fo function, think about keeping cabinets at eye-level. A lot of kitchen designers will encourage you to have higher cabinets because you can make even more of the space, but if you can’t really reach them, and it’s a pain to get to them when you need to, are they really worth it? Probably not. Leave that space free and focus on decorating it with shelves of knick-knacks or pretty pieces of art instead.
Don’t move everything
A lot of people get it into their heads to totally gut the kitchen before remodeling it, and change the position of absolutely everything, but it’s actually more sensible, from a time and money point of view, to leave some of the major appliances in the same place. For example, even if you want to buy a shiny new sink from Allora USA, leaving it in the same place will mean fewer plumbing headaches, and the same applies to the position of the dishwasher. It’s also easier to leave cookers and vent hoods in the same position for similar reasons with ductwork too. If you can work out what would be too troublesome to remove, you can draw up a remodel plan that leaves them in place while still looking amazing.
But some things can be moved
That being said, it’s really easy to move things like fridges, cabinets, and other small, non-plumbed appliances around, and doing this will help you to create a whole new look without spending an excessive amount of money. As can replacing cabinet handles and putting down new flooring.
Think about the decor
The kitchen is the heart of the home, so you ideally want the decor to be warm, cozy, and inviting. A lot of people end up painting their kitchens white or cream which is fine, but you can be bolder in this space using shades of cornflower yellow, fiery red, sky blue, or whatever you prefer. There is no need to conform to your idea of a stereotypical kitchen.
For coziness, natural wood in its natural state is good for cabinets, and combined with marble or slate countertops makes for a very natural looking kitchen, but always make an effort to see what’s available before you make your final choice because you may find that something a little less natural is right for you.
Remodeling the kitchen really can be simple – you just have to think things through carefully first!
