Summer is the Season for a Kitchen Reno! But where to even start? Follow this blog for a few key tips to keep your renovation on track and make it work for you!
Summer is the perfect time for a kitchen renovation; between salads, grilled veggies, burgers and steaks, no oven or stove top required! With the biggest inconvenience dealt with – let’s get cracking. Here’s a list that will help you stay on track and most importantly, on budget during your renovation project.
1.What is your WHY…
This is the FIRST place you should start when discussing any renovation project. What are you looking to achieve? Are you looking for more counter space? Do you need a place to sit? More storage? Writing down your “Why” for the project will help prevent you getting side tracked by crazy tile designs, expensive appliances etc. and losing sight of the overall vision.
2. Floor Plan Change or Not?
After you’ve established what your overall goal is and what you want to achieve, next is the floor plan. Is this something you want to change or need to change in order to truly achieve your goal?
3. List EVERYTHING!
Before the real fun begins, we believe it’s important to make a list of absolutely EVERYTHING you will need to decide on, from start to finish. This could include flooring, backsplash, cabinets, appliances, hardware, fixtures, lighting, paint colors…. You get the picture! This is to avoid picking things at random and hoping it all comes together.
4. Avoid Classic Mistakes
One of the most classic mistakes is to go all white in an attempt to over compensate for your former dark and dingy kitchen. That’s not to say we don’t love a bright and airy space – but you still want to have a little texture and color splashed in with it. Another mistake is having small pendant lights over an island – as this will only make the space feel more cluttered. Go big – you won’t regret it!
5. Consider Resale Value
The kitchen is not only the Heart of the Home but it is also the selling point – or sometimes the “un-selling” point! With that in mind, here are a couple of things to consider when preparing for a renovation:
- What level of finish makes sense for your house? Meaning, if you live in a house valued at $200,000, putting in a $50,000 kitchen may not give you the value out of it. Likewise, if you live in a $2.5 million house, then a $50,000 kitchen will not reach the level of finish expected in that price point.
- Cohesion Throughout. If you renovate your kitchen you should be considering using the same design aesthetic as your bathrooms. So if you aren’t planning on also redoing your bathrooms, you’ll want to keep that in mind.
- Appeal to the Masses. This is important if you have resale in mind and want to lock in your value.
6. Highest Impact Item – Cabinets
If you’re not looking to do an entire kitchen remodel but want to make the biggest impact – painting or refacing your cabinets is the way to go.
7. Light It Up!
Lastly, don’t skimp on lighting. We spend A LOT of time in the kitchen, so it’s super important to make sure it’s nice and bright, even on the dreariest of days. Canned lighting, pendant lights over islands, and under-cabinet lighting will really make the new backsplash and countertops pop!
Additional Tips:
- Spend some time in your local tile shop, getting acquainted with the various sorts.
- Consider handles instead of knobs
- Find pictures of kitchens you love and spend time pin pointing what it is exactly that pleases you. Print these, write notes and show to your contractor or cabinet designer.
Looking for inspiration, check out these blogs for what’s trending this year:
30+ Latest Kitchen Trends Dominating 2023, According to Design Pros
9 Top Kitchen Trends In 2023 | Chrissy Marie Blog
These Will Be the Biggest Kitchen Trends of 2023