The kitchen is well known as the heart of the home. It's a hub of activity every day. We use it to host guests, spend time with family, and of course, use it to prepare meals. Needless to say, it gets a lot of use.
Renovating kitchens is often at the top of the to-do list for many homeowners, especially if the current kitchen is outdated or simply needs a refresh. While it is an exciting process, it can also be incredibly overwhelming, leading to putting it off, so we have created a list of ways to get inspired and relieve some of the stress.
Planning Ahead
The planning process is the most important stage of any kitchen renovation, and ideally, you want to have everything planned out before starting work as it saves massive headaches later down the road. Ask yourself questions like ...
“What are my goals for this space?”
“What should I be prioritising and what can I live without?”
And of course “What is my budget?”
All of these questions should help solidify your goals and start to give you a direction on what you want the end result to look like.
Study Your Current Kitchen Setup
Take some time to really look at your current kitchen and figure out what you like about it and what you wish would be different.
You will likely be working with very specific dimensions (unless you’re planning to expand the kitchen’s footprint) and often, depending on the era it was built, the current kitchen was designed in a certain way because that is what works best for the space.
If you have a modest or limited budget, we suggest leaving the structural
layout quite similar, as things like extending exterior walls, moving plumbing, and window positions all add to the building costs. However, you can still end up with an amazing result if you refresh benchtops, cabinetry, lighting and plumbing fixtures.
Eliminate Any Wasted Space
The goal of renovating a kitchen is to make it more usable and enjoyable for your lifestyle. Where can you add more shelving? Is there any wasted space? Are there new cabinetry ideas to incorporate to save space? If unsure talk to us, as we have remodelled many kitchens and are up-to-date with the latest trends!
Also, consider what the most convenient areas are to have your most used kitchen appliances. Things such as having your dishware close to the dishwasher or having your fridge and food storage near the cooktop/oven, these things can make daily use much more efficient, but it need to cater specifically to you and how you use your kitchen.
Save Yourself Some Money
Depending on how complex you want the remodel of the kitchen to be, it can get very pricey. But there are plenty of ways to keep costs low while renovating.
Reusing materials where you can is a great way to cut down expenses. Often the first response when redoing a kitchen is just to throw away all of the previous cabinetry, draws, shelving or benchtops, but consider whether they are still in good condition and if they can be
upcycled to make something new. It can be a great way to save some money.
Also, a good rule of thumb is that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! If the position of a window is perfect just where it is or the location of the sink is the most functional spot to have it, don’t change it! This will save you some waiting time on the build and also create room in your budget for some of the other things on your renovation wish list.
Still Uncertain?
If you are still feeling unsure about what you're looking for don't hesitate to contact us we would be more than happy to discuss your kitchen renovation and plan it with you.