Five Ways to Get it Right in a Kitchen Renovation
1. Don't do it yourself
Meaning, bring in a designer. There are so many things you won’t see coming, like door swings, appliance issues, a faucet that doesn’t fit under the cabinet above. The oversight of a designer and an accurate set of plans will foresee issues like that, and save much time and pain in the field. So collect all the images you love, bring them to an experienced designer and start enjoying the process.
2. Consider the workflow
The old rule about a work triangle dates back to a time when a kitchen meant a sink, a stove and an icebox. That was then. Now we have two fridges, three sinks, a microwave, steam oven, and more. A better way to approach the layout is to think about tasks, or zones of activity – like a food prep area with a cutting board.
Or a clean up area with easy reach to unload the dishwasher, a snack area for those who just want to heat something up.
3. Read your plans & ask questions
Is the waste unit near the main
sink? How big is it? Are there any
other waste units in the room?
Is the microwave at the right
height for you – whether you’re
5’2” or 6’1”. Can I easily get from
the cooktop to the wall oven? Are
there traffic aisles running
through my workspace?
4. Go deep on your storage
The worst possible result is that you get in your new kitchen and nothing fits. So think about it now. Walk around your existing kitchen and identify a place in the new kitchen for every item you currently store (or wish to store). Find the drawer for the baggies and wraps, for the cake decorating
supplies, for the sports bottles your family accumulates. Whatever it is, it needs a home. Make a note of it.
5. Think differently about materials
We often approach the cabinets
and countertops in terms of color.
But think again – what about
texture? What about the materials
themselves? Is everything wood?
Or stone? Is everything hard and
shiny? What complementary touch
is needed to make this design sing?
Maybe it needs some sparkle,
maybe it needs an earthy note.
Looking at the room this way can
be very helpful when you’re stuck
on a decision.
The point of all this...
is to get you where you want to be in your newly
designed kitchen, fully customized to your needs and taste. Please browse my website for more ideas --
and drop me a line!
