8 Important Factors to Consider When Planning a New Kitchen
Have you looked around your kitchen lately and thought that perhaps it could do with an update? While all the popular home renovation TV shows might have inspired you to start knocking down your cabinets and investing in a new sink and appliances, we all know that DIY can easily turn out to be a disaster without the right plans in place.
A kitchen renovation is one of the biggest jobs that you can take on in your home. Before getting started, it’s important to be aware of exactly what this project is going to entail and have a clear plan in place for achieving exactly how your new kitchen is going to look and feel. You’ll also need to be aware that kitchen renovation usually means you’re going to be without a kitchen for some time, so it’s a good idea to consider how you are going to achieve managing this without being increasingly frustrated.
If you’re considering doing a kitchen renovation, here are some important things to consider.
Getting Professional Help
Unless you really know what you’re doing with refitting a kitchen, you’re probably going to have to enlist some professional help at some point. This can often be as much or as little as you like; you can have a kitchen designer help you put the layout together, or you can come up with your own design and get a professional kitchen renovations company like Kitchen Capital to make it into a reality for you. Kitchen Capital offer kitchens in Perth with a wide range of options and services to choose from. They will work with you to ensure that you put together a plan for a kitchen renovation that’s going to have the best results and will work amazingly for you and your family.
Planning the Layout
Before deciding on color schemes, materials, or anything else, the first thing that you need to do is plan the layout of your kitchen. This is crucial and the layout needs to be planned correctly to ensure that you can do everything that needs to be done in the kitchen easily without having to cross from one side to the other while cooking because your things are located in several different places.
Design your layout around the typical traffic pattern of anybody using your kitchen and consider how you and your family are going to best use space. For example, add cupboards or drawers for pans and other cooking tools right next to the oven or hob so that you don’t have to move from that spot to get what you need. Place space for your general waste bin and recycling bins close to your workstation so that you can be as efficient and as tidy as possible while cooking.
Your Budget
Once you’ve decided on the dream layout for your kitchen and figured out how much help you are likely going to need to get there, it’s time to consider how much you are willing to spend on it. DIY might seem like a good way to save money in the short-term, but bear in mind that it’s not for everybody and over the long-term, it might be more cost-effective to work with a professional who can ensure that costly mistakes are avoided. If you’re not experienced with it, trying to do it yourself could lead to serious errors, and the cost of fixing anything that you might mess up while fitting the kitchen yourself can be very expensive.
Consider Space
Think about how much floor space you have available in your kitchen and don’t forget about important areas like doors and corners. The last thing that you want is to end up with a kitchen where you can’t open the pantry or your fridge door when your main door is open. When planning your layout, ensure that you are going to have enough space to walk around doors and corners easily, along with room to effortlessly open the doors of appliances, drawers, and cabinets without risking scratching anything in the process.
Countertops
Working with a kitchen designer is certainly worth it since they will help you determine just how much space you are going to need on your countertops, whether that’s for storing countertop appliances or the space that you typically use for preparing food. Most busy cooks will need a decent amount of countertop space to get everything done efficiently, so if you enjoy using your kitchen and want to get the most of it, don’t skimp on your countertop area. There are several different surfaces to choose from for your countertop, with the most popular being man-made quartz that has a look and feel of natural stone without the high price or hefty maintenance. Wooden, granite, and marble countertops are also popular choices for kitchen renovations.
Your Kitchen Island
For kitchens that have the space available, it’s hard to imagine one without a kitchen island today – they are just that popular. However, bear in mind that your kitchen island doesn’t have to be simply another surface area. In fact, your island can help you utilize the space in your kitchen even further and include storage, fridges, cooktops, sinks, and more. Some people decide to use kitchen islands as a social area in their kitchen and have them double up as a dining area or a breakfast bar. You can design your island to look like a separate piece in the kitchen with a different finish and style or have an island that perfectly matches everything else.
Sinks
Most people only consider the size when it comes to deciding on their kitchen sink; however, the truth is that there are plenty of different styles to choose from. Stainless steel is a very popular option since it’s one of the most durable materials out there and a good-quality stainless steel sink will look great in any kitchen. Granite sinks are also very durable and look fantastic with a resilient surface that’s almost impossible to damage. Cast iron sinks are ideal for those who’d prefer an unusual color to add an element of fun to the kitchen while fireclay sinks offer a sleek, ceramic-like look that’s becoming hugely popular in any style of the kitchen, but particularly with the farmhouse style.
Backsplashes
There are several ways to do a backsplash in your kitchen and you should certainly consider including one. A good backsplash can serve as a decor feature in your kitchen renovation and give it extra personality while ensuring that it’s easier to clean up and protecting your walls from splashes and stains. Tiles are a popular choice for backsplashes all around the kitchen, or you could opt for plain tiles and a more colorful, show-stopping backsplash behind your stove. Bigger tiles tend to make ideal backsplash choices since there’s less grout to worry about cleaning, or you could opt for sleek, ceramic panel backsplashes – it’s up to you. Pick your backsplash at the same time as your countertop to make it easier to choose colors and styles that complement one another.
Designing a new kitchen and remodeling this important room in your house is always going to be a big job. Before you get started, keep these important factors in mind to improve your chance of ending up with your dream kitchen.