Kitchen Remodel

The Benefits of Remodeling your Kitchen

Experts agree that remodeling your kitchen has more positive impact than any other remodeling project you can undertake. We already know from a resale perspective you can expect a better return on your remodeling investment dollar for dollar than any other remodeling project. But what about day-to-day living is there a retirement on investment there? Most homeowners that have remodeled their kitchen report feeling significantly better about their homes and day-to-day life experience. The reason is that we spend so much time in our kitchens, preparing meals, talking with friends and family, and catching up. As Sally Maycroft of Greenwich Kitchen and Bath puts it,

“We sleep in our bedrooms, we read or watch TV in the family room, but the kitchen is where it all happens, it is the canvas where life unfolds in our home, so make it an inviting place where everybody wants to be.”

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Gather Information, Ideas, and Photos

Not sure how you want your kitchen to look, but you know you want it to be great? An easy way to start is by picking up several kitchen remodeling magazines and leafing through each one. Make a folder of your favorite kitchens, but also make a specific note about what you like about each one of them, is it the way that light comes in all sides of the kitchen? or maybe it is the texture of the kitchen cabinets, you can’t be too specific when it comes to what you like and don’t like.

Joshua Ellington of Comfort Kitchens describes an exercise that can help with the visualization process, “describe your dream kitchen in adjectives only. Will your new kitchen be bright, cheery, feminine, welcoming, conservative, playful, casual, or cozy?” Ellington goes on to say, “This process opens the homeowner up to all the possibilities in a fun way.” Ellington also says “Another way of thinking about your new kitchen is to imagine you are news reporter assigned to write a story about your kitchen what would the headline say?" These are great exercises to help get the creative juices flowing.

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Your Kitchen Mission Statement

Much like a corporate or personal mission statement, consider developing a kitchen mission statement. This is a succinct, personal declaration of what your kitchen will mean to you and your family. It will describe how the kitchen will look and feel as well as how the functionality and design will serve; the person preparing the meals, family, friends, kids, pets and others.

Draw on the exercises above to help you describe in detail your dream kitchen. This small but important planning step will reap huge benefits because you are envisioning the end result you want in specific detail before you have even formally designed your kitchen. This step alone can save you dozens of hours getting on the same page with your spouse, family or kitchen contractor.

Kitchen Remodeling Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with a realistic budget range that will allow for flexibility in the design process. Also understand there are ways to save money that are not always immediately obvious. For example many homeowners have kitchen cabinets that are still structurally sound, but simply look really dated. If that is the case you may choose to simply resurface your kitchen cabinets which can save up to 70% on the cost of new cabinets. Another way to save money is in your backsplash. Just because your new kitchen countertops are granite, doesn’t mean you necessarily have to have a granite backsplash, when switching to a nice tile backsplash can add a unique design element as well as save you money.

Also consider Corian as an alternative to granite, vinyl or Formica countertops. Corian is great not only for your kitchen countertops but also for your kitchen island and even the kitchen sink. What many people like so much about Corian is that it can be installed with your kitchen sink without seams. This creates a fluid and consistent look from your kitchen countertops to your sink that granite can’t match, all at a budget friendly price.

The majority of your kitchen remodeling budget should be focused on the things that will bring you the most joy. After that the best place to put your money is where you will get the most return on your investment, including lighting. Kitchen lighting is an easy way to put focus on the aspects of the kitchen you most enjoy while also adding a warm and bright showcase quality to your kitchen. Another area that should be considered when creating your kitchen remodeling budget is faucets and hardware. Kitchen faucets and hardware has come out of the background to become central design elements. A hand hammered copper sink can add an artisan feel of fine craftsmanship that nothing else can match, and the perfect cabinet hardware can be finishing touch that can take your kitchen from great to “Wow!” Hardware can often be very inexpensive and most kitchen contractors and designers are happy to include you in the hunt for the perfect hardware for your kitchen cabinets and drawers.