• Don’t Overdo It
When remodeling your kitchen, it’s easy to get carried away with your vision and make impulsive design decisions. This is especially true if you’re influenced by what’s trendy in the market at the moment. But the key to success in a kitchen remodel is consistency. This means staying true to your theme and making sure the colors, flooring, storage options, seating spaces, and other details all work together seamlessly.
If you do decide to incorporate a lot of designs into your kitchen, it’s important to know where to stop, so that the space doesn’t look too crowded and unattractive. To help with this issue, you can always opt for a ‘one issue at a time’ approach and replace everything you need over a longer period of time, so that you don’t end up spending all of your budget on just one project.
• Don’t Overestimate How much Space You Have
One of the most important aspects to consider is how you’re going to use your new space. This includes how often you plan to cook, if you have children or elderly relatives who may need some extra attention, and how much space you actually need. The best way to do this is by evaluating your current kitchen space and the way you use it. This will help you choose a remodeling strategy that will be functional for you and your family and add value to your home at the same time.
• Don’t Overspend
During the planning stage, make a list of everything you need for your kitchen and keep it within your budget. This includes items like cabinets, appliances, and fixtures. In addition, consider your future needs and goals for the space. If you need to replace countertops, flooring, or a sink down the road, this could push the total cost of your remodel over budget. Then, decide which items are a must-have and where you can cut corners to stay under your budget. This way, you can focus on your must-haves and have the money left over for anything else you may need in the future.
• Don’t Underestimate Your Needs
Rather than focusing on how you want your kitchen to look, focus on the way it will function. You might need more storage space, more counter space or a new layout that makes your kitchen more functional for you and your family. For example, consider adding a dining area to your kitchen remodel if you often host large parties or eat dinner together as a family. However, if you’re someone who eats on the go or rarely has time to prepare meals, a dining room may be overkill.
• Don’t Forget About Ventilation
While most homeowners will focus on the countertop and appliances, there’s one aspect of kitchen remodeling that should not be overlooked — ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, smoke and odors can build up in the kitchen and spread throughout your house. These pollutants can irritate your respiratory system and cause asthma attacks. They also can increase your energy costs because air conditioning systems have to work harder to cool off the area. And not to mention, a lack of ventilation can increase your risk of fire in the home!
If you want to avoid this, install a functional ventilation system that will remove these impurities from your kitchen while allowing cooler air in. Proper ventilation not only helps you to control your kitchen’s temperature, but it also improves your health and the overall quality of the air. It also keeps your kitchen smelling clean, which is essential for people who spend a lot of time in it.
• Don’t Forget About Lighting
Lighting is a key element of any kitchen design. It’s essential for illuminating your kitchen’s most important features, such as countertops and cabinets, and it can also help to create a more inviting atmosphere. A good way to determine which fixtures will work best in your space is to identify your goals for the kitchen. Are you looking to increase your kitchen’s value, add functionality, or make it more convenient?
A good lighting plan includes ambient lights to illuminate the entire room, task lighting for specific tasks, and accent lighting for ambiance. This can be accomplished by hanging pendants over counters and under cabinets to light up prep areas, placing recessed lights over sinks and wet bars, or installing hood range lighting above your stove. You can even use dimmer switches to control the light levels in your kitchen.
• Don’t Forget About Storage
It may be tempting to focus on things like counter space and flooring in your remodel, but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect the importance of storage. After all, your kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your house, and you’ll need somewhere to store everything from plates and dishes to pots and pans. A good design plan should incorporate unique storage solutions such as pull-out pan racks, baskets, and trash containers to make your kitchen a more functional space for you and your family. These features can be added to new cabinets or retrofitted into your existing ones.
• Don’t Forget About Style
What color cabinets to install, what type of countertops to use, and even whether to install new plumbing or move existing pipes are all important style choices to consider when remodeling your kitchen. Luckily, you can easily add a personal touch to your kitchen just by choosing eye-catching backsplashes, countertops, faucets, sinks, and even drawer handles. Just remember to keep your focus on the big picture and it will save you from sweeping changes in your design!