Set Your Project Up For Success With These Top Kitchen Design Tips
Kitchens are the place where families gather to eat, cook, entertain, and relax. It’s no surprise that as DIYers, flippers, or kitchen remodel contractors planning a remodel, you care about following your vision and getting it right.
But undergoing a kitchen remodel is a big undertaking that requires careful thought about budget, function, timeline, and design.
As seasoned kitchen designers, we believe meticulous planning is key to success. Start by researching your options and budgeting wisely. It’s also essential to seek professional guidance when needed, and ask the right questions upfront. This way, you can anticipate any challenges and eliminate setbacks, ensuring a smooth, successful project journey.
Here are some vital things to consider before your next kitchen remodel:
1. What Will the End Product Look Like After Your Kitchen Remodel?
It might sound counterintuitive, but let’s start at the end goal. What does your dream kitchen look like? What style will it have? What purpose does it serve? How do I want people to feel while they’re there?
With a clear vision for your kitchen remodel, you can draw up a plan, make decisions, and put the necessary steps into action. Use magazine clippings and online sources to pull together a visual moodboard. It can help you explore current trends, gather ideas for the look and layout of your kitchen, compare color schemes, and help identify materials you prefer for your kitchen countertops and kitchen cabinetry.
After you have a clear picture of what you want your kitchen to look like, write a numbered list of the steps you need to get there. This list should include what products and services you need for your kitchen remodel, what new features you want, what appliances you need to purchase, and whether you’ll need new lighting, seating, and better storage in your new kitchen design.
2. Decide What to Keep
With dozens of decisions to make, a helpful trick is streamline by first ruling out what you don’t want to change.
Look at what does work. If your lighting or flooring will work for your future kitchen, keep them. If you love your backsplash, it’s probably something worth keeping.
Do you know what styles you dislike? Are there any features that won’t work for your kitchen design? Many homeowners might feel attracted to a trending design without thinking about the practicality and cost implications for their lifestyle.
For instance, although marble has a stunning look, many people don’t realize that it’s difficult to maintain and is prone to chipping and cracking, unlike other more durable surfaces like granite, quartz, or quartzite.
Reading resources from kitchen remodelers can help you explore the best practices and discover key advice for modern kitchen remodels.
3. Some Cases, Less Is More
As professional kitchen designers, we probably shouldn’t be telling you this secret, but when it comes to kitchen remodeling, occasionally the best advice is “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!”
If your kitchen is still functional, strong, and working for your home or property, ask yourself this question: does my kitchen need an entire remodel or just a refresh?
Following all the latest trends makes your kitchen feel outdated more quickly, and that can affect how you feel about your home. But instead of an entire remodel, updating just your countertops can help transform the look of your kitchen.
Can you accomplish your vision by keeping your existing flooring and backsplash? Are your kitchen remodel goals focused on upgrading the style rather than function? If so, it’s possible that your kitchen remodel might just come down to ordering new countertops from your local kitchen cabinet supplier. Ensure you check out all your new kitchen design options – you might be amazed at the difference a small change can make.
4. Key Kitchen Design Budget Rule: Don’t Forget Resale Value
It is estimated that kitchen remodels yield a national average return on investment (ROI) ranging from 52.5% and 71.2%. Whether you’re contemplating selling your home soon, far into the future, or simply aiming to maximize immediate profits, keeping ROI in mind is crucial.
For you, this means considering a few key factors. Prospective buyers place significant value on a beautiful and functional kitchen, so have some fun. Be smart with your kitchen design budget, but remember that investing in major features such as new appliances, countertops, and cabinetry can potentially increase your home’s value beyond your expectations.
However, it’s important to proceed with caution and ensure your financial investment aligns with potential returns. Forbes recommends allocating approximately 10% of your home’s value towards a kitchen remodel, covering both materials and labor costs. For instance, if your home is valued at $250,000, spending $60,000 on a kitchen remodel might not yield proportional returns, whereas a $50,000 investment in a $2,500,000 home could be justified given the higher property value.
If you need expert guidance to determine a reasonable budget for your kitchen remodel, Elegant Kitchen and Design is ready to assist you at any time.
5. What’s Your Style?
If you’re keeping elements of your traditional kitchen, pick modern designs carefully. If you’re adding warmth to a modern kitchen, go with a kitchen design that still fits in with your look. Do you have an open plan kitchen? If so, make sure it flows perfectly with the rest of your home and any future designs you might change or add.
While this might sound complicated, a professional kitchen designer like Elegant Kitchen and Design can offer you advice and help you pick beautiful or trendy kitchen designs and features that ensure continuity in your home. Unsure of your style or what will blend with existing home features? We can even suggest specific materials and evergreen designs that will work with any existing or future design.
6. Order Is the Golden Rule
One common challenge homeowners and kitchen remodel contractors encounter is integrating appliances into cabinets. Our advice is to follow the sequence : appliances, cabinets, then countertops. Appliances have to be chosen first as the kitchen design will be measured around them. Once you know what appliances you’ll have, you can then measure for cabinets, followed by countertops. That way you can be sure that everything fits from start to finish!
7. When Seeking Professional Help and Advice, Find a Trustworthy Kitchen Designer Who Cares
Partnering with Elegant Kitchen and Design means working with a team who understands what it means to make your vision come to life and see outstanding results.
With our unparalleled quality, selection, and service, we’re here to help you create beautiful, functional spaces. Call us today to learn more about how we can elevate your remodeling projects and become your trusted partner in design and craftsmanship.
