We have all been there. You love your house. Maybe it is a new house that you just bought. Or maybe it is the house you have been living in for years. Either way, the kitchen has got to go. Perhaps it is as ugly as sin, falling apart from old age, or just doesn't have the functionality that you need? Your kitchen needs a serious upgrade. What do you do now that you made the determination to replace it? Follow these steps to help get your kitchen renovation off to a great and successful start:
Step 1: Determine what was wrong with the old one. That sounds stupid, I know. You obviously know what is wrong or you wouldn't be planning to replace it. But I want you to sit down and write a list of everything that was wrong with the old kitchen. If a space was too cramped, a cabinet in a bad place, no where for certain items to be stored. To get the most out of a new kitchen, you need to know exactly what you hate about the old one. That way you don't repeat those mistakes.
Step 2: Decide what you want in your new kitchen. Again, that sounds basic. But writing a list of features that you are looking for in your new kitchen will help ensure that you get as close to what you are looking for as possible. Do you want seating in the kitchen? Write it on the list. Do you want two sinks or two ovens? Write it on the list. Do you need a space for your baking supplies or a dedicated counter for your coffee bar? Write it down on the list. That list is what the designer will use to maximize the layout of your new kitchen.
Step 3: Set a budget. Kitchen renovations can range anywhere form a small redo for a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on what is being done and what materials you are using. Setting a budget and then sticking as close as possible to it will help keep your project on track and you out of debt. The budget will help you determine if walls can be removed, extentions can be built, what materials and appliances to buy and everything else involved in the creation of a new kitchen. And it is really easy to overspend when creating your new space. So set a budget and try to stick to it. Also, make sure to include some wiggle room. Construction projects very often include unexpected and expensive fixes, so set aside some money for those potential expenses.
Step 4: Hire a kitchen designer. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to redesign the kitchen yourself, unless this is something you are experienced in. There are so many tiny details that can ruin a kitchen if you don't have the know-how to design it properly. Not just in the aesthetics and how the kitchen looks, but in how the kitchen functions as well. Do yourself a big favor and hire a professional. Then show that designer the budget and the two lists you made. The designer will use those two lists, the hated- old kitchen and the wish list, to lay out and design the new kitchen plan. The budget will let them know exactly what they can and cannot do to make the kitchen as fantastic as possible.
Step 5: Hire a contractor. Again, here I suggest that you leave the install to professionals. A professional will know the correct way to install everything and be able to fix most issues as they emerge. Make sure to get references and to have some patience with the process, especially as there are still some supply chain issues making everything take just a little bit (or a lot) longer than it used to.
Step 6: Stay positive and enjoy. Remind yourself over and over again that whether your kitchen is small or large, has a huge budget or a minor one, could accomodate your entire wish list or just part of it, you new kitchen will be a major improvement over your old one. Your joy that you will get working and spending time in your new kitchen will be increase dramatically if you look at it with positivity. It may not be perfect (there will always be something you won't be happy about) or as large as you wanted it to be, but if you keep in mind how much better it is than your old one, you will enjoy it so much more. And remember that a kitchen doesn't need to be huge or have the most expensive materials and appliances to be a functional and happy space.
Wishing everyone a smooth and joyful process in taking their kitchens from old and hated to new and loved!
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