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It’s here, it’s time—you’re finally remodeling your kitchen. Whether you’ve been waiting years for this kitchen makeover or are just starting the process, there are so many considerations to take into account before you begin. The Moulding Company wants to help make your home “pop” with details, and we know you have a ton of kitchen ideas, but first, let’s walk through a few helpful tips to make your kitchen remodeling process go as smoothly as possible.
Never Neglect Workflow
Creating too much space between elements in your kitchen can cause a big problem, but it’s something that people often tend to forget when figuring out their kitchen design. You may think you want to move your cooktop clear across the room, but when you’re trying to carry a boiling pot of pasta to the sink, this may cause more hazards than necessary.
It’s also important to remember that foot traffic in your kitchen can get chaotic even if you have a decent layout. Someone could be trying to get to the refrigerator while navigating around hot pans. Especially if you have a kitchen island, make sure that any aisles you have aren’t too narrow so everyone can move about freely.
Think About Appliances Early
You may think that picking out your appliances after designing your kitchen layout is ideal, but it’s actually more logical to think about your appliances early in the design process. Color and aesthetic is one thing, but picking out your refrigerator, stove, or oven can help determine spacing and size restraints for every other element in your kitchen layout. Instead of trying to find an appliance that fits into constrained measurements, you can instead do your kitchen design around them and make sure everything fits exactly how you need it to.
Keep Proportions in Mind
As with the size of your appliances, you’re going to want to think about the proportion of everything in your kitchen and how it relates to the entire kitchen design. You may want two stoves and three ovens, but if you’re working in a small kitchen, they take up too much real estate. Appliances especially take up a lot of space, but consider the amount of surface area and counter space you’re going to need versus how often you’re going to be utilizing double appliances.
Properly Map Out Storage Needs
Pantry pullouts, Lazy Susans—how can you be the most efficient with space in your kitchen design? With any well-designed kitchen, there should be ample storage for all of your smaller kitchen appliances, plates, silverware, and other dishes. A family of four is likely going to need more space than a single homeowner. Take note of what you currently have, if you’ll be downsizing, or if you’ll be adding more once your kitchen remodel is complete. This should help you decide on the ideal amount of storage.
Another type of storage that’s becoming more popular is open shelving, but there can be too much of it if you’re not careful. While open shelves add a really nice, clean aesthetic to your kitchen, just remember that all of your dishes are going to collect dust while sitting out in the open. You’ll also need a place to store larger appliances and some shelves may not be able to hold their weight.
Remember How It’s Supposed to Tie In with the Rest of Your House
Does your dream kitchen have loud, bold colors? Or maybe you want a clean, modern look? While all of those sound ideal, don’t forget what the rest of your house looks like and how everything will flow together. If you have a nice, neutral wall color throughout the house, consider letting that same color flow into the kitchen. You can then add other colors and design elements that complement each other and give your home a seamless design.
Also remember that during your remodel, you’ll want to put up plastic or other protection to keep dirt and dust from messing up the rest of your home. Kitchen remodeling can take weeks to finish, so it’s important to make sure you’re prepared to eat a lot of microwave or takeout meals, too!
How Will Your Doors and Drawers Open?
Have you ever been in a kitchen that has one or two drawers that won’t fully open because they bump into something? Well, let’s try to avoid that when you’re doing your kitchen makeover. Double, or even triple check your measurements to make sure all of your cabinet doors and drawers will open properly.
Mapping Out Electrical Outlets
Nothing can be more frustrating for a cook than running out of outlets for electrical appliances. From the microwave to the coffee maker, make sure you have enough outlets in your kitchen for all of your needs. Most of the time it’s better to err on the side of caution and have more, but also keep your budget in mind. If you need to move or add electrical wiring anywhere in your kitchen design, it’s going to rack up the dollar signs.
Minimize Mid-Work Changes
“Does that shade of blue really go with the wood tone of my cabinets? Maybe I shouldn’t have picked that kind of tile for my backsplash? Should my trim be darker or lighter?” We get it and we’ve all been there—it’s not easy to commit to big changes. Doing a big kitchen remodel involves a lot of big choices that are difficult (and expensive) to change down the road. At The Moulding Company, we understand the importance of the details when it comes to design, but we also want to stress how important it is to stick to your choices.
Changing up design, colors, materials, or an entire layout after work has gotten started is going to put a huge dent in your wallet. If you saw a finished product from an architect, but are unsure about how everything looks mid-way through construction, take a step back and be patient. Trust in yourself and the professionals that the final product will look spectacular.
Seek Professional Advice
Speaking of professionals, it’s okay to not make every choice or design decision yourself. All of the choices you have to make can be extremely overwhelming, so bringing in someone who knows what they’re doing can take loads of stress off of your shoulders. Bring a professional designer or architect your kitchen ideas, detailed images of crown moulding, color swatches you like, or anything else you can think of, and they’ll help you turn all your ideas into something cohesive.
Have Fun!
Finally, the most important thing to remember throughout this chaotic kitchen remodeling process is to have fun. We understand how stressful it can be, but don’t let disagreements with a spouse turn into another added headache. At the end of the day, it’s just a kitchen, and your relationships with your family are more important. Get your kids involved in the process so that they feel included as well, and you’ll be guaranteed to love the final product even more.
If you’re still unsure of some of the details you want to add to your project, contact The Moulding Company today. Our moulding patterns will add the perfect touch of detail and sophistication to your new kitchen and will tie all of your ideas together seamlessly. Send us a message or give us a call and we’ll help take your home from ordinary to extraordinary!