Kitchen Confidential – Top 10 List: Planning your Renovation
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| Image via Dwell |
Over the last ten years as a designer I have learned many things. One of them is that a kitchen renovation should not be entered into lightly. As the heart and hub of your home, your kitchen is the most used room in your house (unless of course you live on take-out!). As such, renovating can really interrupt your family’s way of life.
Transforming your kitchen can also transform the way you feel and function while spending so much time in it, so no doubt it is well worth the effort! If you’re considering taking on the renovation of this most important space in your home, here are some things you should consider:
TIMING: Try to plan your kitchen reno in a season when your cooking is not in extremely high demand. {Translation: avoid December like the plague!} I recommend Spring or Summer kitchen renos whenever possible so that the BBQ can become your alternate cooktop while the kitchen is out of commission. And when in doubt: WAIT. Pushing to get a reno done for a “magical event” always adds stress (both to the event and to the reno itself). If there is a family wedding or a Christmas gathering coming up, either give yourself a finish date of a month before the event or wait until the event has passed before you pull your kitchen (and seemingly your life) apart. The “magic of Christmas” is not so magical when you’re in tears because you can’t cook the turkey in your unfinished kitchen.
BUDGET: Make sure you take all of the elements into consideration, and ALWAYS do a complete budget before you start. Sticker shock is a real thing, friends. The cost of granite counters, beautiful backsplashes and the perfect cabinetry hardware have caught many an unsuspecting renovator off-guard. Finishing touches are SO important. They can make or break the end result, so leave no stone unturned as you create that all-important spreadsheet!
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| Kitchen design by Julie Charbonneau; Image via House & Home |
Here’s the TOP TEN LIST of what you should include in your budget:
1. Designer – renovating your kitchen is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your home. It is what sells your house when you’re ready to move on, and if you stay, you’ll be living with it for a long time. Enlist the help of a creative professional who can help you define and design your vision. A good designer will walk you through the process of making your dream a reality as both editor and coach. They will help you think through both form and function – how do you want the kitchen to look and feel, and how will you work in it? They will also offer incredible and innovative ideas that you might never have considered. Knowing they have their finger on the pulse of the latest in innovation and design, it is worth investing in this trust relationship. You will not regret the money spent when you see the finished product.
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| Sommelier’s Desk – Kitchen designed by Sarah Walker Style + Design |
2. Contractor – I highly recommend using a contractor to function as the project manager for demolition, coordination of sub-trades such as drywallers, painters, electricians, stone installers, etc. Yes, this adds to your project costs, but it also adds to your SANITY. Unless you are very experienced, you do not want to enter into a kitchen reno unsupported by professionals. Make sure you engage your designer in the process of selecting your contractor. The working relationship between these two key players is essential to the success of your project, so you want to ensure that you find a contractor who is experienced at executing designs other than the ones he came up with himself. Also consider donating your old cabinets to Habitat for Humanity’s Re:Store. You’ll get a tax credit for the sale value, you’ll be kinder to the environment by not adding to the dump, and the proceeds will go to a fantastic cause.
3. Structural changes – are you moving any walls? Replacing any windows? Replacing drywall? Take it all into account and ROUND UP.
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| Image via Pinterest |
4. Cabinetry – Good quality cabinetry is definitely available in a wide range of price points, but not all cabinet makers are created equal. Be sure you are hiring a qualified and reputable company. Ask for references! Go to see some of their installations. Ask a lot of questions about what kind of hardware is included in your quote (such as soft close door hinges, garbage and recycling stations, cutlery organizers and more). Find out what kind of warranty they offer. It’s the last 10% of the job (the refining details of their installation) that can make or break the end result. Always allow 10-15% extra in your budget beyond what is quoted, and ensure your quote includes installation and at least one return visit to re-align any doors that aren’t level, etc.
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| Image via Pinterest |
5. Appliances – these should be chosen before you begin the process of cabinetry design as their dimensions will determine layout and cabinetry details. Your appliances are the workhorses of your kitchen, so consider how you cook and how much you like to entertain as you select how much refrigerator space you need and how many burners you should have on your stove top.
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| Kitchen by Croma Design |
6. Countertops + Backsplash – consider your lifestyle and the way you cook when selecting your counter surface. Marble counters are stunning, but they are really for cooks who obsessively clean up while they cook. If you ever leave the sauce spoon on the counter while making your Nonna’s famous tomato sauce, marble is not for you. Granite is available in an ever-expanding array of options that will leave you amazed at what comes out of our good earth. It is far less porous than marble and thus a more user-friendly choice that won’t have you feeling neurotic about your child ever drinking Welch’s Grape Juice in the kitchen again. And if you are after lighter countertops and want the look of marble without the maintenance, I highly recommend Caesarstone which is impervious to stains and even bacteria.
Your backsplash can really transform the look of your kitchen. Consider scale – do you want a tiny mosaic or a larger scale tile? Perhaps you love the classic look of glaze subway tiles or a slightly modern twist with glass? A beautiful slab of book-matched solid marble can be gorgeous here, and this is where to use it.
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| Image via Pinterest |
7. Cabinetry Hardware – this is the jewellery of your kitchen, so be sure to do some research before you set an unrealistic budget. Skimping on the hardware can actually leave a beautiful kitchen looking a bit cheap – like an unfinished outfit. It’s not always about the price you pay, but be sure you choose hardware that creates a cohesive and finished look. I’ve found many a great deal over the years, but I’ve also learned that you may have to be willing to pay more than you expected for your cabinetry hardware. All those doors and drawers add up!
8. Lighting – make sure to include pot lights, pendants, valance lighting, a chandelier if it applies and in-cabinet lighting for any glass door cabinets. Also be sure to ask your cabinetmaker if they coordinate the electrician or if that is up to you. Many don’t manage that for you.
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| Concrete Countertops – Image via Pinterest |
9. Flooring – are you going to carry your hardwood throughout your main floor for a cohesive look? Perhaps you prefer tile. Are you going to add radiant heating to your floor? Once again, consider wear and tear when selecting this material. If you go with natural stone, look for something that will not show every stain or easily crack if something is dropped on it. “Butter fingers” are just a real thing in the kitchen!
10. Plumbing and Sinks – I have a gorgeous, apron front stainless steel sink in my kitchen that is one of the focal points and statements of the room. Without fail, everyone who comes to the house for the first time comments on it. It is both a design feature and one of the most functional choices I made in my kitchen. Same goes for my faucet. Think about things like the size of your roasting pan when selecting your sink. Nothing worse than having to scrub that thing sideways after a gorgeous roast turkey dinner! And I always specify a pull-out faucet. Otherwise cleaning your sink will be a real chore!
OK, so I’m tipping the Top 10 List and (in the spirit of Spinal Tap) I’m going all the way to 11 by adding this last one: Make sure you include a budget for TAKE OUT! In the height of the “drywall dust and bare sub-floor” stage of things, your kitchen is the last place you’ll want to be. The BBQ is great most nights, but there will just be days when you’ve had enough and need to get out of the mess. Treat yourself by pulling this out of your budget for the next couple of months. No doubt you’ll be so in love with your kitchen that you’ll make up for it by going for home cooked meals for months after it’s complete.
Have you seen (or done) a kitchen reno recently that has left you inspired? Tell me about it! I’d love to hear from you.
xo
s.
