Renovating the kitchen is one of the most meaningful steps in transforming the house you purchased into the home you love. When people talk about the kitchen being in the heart of the home, it’s because of the prominence this space has in a family’s life. So many meaningful moments happen in the kitchen – it is where meals & memories are made.
When planning your new kitchen, there are some things you’ll want to know in order to ensure you’re happy with the final results. Number one on the list?
Planning is a process, and that process takes time.
Benjamin Franklin said if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail. Every great kitchen remodel begins with a well-thought through plan. Creating this plan requires understanding your family lifestyle as it is now, and how it’s likely to be over the next several years. This impacts the practical aspects of kitchen design, including things like how large does the kitchen need to be and what type of storage will be required. Also integral to the plan is your individual style preferences. Getting clear on what aesthetic delights you is an important part of making the right choices in flooring, wall color, cabinetry, countertop and more. As you can see, this is a lot to think about – so give yourself plenty of time to plan.
Design to honor your values.
When we talk about kitchen design that honors your values, it means making sure everything about that space is in alignment with what you want for yourself and your family. For example, let’s take sustainability. Making environmentally friendly choices throughout your renovation can help reduce the household’s carbon footprint, reduce the amount of energy needed to keep the kitchen comfortable, use water more efficiently and more.
Don’t be afraid to bring up issues like sustainability with your kitchen designer. There is an unbelievably wide range of high quality green options in building materials, flooring, wall coverings, and more – as well as things like smart appliances, which use technology to give mother nature a break – and they’ll be able to point you toward some of the best that’s out there.