The kitchen is the heart of our homes, and it is not only where many families prepare and eat their meals, it is also the place to sit down and chat with friends and family members. Creating the perfect kitchen can bring so many benefits to your home and lifestyle, and there are so many beautiful styles that you can follow in order to maximize your kitchen space. From sourcing the best appliances to utilizing every inch of space in your kitchen, with a little careful planning and a touch of creative ingenuity, the kitchen is one of the best rooms in a home to renovate. A great kitchen will add real value to your home, far beyond the money you invest, so it is always a renovation project which is worth doing.
To help everyone out there looking to create a really special room in their home here is how to plan out your perfect kitchen.
1. DECIDE ON YOUR BUDGET
The first thing you will need to do when planning your kitchen is to work out what is a realistic budget. This will then enable you to make all the subsequent decisions and ensure that you won’t run out of money halfway through the renovations. You will need to allot money to appliances, countertops, cupboards, electrics, lighting, painting, and flooring, as well as a little extra for the inevitable unseen costs which always seem to come up. If you have a limited budget, focus on the areas which will provide the most benefits or, if you are renovating your kitchen to add value to your home, the areas which have been proven to be the most financially beneficial.
2. MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THE AVAILABLE SPACE
Unless you are lucky enough to have a huge kitchen where space is not a factor, one of your most important considerations will be how you can make the most out of every available inch of space available to you. As the kitchen is such an important room for many households, an updated kitchen should always be designed around creating the most functional room possible. If you have the space available, a central island can provide a great dining option as well as increasing your storage options with built-in cabinets and drawers. Where space is limited, consider knocking down a wall, if possible, to create an open plan kitchen-living-dining room.
3. CHANGE THE COUNTERTOPS
Changing the countertops in your kitchen is one of the easiest ways to give your kitchen a whole new look. The home renovation experts at this website explain that there are many options available, but it is usually worth spending a little more on higher-quality countertops as they will be far more durable and so will last a lot longer. Many people these days are opting for granite countertops because not only do they look great, but they are incredibly hard and difficult to scratch or damage.
4. REPLACE THE CUPBOARDS AND DRAWERS
Particularly in smaller kitchens, one of the biggest things to consider during the planning process is the available storage options. Many kitchens will be restricted in where you can place your storage, but there are definite upgrades you can make to your current cupboards and drawers. From upgrading to higher quality finishes or soft-closing drawers and cupboard drawers, you will be amazed at how this relatively simple renovation can transform the whole look of your kitchen.
5. BUY TOP OF THE LINE APPLIANCES
If you are a cooking enthusiast, or your kitchen appliances are from the middle ages, a whole new set of top of the line appliances is an excellent addition to a kitchen. When choosing your appliances it is important to think about what kind of cooking you usually do as well as the energy efficiency of the oven or dishwasher you are considering. Kitchen appliances are the biggest sources of energy use in a home, and with more people looking to green, it is always advisable to look for energy conserving models.
6. THINK ABOUT THE COLORS AND LIGHTING
Kitchens are wonderful blank canvases when it comes to color schemes and design materials, and you can really let your creative juices flow when it comes to painting or tiling your kitchen. Lighting should be a mixture of functional and mood lighting so that your kitchen looks great but is also suitable for cooking at any time of the day.
Planning the perfect kitchen is a lot of fun, and if you do it right, it can really improve your life and increase the value of your home. Once you have decided on your budget and worked out how to utilize every inch of space, you can start to think about the functional and aesthetic features. The best kitchens balance functionality with a beautiful design, and this takes careful thought and creativity. Follow the tips in this guide, and you will have a kitchen, which makes all the neighbors jealous.
