Kitchens are the heart of the home so make sure you plan ahead to get the kitchen renovation of your dreams.
I’m walking you through a recent kitchen renovation and some important steps to consider when planning a kitchen renovation. So let’s dive in to this………..
Modern Farmhouse Kitchen
But first, a look at where we started……
This kitchen was tired and dated with really chopped up counter space, the corner pantry which seemed like such a great idea in the 90’s was completely overpowering the kitchen and making it feel much smaller than it really is. Without moving any structural walls, or putting an addition on the back of the house, this kitchen has been completely transformed.
Check this kitchen out now!
I am not going to lie, kitchens are hard, they are a lot of work and you need to hire professionals to help you. From planning to completion, this is not something I suggest for the average person to undertake. That being said, these are some of the steps I start with when planning a kitchen renovation.
Step 1 - Make lists of of what you want in your renovation.
Don’t start a kitchen renovation without making lists of things like “what works” and “what doesn’t work” and “need to have” or “nice to have”
Always start with asking yourself what drives you crazy about your current kitchen, and also (hopefully) some things you actually like. I will also ask my clients if there are certain activities they do in the kitchen or would like to do in their kitchen beyond the standard meal prep. Run through a typical year in your life and think of how you use your kitchen. This could be things like - baking dozens of cookies, pies or perogies. Or perhaps you love to host your friends for group cooking classes or wine tastings. Do you want to be able to eat in your kitchen or are you happy with seating at the island and have another space for sit down dinners. Also, consider your storage needs. Do you have 3 sets of cutlery, or do you collect bowls in your travels? Maybe you have every appliance known to man and we need to find storage solutions for them. If we can plan for the way you live your life, you will be much happier with your renovation.
Step 2 - Work through the design and layout for your kitchen renovation
While the style of the kitchen is important, it is always important to remember that form always follows function.
Don’t get caught up with what colour your kitchen will be or what you want for a back splash until you have the layout and design confirmed. With this kitchen, we deliberated on different layouts before ending up with the final plan. Easy access to the patio doors, more counter space, a coffee bar and a spacious island with seating for 4 were important. The items that were deemed not important were the corner pantry and a separate table in the nook.
Step 3 - Select your finishes
Once you have your design nailed down, you can make your selections for your finishes.
I am not saying you can’t consider what finishes you will use in your kitchen until you have the layout complete, but don’t get caught up on it. While we will discuss an overall design direction for your kitchen from the beginning, we don’t actually select the finishes until we have the design. For instance, if you are looking for a really modern clean lined look or an ornate traditional look, I will incorporate those details into the design. But when it comes to selecting your paint colour, stain colour, backsplash and handles, that I typically wait to do until after the design is complete.
