The kitchen is often the most sought-after renovation or building project. And it’s not always because the kitchen is old, broken, or damaged. In fact, according to recent statistics, 45% of the respondents say they want a kitchen renovation because they simply wanted to do it for a long time and that they finally have the means to do it. In addition, 35% of the respondents say they just want to update their kitchens.
Renovating or building a new kitchen can be a challenging project, especially if you don’t know where or how to start. Of 1,000 homeowners surveyed, 49% considered the kitchen the most stressful space to work on. But with proper planning and decision-making, you can create a beautiful and practical kitchen for you and your family.
To get you started, here are seven pro tips for creating the kitchen of your dreams.
- Hire a design team
Creating and designing your dream kitchen isn’t a one-man job. If you don’t get the right help, you risk committing costly mistakes. Before proceeding, you’ll need to hire a reputable team of kitchen designers to help take and transform your dream kitchen into reality. Hiring kitchen designers comes with these benefits:
- Design expertise
- Proper budgeting and expense tracking
- Project manager
- Avoid costly mistakes
- Ensure you use high-quality kitchen products
You only need to discuss what you want for your dream kitchen, and your team will create a design based on your brief and budget.
Furthermore, one study found that 23% of homeowners prefer hiring kitchen designers to help them with the project, making the process easier for them. So ensure you choose professional kitchen designers with the experience to put your dream kitchen to reality.
2. Assess what you want or need for your kitchen
If you’re renovating an old kitchen, assess your current kitchen space and list all the elements you want to add or remove. Figure out what you want to add or modify for your dream kitchen.
On the other hand, if you’re creating your kitchen from scratch, you can get inspiration from magazines, books, home improvement blogs, or your friends or family’s kitchens. You can also seek your friends’ or family’s advice, especially if they’ve renovated their kitchen in the past so you can avoid their mistakes for your project.
3. Create a detailed outline of your kitchen wall and floor plan
At this point, creating a detailed outline will be easier as you already have a list of things you want for your kitchen. Of course, your kitchen designer can create and produce the kitchen outline. But they’ll need you to point out any changes you’d like from their design.
Remember, the kitchen plan is what your future kitchen will look like. During this stage, you can finalise everything before construction starts. If you’d like to add or remove a wall, create a copy of your first outline and make the necessary changes in the second one. This will give you a clearer picture of the space you’re working with and compare if the new plan is better than the first.
Additionally, don’t forget to consider including the appliances and cabinetry in your kitchen outline. This way, you and the contractors will know where to place these elements.
4. Finalise the layout for your kitchen design
After you’ve created the kitchen outline, you’ll need to finalise the most ideal layout. If you’re renovating, you can keep the current layout as is or undergo major structural changes to try a new layout. For building kitchens from scratch, deciding on a layout is essential for achieving your dream kitchen.
For starters, here are the six primary types of kitchen layouts you can choose from:
- L-Shaped
- U-Shaped
- G-shaped
- Island layout
- Galley layout
- Peninsula layout
According to a recent survey, the L-shaped layout is the most popular layout among homeowners, garnering 35% out of the 1,700 respondents. The L-shaped layout is popular due to its efficiency and versatility. This layout can easily adapt to any space and aesthetic and is also excellent for smaller kitchens. Remember, don’t base on your kitchen layout for on what’s trendy. Base it on your needs and space.
When choosing your kitchen’s final layout, you must consider the following factors:
- The kitchen triangle (sink, stove and refrigerator)
- You and your family’s kitchen lifestyle
- Kitchen flow
- Safety factors
If you’re unsure, you can always consult your kitchen designer to help weigh your options.
5. Research and decide on your appliances and fixtures
With your kitchen outline, layout and other kitchen elements, decide on the appliances and fixtures you need for your kitchen. Try to focus on the brand, type, and size and leave the colour or style later. When researching your appliances and fixtures, don’t forget to refer to the kitchen outline you created earlier to ensure you pick the proper sizes for your appliances.
6. Plan your preferred storage solutions
To help you decide the best storage solutions for your kitchen, list all the food items, cooking equipment, appliances and other things you need to store away. This way, you’ll know what storage option is best for all these.
There are various storage solutions to choose from, such as cabinets, drawers, bench storage and many more. Ensure you maximise your storage space so you have a repository for every kitchen item. This will help you achieve a clean and well-organised kitchen.
7. Put your kitchen design ideas into reality
At this point, you and your kitchen designer will start putting your dream kitchen into reality. Whether you want a modern, vintage or glamorous kitchen design, your designer will help you decide on the decorations, colour schemes, window treatments and lighting fixtures that best suit your chosen design.
What’s next?
With these tips, you can equip yourself for your kitchen project and work your way to achieving the kitchen of your dreams. So plan your budget, hire a kitchen designer, and get ready to start your kitchen project.
- Design expertise
- Proper budgeting and expense tracking
- Project manager
- Avoid costly mistakes
- Ensure you use high-quality kitchen products
You only need to discuss what you want for your dream kitchen, and your team will create a design based on your brief and budget.
Furthermore, one study found that 23% of homeowners prefer hiring kitchen designers to help them with the project, making the process easier for them. So ensure you choose professional kitchen designers with the experience to put your dream kitchen to reality.
8. Assess what you want or need for your kitchen
If you’re renovating an old kitchen, assess your current kitchen space and list all the elements you want to add or remove. Figure out what you want to add or modify for your dream kitchen.
On the other hand, if you’re creating your kitchen from scratch, you can get inspiration from magazines, books, home improvement blogs, or your friends or family’s kitchens. You can also seek your friends’ or family’s advice, especially if they’ve renovated their kitchen in the past so you can avoid their mistakes for your project.
9. Create a detailed outline of your kitchen wall and floor plan
At this point, creating a detailed outline will be easier as you already have a list of things you want for your kitchen. Of course, your kitchen designer can create and produce the kitchen outline. But they’ll need you to point out any changes you’d like from their design.
Remember, the kitchen plan is what your future kitchen will look like. During this stage, you can finalise everything before construction starts. If you’d like to add or remove a wall, create a copy of your first outline and make the necessary changes in the second one. This will give you a clearer picture of the space you’re working with and compare if the new plan is better than the first.
Additionally, don’t forget to consider including the appliances and cabinetry in your kitchen outline. This way, you and the contractors will know where to place these elements.
10. Finalise the layout for your kitchen design
After you’ve created the kitchen outline, you’ll need to finalise the most ideal layout. If you’re renovating, you can keep the current layout as is or undergo major structural changes to try a new layout. For building kitchens from scratch, deciding on a layout is essential for achieving your dream kitchen.
For starters, here are the six primary types of kitchen layouts you can choose from:
- L-Shaped
- U-Shaped
- G-shaped
- Island layout
- Galley layout
- Peninsula layout
According to a recent survey, the L-shaped layout is the most popular layout among homeowners, garnering 35% out of the 1,700 respondents. The L-shaped layout is popular due to its efficiency and versatility. This layout can easily adapt to any space and aesthetic and is also excellent for smaller kitchens. Remember, don’t base on your kitchen layout for on what’s trendy. Base it on your needs and space.
When choosing your kitchen’s final layout, you must consider the following factors:
- The kitchen triangle (sink, stove and refrigerator)
- You and your family’s kitchen lifestyle
- Kitchen flow
- Safety factors
If you’re unsure, you can always consult your kitchen designer to help weigh your options.
11. Research and decide on your appliances and fixtures
With your kitchen outline, layout and other kitchen elements, decide on the appliances and fixtures you need for your kitchen. Try to focus on the brand, type, and size and leave the colour or style later. When researching your appliances and fixtures, don’t forget to refer to the kitchen outline you created earlier to ensure you pick the proper sizes for your appliances.
12. Plan your preferred storage solutions
To help you decide the best storage solutions for your kitchen, list all the food items, cooking equipment, appliances and other things you need to store away. This way, you’ll know what storage option is best for all these.
There are various storage solutions to choose from, such as cabinets, drawers, bench storage and many more. Ensure you maximise your storage space so you have a repository for every kitchen item. This will help you achieve a clean and well-organised kitchen.
13. Put your kitchen design ideas into reality
At this point, you and your kitchen designer will start putting your dream kitchen into reality. Whether you want a modern, vintage or glamorous kitchen design, your designer will help you decide on the decorations, colour schemes, window treatments and lighting fixtures that best suit your chosen design.
What’s next?
With these tips, you can equip yourself for your kitchen project and work your way to achieving the kitchen of your dreams. So plan your budget, hire a kitchen designer, and get ready to start your kitchen project.
