Things to Consider When Remodeling a Kitchen

Credit: Rene Asmussen

The kitchen is the center of a house: it’s where family and friends congregate to cook, relax, and entertain. Updating and remodeling your kitchen can completely change the feel of your home and it is very important to think deeply about the changes you want to make to ensure you create a beautiful and functional kitchen. Here are a few things to keep in mind while planning your remodel!

Budget:

First on the list is how much money you are willing to spend on your new kitchen. Are you going to update existing items, such as painting cabinets or changing out sink fixtures? Or do you want to do a larger remodel and break down walls or change the floorplan of the kitchen? It's important to research each item you want to change or update, and look into pricing. Consider making a list of all the items and their respective costs, and see if the total fits within your budget. Watch out for hidden costs such as paying a contractor for bigger changes or if you need to redo plumbing and electrical with the new updates.

How long will you be in the home:

If the home you are in is temporary and you are going to be moving in the next five years, now might not be the time to go all out and build your dream kitchen. Saving your money now and spending it on your new home may be a better option. However, this does not mean you shouldn’t still make smaller and more affordable changes to enjoy this kitchen while you are still in it!

How often do you cook:

Do you spend your nights cooking gourmet meals or do you find yourself eating out most nights? If the second option sounds more like you, it may not be the most economical choice to spend a lot of money on the newest and greatest appliances that will barely get used. However, if cooking is a passion of yours, it makes more sense to splurge on appliances that will help you hone your cooking skills.

What do you cook:

Another thing to consider is what you cook the most, and how you can add things to the kitchen to make these things easier to make. For example, if you cook a lot of pasta, a pot filler faucet over your stove will eliminate the need to carry a heavy pot full of water from the sink every time. Also, consider who cooks - is it typically one person in the kitchen or do you need room for multiple people to cook side by side? It's important to make sure your kitchen is both aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.