There are many reasons why homeowners consider renovating their kitchen. For starters, you might want to upgrade your cooking space to improve its functionality or maybe enhance its aesthetics. Kitchen remodeling is an exciting home improvement project, but it has more to it than what meets the eye. You just can’t undergo major changes without giving it much thought. Careful planning and visualization are key elements to a successful kitchen renovation job. Besides, there is a list of dos and don’ts that you must take a look at before starting the process.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Kitchen Remodeling Ideas: Some Dos and Don’ts for You to Consider
A kitchen is not just a place where you spend your time cooking and serving, it is the true heart of the home – where the family gathers to have a heart-to-heart conversation, while enjoying their favourite meal. When it comes to remodeling or renovating a kitchen, there are many aspects to consider – from enhancing the aesthetics to improving its functionality – a lot is at play. For your convenience, we have listed down some dos and don’ts that you must consider.
What You Should Do when Remodeling a Kitchen?
Here is a list of dos when renovating your kitchen.
- Careful planning and visualizing
- Understand the purpose of the space
- Enhance functionality
- Lighting is important
- Add a kitchen island
- Place pull-out racks
- Consider ample storage spaces
Let’s discuss these in detail:
Careful planning and visualizing
Before discussing your options with the architect, make a list of your preferences. Take a good look at the current layout and plan accordingly. If possible, download an app on which you can design the kitchen and see what works for you and what doesn’t. Take your own sweet time during the planning phase. It is important to visualize how the renovated kitchen would look in the end.
Understand the purpose of the space
Do you host elaborate parties at home? You would need a kitchen where you can handle big pots and pans and store them effectively. Similarly, if you are a cook, who is dependent on appliances then there should be a dedicated space for it in your kitchen. On the other hand, if your kitchen is a high-traffic area and your family hangs out and dines in the kitchen, then the flooring and finishes should be able to handle the heavy foot traffic. Learn more about which flooring is best for high-traffic areas.
Enhance functionality
Kitchen is a functional room. It is important to keep that in mind when renovating. For instance, if you keep the waste bin near the sink it will improve your functionality. Place electrical sockets at key points where you can plug in your appliances whenever needed. A spice rack just above your cooking range is a good idea. Experts advise storing heavy pots and pans in the cabinets below and not on the shelf above the countertop as it can fall off causing damage to the flooring.
Lighting is important
One of the most effective kitchen remodeling ideas is to enhance the lighting. Recessed lights should be aligned above the countertop so that when you work or cut veggies you are able to see clearly. If you can manage your budget well and are renovating for the purpose of reselling it later, then place show lights in the ceiling to make it look appealing and attractive.
Add a kitchen island
If space allows you, consider having a kitchen island. There are plenty of kitchen island design ideas that can work for you. Adding a kitchen island instantly spruces up the décor of the room and also increases the functionality as you get an extra working space apart from the usual kitchen countertop.
Place pull-out racks
A spice rack in the kitchen cabinet or a pull-out drawer will definitely make your life easier! A pull-out rack is one of the best additions you can make in your kitchen when renovating it to enhance its functionality. It is quite handy to place plates, cups and spoons in compartmentalized sections in the drawer or cabinet. It would save you a lot of your time.
Consider ample storage spaces
There is never enough storage in a kitchen. You are always in need of more storage spaces. If your architect can add more storage space in the existing layout then this is one of the factors to consider when remodeling a kitchen.
What are the Common Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid?
Be careful of these kitchen design mistakes when renovating the kitchen.
- Don’t choose a generic design
- Overcrowding looks bad
- Placement of fridge should be right
- Keep resale value in mind
- Don’t obstruct the golden triangle
Let’s discuss these in detail.
Don’t choose a generic design
Never go for a cookie-cutter design template for your kitchen. Even if you have time constraints don’t go for a generic design for your kitchen. A generic design will not take into account your special needs and preferences and the result would be a kitchen remodel that is not much useful to you.
Overcrowding looks bad
Although the entire kitchen remodeling process can be a bit overwhelming, it is not recommended to overcrowd the kitchen or it will look stuffy and lose its charm. If you want to make a lot of additions in the existing kitchen, then first plan it out keeping the present available space in mind or the kitchen would look much smaller when you are done with your renovation. Let cooking be a clutter-free, fun experience.
Placement of fridge should be right
Position your refrigerator the right way. One of the biggest kitchen design mistakes you should avoid is to place the refrigerator at the right spot. It is a kitchen essential and most used appliance. If you place it too close to the wall, you won’t be able to open the kitchen door which can cause a lot of unnecessary hassle. Remember to leave a lot of room around your refrigerator.
Keep resale value in mind
Some of the common mistakes in kitchen remodeling is that homeowners don’t keep the resale value in mind. You may not know but you might resell your property down the road. It is always a wise decision to design your kitchen in a way that your property’s worth increases. Moreover, keep the current price trends in your neighbourhood in mind. You don’t want to overspend on renovating your kitchen and price yourself out of the neighbourhood when it comes to selling.
Don’t obstruct the golden triangle
Interior designers refer to the sink, cooktop and refrigerator as the golden triangle. The concept was introduced in the 1940s to make the place more efficient by maximizing the functionality of these used workspaces. Please note each leg of the triangle should note be less than 4 feet and greater than 9 feet. The sum distance of all three legs shouldn’t be less than 13 feet or exceed 26 feet. If the above-mentioned dimension is small people can trip over, but if it is too large then prepping for food and cleaning tasks can become quite tiring because of the extra space between these most used workspaces.
We hope this list of dos and don’ts of kitchen remodeling would prove useful to you. If you are renovating your entire home, then take a look at these informative blogs on the subject:
- Some simple hacks to renovate your home
- How to prepare for a home remodeling project
- Common home renovation mistakes and how to avoid them
- Tips to manage a structural renovation project
Don’t forget to write to us at blog@zameen.com and we will surely get back to you. Subscribe to the Zameen Newsletter appearing on the right hand side of the page. Stay tuned to the Zameen Blog, the best real estate blog in Pakistan.
