Tired of browsing through glossy home and décor magazines, admiring other people’s kitchens and wishing yours would look just like that? Then it’s time to stop dreaming and start acting. The perfect kitchen won’t materialize out of nowhere just by thinking about it. So, you have to roll up your sleeves and get down to business.
However, if you’ve never designed a kitchen from scratch or taken on a big kitchen remodel project before, the mere thought of starting the process can be nerve-racking. It’s difficult to figure out where to start and what steps you should take to put your ideas into practice. Apart from that, there’s also the constant worry that you might do something wrong that will ruin your end result.
But fear not. As inexperienced as you might be, bringing your dream kitchen to life is possible, and these tips will teach you how you can achieve your goal.
Start an inspiration board
You may have a million great ideas in your head, but you won’t be able to make any sense of them if you don’t get them organized. Fortunately, an inspirational board can help a lot in this respect. If you’re familiar with Pinterest or Instagram you know what we’re talking about.
Apart from being a very practical thing to do, as it will help you put your vision on paper, starting an inspirational board is also going to be lots of fun. Collect all the items that you draw inspiration from, be it Pinterest images, color palette ideas, or material samples to create a detailed inspiration board. It’s like making a puzzle: as you put different inspirational pieces together, you’ll see how your future kitchen starts to take shape.
Work out a budget
We’re all for dreaming big and letting your imagination run wild, but is your budget as big as your dreams? No great thing can be accomplished without taking financial aspects into consideration. The last thing you want is to start working on a kitchen remodel project and realize midway that you don’t have enough money to go through with it.
You also have to be aware that major renovations usually require quite a hefty investment. That’s why you should work out a budget long before you kick off your project. This will help you figure out where to save and where to splurge, so you can stretch your budget as much as possible. So, grab a pen and paper and start doing the math.
Think about the layout
We can’t discuss dream kitchens without mentioning layouts. For the most effective use of space, you have to choose a kitchen layout that suits your space and needs. Whether it’s L-shaped, straight line, parallel, galley, or island, you have to consider both functionality and visual appeal when choosing your kitchen layout.
Since the kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house and also one that gets easily crowded, you’ll want to make the most out of every square inch you have at your disposal. A proper layout can help you achieve this goal without compromising on style or comfort.
Choose your cabinets
Cabinets are without a doubt the elements with the biggest impact in a kitchen, so you have to put a lot of thought into choosing the right kitchen units for your space. The good news is there’s a wide variety of kitchen cabinets on the market that you can choose from.
The bad news is that you’ll have to limit yourself to picking just one type, which can be really difficult considering the staggering amount of kitchen furniture items you’ll come across once you begin your search. However, it’s important to focus on a few points when deciding on the types of cabinets you’ll purchase such as:
- Colour
- Finish
- Custom vs. prefabricated
- Modern vs traditional
- Storage space
- Organization
Keep these aspects to help you narrow down your search when you start shopping around for kitchen cabinets.
Call in the pros
You might want to do some of the work yourself, as it can help you reduce the overall costs of the projects, but we advise you to be cautious in this respect. While some tasks might seem like a walk in the park, others require professional skills and knowledge, so be careful not to overestimate your handyman skills. For complicated tasks, it’s best to hire qualified contractors.
Not only will they finish the job a lot faster than you would, but it also ensures that everything gets done right the first time and you’ll be happy with the end result. Besides, some of the jobs involved in a kitchen remodel project can be downright dangerous if you’re not qualified to perform them, and no dream kitchen is worth risking your health.
Bring in the appliances
A kitchen serves a lot of purposes these days: it’s the room where you sip your coffee in the morning, the room where your kids come to do their homework, and a party venue where family and friends come over. But the primary purpose of the kitchen is to be a suitable space for preparing food. And for that, you need to have the right appliances.
Choosing suitable appliances for your kitchen can make your life infinitely easier, so you’ll have to be very careful when selecting them. It makes sense to spend more money on the appliances that you plan on using frequently. Also, try to choose appliances that work well with your kitchen design.
Add personal touches
We all know that the kitchen is the heart of the house, but it does take some effort and planning to achieve this status. Newly-built kitchens tend to look a bit sterile, so if you want to avoid this, you should focus on adding personal touches to bring in some warmth and add give your kitchen character. Use your imagination and choose décor items that reflect your personality and style. And just like that, you’re one step closer to turning your dream kitchen into a reality.
