The Kitchen Man Remodeling

When it comes to having your dream kitchen designed, there are a few things to keep in mind before you actually begin.

First; Plan. Then, plan again. Then talk to your remodeler about your plan.

The Plan

Think about this planning stage as your roadmap to not only getting everything you dreamed about but also as a way to help maximize your investment, after all, if the newly remodeled kitchen does not add value to your home, what is the point? The planning stage should actually take longer than the actual remodel and The Kitchen Man can assist you with this right from the beginning.

Footprint

If your current kitchen is 18 x 20 feet (360 square feet), try to imagine your new design within those constraints. Adding additional square footage can really drive the cost up, so imagine your space with nothing in it, and work from that bare canvas. At The Kitchen Man, we have tools and software to help you design not only the look you desire but the function to match the form.

Appliances

Let’s be real for a minute. We all love the look of six-burner Viking stoves and those luxurious Sub Zero refrigerators, but unless you plan on devoting half of your remodeling budget to gadgetry, stick with what actually serves the purpose that is in your PLAN (there’s that word again). If you have a large family and need to keep four gallons of milk, three jugs of OJ and a side of beef cold, opt for a large capacity fridge. If gourmet cooking is up-your-alley, then, by all means, opt for a gas range and double ovens, but if most of your dinner prep is either made by telephone or microwave, save the budget and opt for a nice low maintenance ceramic or glass top stove, with matching high wattage microwave.

Lighting

Don’t underestimate the design effect of well-placed and high utility lighting. Low wattage options for accenting cabinetry and high-intensity spots to illuminate work areas can make a big difference in not only the appeal but the actual value of a remodeled kitchen. The Kitchen Man has vast experience in the lighting-as-design-element area and can offer suggestions during the planning stage that will shorten the construction phase, by having all hardware on hand before installation begins.

Cabinetry

Keep in mind that cabinets are for storing things, so plan for cabinet designs that maximize what you can store. Narrow cabinets that can’t hold a pasta pot are a waste of space. Are most of the people in your family shall we say, vertically challenged? If so, the best use of maximized cabinet storage may be below your countertops so you are not forever running around your new kitchen with a step ladder, or wearing circus stilts to cook.

Frugality

By all means be frugal, do not, however, be cheap. Substandard or cheaper quality materials will come back to bite you in more ways than one. You will not get the life you want out of your new kitchen and over time, those products or materials will deteriorate. They will diminish the value of your home and spoil the reason you remodeled in the first place, as an investment.

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