Get Started Right on Your Kitchen Remodel

We're not quite finished, but you can get an idea of what our kitchen will look like. To see the before and during pictures, visit interior design psychology.

Plan Your Kitchen Remodel

It's true with any remodeling project, of course, but a well-designed, detailed plan is especially important when it comes to remodeling your kitchen. Regardless of whether you're planning to do it yourself or will be using the help of a professional, your first step will be working out a plan that will address three main kitchen criteria: food preparation, storage, and clean-up.

In the 1950s, and up until a relatively sort time ago, kitchens were designed in a triangular pattern, with the three points of the triangle being the stove, refrigerator, and sink. It was considered the most efficient set up at a time when most women stayed home during the day and worked by themselves, making the family's meals from scratch.

Of course, that's no longer the case, so kitchens have evolved to match people's cooking habits, since most women now work outside of the home, share cooking duties with their husbands or significant others, and prepare only a few meals from scratch. To reflect those changes, modern kitchens are designed with multiple work areas, including islands, to allow more than one person to work in the kitchen at one time. Many kitchens even include two sinks, in the island and on the traditional countertops, to further facilitate the division of labor.

Since nearly twice as much storage room is required in modern kitchens, cabinets become a major issue when planning a remodel. You'll want to decide on the types of surfaces, colors, materials, and styles that match both your preference and budget.

The same is true with countertops. They should be durable and attractive, yet well within your price range. One thing to consider is that expensive surfaces such as granite or marble may be extremely desirable, but they are very difficult for the average do-it-yourselfer to work with.

When it comes to flooring, modern kitchens are now generally done in vinyl, as opposed to the linoleum that was most commonly found in 50s kitchens. Whether you use sheets or tiles, you'll have a wide variety of styles and textures to choose from. Wood floors have also been making a comeback in both high end and moderately priced kitchens.

Kitchen sinks can be found in cast iron, stainless steel, stone, and plastic. Kitchen sinks come in many styles and colors, as do the faucets to fill them. Whether you choose a single or double sink, with one handle or two on your faucet will again be limited only by your taste and budget.

A similar variety of will be available in stoves, microwaves, range hoods, refrigerators, and freezers. It's up to you to decide what works best for you, without breaking your budget. But regardless of what you choose, it all begins with sitting down and working out a detailed plan of what you want in your new kitchen.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

The Joy of Linoleum Flooring

I know, your grandmother's house had linoleum, and it was dull, cold, lifeless, and hard to keep clean. But that's all a thing of the past. The new linoleum has a great deal to offer. Let's look at some of linoleum's advantages. Linoleum Flooring

Kitchen Remodeling Questions

We're remodeling our kitchen and I've posted before and during pictures on the website: Interior Design Psychology

Next, our bathroom.

I'm keeping a journal on the kitchen and bathroom design and remodel. Send me your questions and I'll include them in the next free ebook for the interior design newsletter readers.

Bathroom Remodeling on a Budget

Can't Remodel Your Bathroom all at Once? Try Doing it in Stages
Remodeling a bathroom is high on many homeowners' lists, but the amount of money it can cost can be daunting. However, if you plan carefully, shop hard, and work in stages, a bathroom upgrade won't break your budget. Budget Bathroom Remodeling

Kitchen Remodeling on a Budget

You can also save lots of interest charges and years of payments by remodeling your kitchen a little at time and paying as you go. Budget Kitchen Remodeling

A Few Home Remodeling Rules

When you begin to think about remodeling your home, it's easy to go overboard, tackle too much, or overspend. However, if you follow a few basic home remodeling rules, you can avoid those difficulties. Here are some things to think about--even before you begin your remodeling project.

First, allow for the project to cost more than you originally thought it would. Regardless of which room you decide to remodel, you will typically find your ultimate cost to be about 25 percent higher than your original estimate. The same 25 percent figure also applies to the amount of time it will take to complete the project.

For example, if you have decided to spend $10,000 to remodel your kitchen and give yourself five weeks to finish the job, you can generally expect to end up spending about $12,500 and seven weeks on the project. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but one thing experienced remodeling professionals have learned--always expect the unexpected.

Next, take your measurements carefully, and do lots of research concerning the types of things that are available on the market to help you accomplish your remodeling goal. Go to your home improvement store and get test paint color samples. You can generally also obtain test samples of flooring materials such as carpet or hardwood flooring. Don't be afraid to ask your retailer for samples. They expect it, and are generally happy to supply them. They want you to be happy--and you don't want to make an expensive mistake by choosing the wrong materials. Ask your home improvement professionals for their input, as well. They will normally be aware of the latest developments in whatever field of remodeling you're going to tackle. Again, that's their job, and they will be happy to help.

Third, once you've decided on your main components, don't forget to spend time on the small things, as well. It's easy to get caught up in deciding upon big ticket items, but it's often the small things, like trim, accent colors, and hardware that really make a remodeling project come to life.

Fourth, don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, remodeling is a sort of organic process, in which you're going to make mistakes, you're going to change your mind and do things somewhat differently than you had originally planned, and you're going to run into things that you hadn't anticipated. That's all part of the remodeling game, so just roll with it.

Finally, try to use the best quality of materials you can afford. If you're planning to be in your home for awhile, you're going to be living with the materials and hardware you use in your remodel, so you want them to be as nice as you can. It’s not worth it to sacrifice your future enjoyment of the materials by skimping on quality during the remodeling job. Cheaper products also generally have a shorter lifespan, so they may actually end up costing more in the long run, once you have to replace them again.

Overall, remodeling can be a rewarding experience, if you just follow a few simple rules and use common sense along the way.

Copyright 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

New website to help you with Home Makeover Ideas



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