Long before the demolition, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lumber, drywall and a few dumpster loads …
- Create a renovation notebook, do a rough sketch of the room and measure the space … twice. Write it down.
- Pick out the kitchen appliances, microwave, vent hood, sink, faucet, lighting and where the garbage goes, to start planning the kitchen design.
- High profile kitchen faucets might look good but they splash everywhere. Going to replace mine with a medium to low profile kitchen faucet instead.
- Buy the big fridge.
- Think double oven.
- Buy a dishwasher with a stainless interior.
- Open kitchen shelves (love+hate) and open storage on top of the cupboards is tough to keep clean. The open shelves I can live with but design your kitchen cupboards so they go all the way up to the ceiling and you’ll never have to clean up there again.
- Slab (flat front) cupboards are easier to maintain, look amazing and may prove to be cheaper.
- Design deep drawers for base cupboards, instead of cupboards with adjustable shelves.
- The big box stores offer kitchen design services that will give you a baseline of where your budget can take you in a full retail environment. If a box store meets your expectations great … expect to pay more for the convenience and resources.
- Can’t afford the box stores? Be the contractor or find one with a list of go-to plumbers, electricians, painters, sheet-rockers and cabinetmakers.
- Promise yourself that you’ll paint the new walls, windows and doors before you install everything else. ( I prefer flat paint on ceilings and satin paint for the walls, woodwork and doors but … the painter thought otherwise.) The End.
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