Long before the demolition, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lumber, drywall and a few dumpster loads …

1.  Create a renovation notebook, do a rough sketch of the room and measure the space … twice. Write it down.
2. Pick out the kitchen appliances, microwave, vent hood, sink, faucet, lighting and where the garbage goes, to start planning the kitchen design.
3. High profile kitchen faucets might look good but they splash everywhere. Going to replace mine with a medium to low profile kitchen faucet instead.
4.  Buy the big fridge.
5.  Think double oven.
6.  Buy a dishwasher with a stainless interior.
7.  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.
8. Slab (flat front) cupboards are easier to maintain, look amazing and may prove to be cheaper.
9.  Design deep drawers for base cupboards, instead of cupboards with adjustable shelves.
10.  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.
11. 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.
12. 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.