Planning Your Kitchen 1/3

Inspiration

Create a Kitchen Stylebook

Trying to figure out a design and style of a kitchen can be somewhat overwhelming. Odds are you have been leafing through design magazines and watching HGTV. While looking through magazines, tear out any photos that may appeal to you. Start a binder with clear sheet protectors to organize details such as cabinet door styles, color, and finish. The Internet is also a great source for inspiration. Check out the websites of your favorite home shows for project and product details. As your stylebook grows, you will begin to get a better sense of your desired style and are well on your way to designing your dream kitchen. This also provides your kitchen designer with helpful ideas.

Define Your Custom Kitchen Goal

There's obviously a reason you want to remodel your kitchen. What is it? Perhaps you want a kitchen that will help with resale in a few years. Maybe you desire a kitchen built for entertaining or one that allows several people to cook at once. This is the time to assess your needs and wants. Make notes about how you plan to use the remodeled space, then try to distill all that information into a one- or two-sentence goal such as, "My casual and open kitchen will be a place for family and friends to relax and enjoy healthy meals."

Create a Kitchen Financial Budget

First, conduct a thorough and honest examination of your finances to reveal how much you can afford to spend. With that number in hand ask yourself, "How long do I plan to stay in my home?" Here's a flexible rule of thumb: "If a person is going to stay in a home for five years or less then the improvements should be viewed as improvements on investment. If you're going to be there for a longer period of time, you want to look at what's going to make you and your family the most comfortable." Depending on how you answer that question, your budget might need to cover a kitchen facelift (for example, a new countertop and a fresh hue for the walls) or a complete kitchen overhaul. No matter how long you plan to stay, give careful consideration to what the remodel will do to the value of your house, and then compare it with others in the neighborhood.

Set a Kitchen Time Budget

When most people hear the word budget, they automatically think of money. However, when remodeling, it's also important to budget time. Is there an event on the calendar that would be affected if your kitchen were under construction? Discuss your time budget when interviewing potential remodelers.

Have Realistic Expectations

Above all else make sure you have reasonable expectations when it comes to your kitchen remodel. Talk to people who have been through the process before.