What you should consider BEFORE you start your Kitchen Renovation.
My expert tips on what you should consider BEFORE you start your kitchen renovation project.
Brisbane Kitchen Designer, Marilena Baynes
If you’re looking to embark on a kitchen renovation, here’s some things you will want to consider before you start ripping out benchtops and appliances. As a certified kitchen designer, I’ve learnt a thing or two so let me share them with you.
Reason for Renovating?
Your decisions on this journey will be vastly different, depending on your reason for renovating. Consider why you’re renovating. Do you plan to sell? It this your long term home? Is this an investment property? It’s important to understand this so you can prioritise and set a budget.
For example, if we were preparing a home for sale, we may not be as concerned about the durability of finishes, but we’d be trying to make it appeal to the target market. Where as if we’re renovating because its your long term home, you want a design that works for the way you live and you’d want to be choosing fixtures, fittings and finishes that you absolutely love! And that will endure the longer term. By clearly knowing these priorities, we’re less likely to waste resources and get carried away which ultimately can impact your budget and timeline.
Kitchen Layout
Next we need to consider the layout. Is a kitchen relocation required. Is the kitchen in the best part of the home? Does your budget allow for a relocation? Sometimes its not always possible but in other instances, when we are perfecting the home for the long term, relocating the kitchen may well be worth considering.
When designing the best layout for the kitchen, think about how that kitchen is used. A good starting point is the kitchen triangle concept. Where we look at the location of the cooktop, sink and fridge and make sure there are moderate distances between. This ensures your kitchen functions well by avoiding lots of movement between the functional areas.
But an even better approach is to think about your kitchen in terms of zones. Our friends at Hettich recommend allocating space for different functions such as cutlery & crockery, cleaning & waste, food preparation, pots & pans and foot storage.
Its so important to take time with the layout and design before you get too far down the track.
Interior Design Style
Now the juicy part – what style of kitchen will you go for?
One of the biggest mistakes I see in renovations is when home owners work against the natural architecture of their home. So for example, imagine I put a Hamptons style kitchen into a mid century 1970s home. What do you think that would do to the place? Do you think it would blend in? It’s ok to mix styles, but they need to connect somehow. Otherwise you’re going to date your home.
Some of the most popular Interior Design styles are Modern, Mid Century, Contemporary, Industrial, Minimalist, Coastal Scandi, Traditional, Classic, Hamptons & French Provincial style.
Materials, Cabinetry, Benchtops & Finishes
Once we’ve selected a style, we need to think about the materials and finishes. And this will often by dependant on your overall budget.
Benchtops - do you prefer natural stone, sintered stone, solid surface, stainless steel, timber, tiled? You can read about all the pros and cons of kitchen benchtop materials here.
Cabinetry - In terms of cabinetry there’s a range of materials – again there are pros and cons of each and your choice will depend on the overall look, durability and budget. Also consider how do you want these cabinets to look. Do you want a profile design like the popular Shaker Style cabinets or would you prefer a more modern flat finish?
Handles - too handle or not too handle, that is the question. When it comes to handles, there are lots of practical considerations and hundreds of design types. Handle-less with push to open. Edge profile with a finger pull. Cabinet knobs. Cup handles. Bar Handles, T Bars, Bow Handles. Not to mention choosing a finish – copper, bronze, metal, timber etc. Ultimately you want a handle that suits your design style and has the practical benefits you require.
Splashbacks & Back Panels - In terms of splashback, there are many options – mosaic tiles, large format tiles, glass, windows, benchtop continuation. Splashbacks are a great opportunity to introduce pattern and colour but these definitely practical considerations depending on what type of cook top your going for.
Flooring - Kitchen floors go through a lot of wear and tear. Between spills and drips, heat and dropped utensils, as well as the constant plod of feet, the flooring in this space needs to handle multiple hazards and look good while doing it. Not every material is well suited for this location, and some kitchen flooring options will last longer than others and with less maintenance. Balancing style, function, and comfort is the key to making the right choice.
Here are several different kitchen flooring options to consider for one of the highest-traffic areas of your home. Hardwood, Bamboo, Ceramic Tiles, Concrete, Natural Stone Tile and Vinyl.
Plumbing fixtures - And then plumbing, have a think about sinks, mixers, pot fillers, Zip taps – plan these early so they can be included in your layout. Things like Zip taps need additional cabinet space to house the working components. Pot fillers will require additional plumbing. Undermount sinks vs inset sinks, vs drop in sinks. Which do you prefer. What are the pros and cons. Ask around and make your decisions early.
Appliances & Fittings
Its important to know what appliances you’d like in your kitchen from the design phase. Suppliers such as Winnings and Harvey Norman have expert staff on hand that can show you through the pros and cons and help you choose whats right for you. The world of ovens is quite complex these days with everything from steamers and combi’s, to soave and pyrolytic. Cooktops come in electric, induction, gas or a combination or can be installed directly into your benchtop like the popular The Pitt cooker . Choosing early in the process means they’ll be included in your design, included in the electrical plan and you’ll be able to shop the best price.
Choose your appliances for your kitchen renovation before you start demolition.
Smart Kitchen Storage Solutions
Be smart with storage. Staying organised with innovative internal fittings. Maintaining a well-ordered kitchen to reduce stress and save time. Here’s a couple of ideas of products that make meal preparation a little easier…
Under sink waste bin by @Hettich
The space step by @Blum
The Space Twin by @Blum
Inner Drawers
Sink Cabinet Drawers
Plate holders
The Space Tower by @Blum
Kitchen Lighting
We need to consider a couple of things to think about when it comes to lighting. Starting with natural light – does my space get sufficient natural light? And if not, how can I improve this. Solutions include additional or widening windows, changing the glazing, installing sky lights and even changing the wall paint colour.
Once you’ve got the natural light sorted, have a think about your man made lighting. There are 3 levels of lighting to consider;
The Task lighting – to enable you to see what your doing – its usually fairly bright – you’d want this in food preparation areas.
Ambient lighting – this is the general lighting within the room and quite uniform in nature, such as a ceiling mounted or recessed fixtures, wall lights or pendant lights.
Accent lighting – this will highlight a specific feature or area. It could be LED lights within a dry bar or directional down lights onto a piece of art.
My rule of thumb with lighting is think about what you’re trying to light up and why. You’d ideally have a combination of these in any kitchen. And dimmers are your friends, allowing you flexibility to move from bright task lighting when your cooking to softer lighting when your entertaining.
There’s alot of consider. So why not seek some help. We offer an extensive kitchen design package including floorplans and elevations, help sourcing the right trades, project coordination and assistance with choosing your fixtures, fittings and finishes. Check out our Kitchen Design service page here.
