How to Plan Kitchen Remodeling to Get the Best Results

If you were to make a record of all the things you do in your home throughout the day, you’d probably find that the kitchen is the most frequently visited room. In addition to being the source of meals and snacks, modern kitchens have become comfortable gathering places, as well as where many people enjoy DIY projects and crafts. It’s easy to see why the kitchen is one of the most important rooms when it comes to selling a house, and why kitchen remodeling is such a good investment for homeowners.

Home remodeling is a major project, so it’s something that you want to approach with the care and preparation it deserves. Kitchen renovation, especially, incurs significant costs, so budgeting is an important part of the planning process, and the step that can save you the most headache later on.

Get Support from the Beginning

One of the major factors in delaying kitchen remodeling is simply not knowing where to start! TWD can help right from the initial stages in two ways: our showroom and our staff.

It’s easy to look at your kitchen and know that it’s time for a change, but not as easy to say what you want instead. A visit to the showroom is the most direct way to find out what the current trends are and to see what you like. Magazines and online searches are also great tools when you are just getting a feel for what’s available, but there’s nothing like the real thing, and our showroom is designed to let you see and feel it all.

We offer a free design consultation right in the showroom so you can ask any questions, and we can show you our suggestions. Why base your kitchen design on just upgrading what’s already there, when you have access to all the different possibilities available to you? Another reason to work with a designer is to get a 3-D rendering of your design, in your actual kitchen. You may love something in the showroom, but not like how it looks in your space. If you think your kitchen is too small for an island addition, our professional consultants can work out the best design for you, then show you how it will fit in. The 3-D view will really give you a feel for how well it would work, or not work, for you.

Incorporate Universal Design

TWD has certified experts on staff to help design your kitchen remodel to meet your needs now and in the future. “Aging in place” means staying in your home rather than moving to an assisted-living facility as you age, and “universal design” is the set of principles innovative devices that are used to make that safe and comfortable.

Universal design is really about making everything in your home accessible to anyone regardless of special needs or disabilities. It includes big things like making stovetops and showers accessible by a person in a wheelchair, and smaller details like making dishes more easily accessible for a person who can’t lift heavy things overhead.

A key aspect of universal design that will make it fit into your home remodeling is that none of the features we recommend look like hospital gear. In fact, fully accessible showers look more modern than any other style, thanks to the seamless way they connect to the floor, with no lip or edge to trip over. A properly designed kitchen will be safe for little ones, efficient for you, and accessible in your later years.

Major Elements of Kitchen Remodeling

Kitchens are also the most complex rooms in a home because of all the different features they have. Here are some of the things to think about when planning kitchen remodeling.

Appliances – Every kitchen needs a refrigerator and stove, and a dishwasher is a necessity for most homeowners and for selling the house, but there is a wide range of features available, and a broad spectrum of prices as well. If you are concerned about your environmental impact, and keeping utility costs low, include Energy Star appliances in your design. If you have a high-end custom home, then including custom built-in appliances is appropriate, but if you have a smaller home and cost is a major concern for you, there are also low-cost brands available. The best appliances for you won’t necessarily have all the bells and whistles (not everybody needs a hot-water dispenser on the fridge, after all), but investing in quality appliances will make your kitchen more usable as well as having better resale value.

Cabinets – The look and functionality of your kitchen are both dependent on your choice of cabinets. There is a wide range available from basic stock to custom-made cabinets. Additionally, if you have good quality cabinets that just need to be updated, refacing by changing out doors and hardware can give your cabinets a whole new look at a much lower cost than replacing them. Dark or light wood choices make a huge impact on the look of the room, as does the layout of cabinets.

Floors – The kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in a house, and the floor is not only one that sees the most use, but also needs the most cleaning. Carpeting is not recommended for kitchens, but there are many other choices. Hardwood is a popular traditional choice, but if you anticipate frequent spills, or don’t want to keep up with maintenance, you should look at other alternatives. Both Stone and ceramic are durable and beautiful, but subject to being damaged much more readily than Linoleum, which is much less expensive.

Utilities – The kitchen uses them all. Plumbing, electricity, and natural gas if you have it, are all used there. If upgrading of any of your utilities is going to be needed any time soon, you will save a lot of money by taking care of it while the kitchen is torn apart for remodeling. The cost of replacing pipes or wiring will add quite a bit to the remodeling budget, but will still be much cheaper if you do it along with the remodeling, rather than waiting until later and having to open up walls again.

Plan for the Unexpected

A final way to reduce stress and avoid a catastrophe during remodeling is to include the possibility of something going wrong, and budget as if it will happen. If all goes well, you will just have money left over, but if a problem arises, being able to deal with it immediately will keep the project on track, and get you back to having full use of your home as quickly as possible.

TWD has been serving Tempe and the Phoenix area for 20 years. Our certified universal design experts are available to help you design your kitchen and home remodeling with whatever degree of universal design you want to incorporate. Come by the showroom today to see for yourself just what you can do with your kitchen now.