The kitchen is one of the most commonly renovated spaces in the home, and for good reason. There are countless benefits to investing in a kitchen project – updated look and aesthetic design, improved functionality and efficiency, better layout and use of space, social and entertaining potential, enhanced comfort, upgraded energy efficiency and sustainability, increased home value – the list goes on. Planning a kitchen renovation can be daunting with so many design aspects to consider and decide on, but the most important first step is actually planning the kitchen renovation. In this blog, we give you our expert advice on how to plan the perfect kitchen renovation for your home.
Set your goals
The key question you should keep ask yourself at the beginning of a kitchen project is why do you want to renovate? Is it to change the layout, create more space, add more function, upgrade from an outdated style, add value before selling? By defining your objectives from the outset, you can then establish what you want to achieve and set realistic goals for the project.
Determine your budget
A critical starting point when planning a kitchen project is to set a budget (and stick to it!). Your budget should be comprehensive and account for all aspects of the renovation, including any demolition, build and appliances. We recommend all renovators to set a certain portion of the project budget aside for contingencies to cover any unexpected hiccups that may throw the project off track. Realistically, a kitchen renovation is likely to present more unwanted surprises than a new build kitchen, whether that be structural damage, termites or pest infestation, outdated electrical wiring or hidden water damage. For that reason, a renovation contingency of 10–15% is recommended.
Evaluate the space holistically
The best kitchen renovation projects will be approached holistically with a view to complementing the interior style of the entire home. You want the look and feel of your new kitchen to work with the overall look and feel of the house – so if the rest of your home has a classic country aesthetic with lots of timber, an ultra modern monochrome kitchen is unlikely to tie in. If your project involves changing the layout of your kitchen, be sure to thoroughly assess the space with regard to the size, layout and traffic flow (including location of doors) and adjoining rooms.
Create a vision board
Nothing beats a visual representation to help make your kitchen project vision feel like a reality. A floor plan of your intended kitchen layout as a vision board backdrop set on a pin board is a great place to start. From there, as you gather inspiration from home improvement magazines and websites and decide what you like, you can pin images of your preferred flooring, cabinetry, countertops, lighting, appliances and more. The great thing about this type of vision board is that it allows you to easily change and refine your ideas as the project goes. Another way to help visually plan the design of your new kitchen is to use a 3D design tool – check out our DIY kitchen design tool as an example.
Get help from the professionals
Depending on the full scope of your planned kitchen renovation, it may be overly ambitious to try and do everything yourself. Before you get started, decide which tasks you plan to do yourself and which tasks need to be done by a professional. Professional help can range from joinery designers and cabinet suppliers, to plumbers and electricians. Once you know what needs to be outsourced, choose your preferred experts and enquire as to their availability – many kitchen renovation experts have long lead times and are booked up months in advance.
Start planning with the experts at Kit Kitchens
At Kit Kitchens, we have a team of skilled craftsmen and experienced joinery designers behind our custom kitchen designs. You can consult with our designers who will work to deliver your bespoke kitchen renovation requirements, or you can make the most of our unique do-it-yourself kitchens that provide the same custom design and manufacturing but allow you to install the components yourself.
To start planning a kitchen renovation, visit our showroom or call or email us.
