Pre-Planning Your Dream Kitchen

The kitchen is surprisingly the most occupied room in your house. Everyone has to eat and the kitchen serves not only as the space to prepare and eat meals, but also to gather as a family. Because the kitchen is one of the most used rooms of the house, that means the elements of the kitchen wear down and wear out quickly. Keeping proper maintenance in the kitchen is essential to retain the value of your home and to keep your kitchen functional.

If you are building a home or renovating, custom kitchen designs can be a really fun aspect of the project. Designing your perfect kitchen gives you a chance to create an efficient, beautiful space that you’ll be excited to enter every morning.

There are a lot of options to choose from, though. All of the different details can be overwhelming. This quick guide will give you an introduction to some of the different factors you should consider when designing your dream kitchen. Let’s get started.

Evaluate What You Have

If you are renovating an existing kitchen, it is important to evaluate what you have to work with. Which elements of the current kitchen can stay and which need to go? Are you looking to completely change the layout of the kitchen or will you stick with the bones?

If this is a new construction, you will want to evaluate how much space you have to work with. You should also take into consideration the plumbing layout so that you can plan where appliances will be placed.

It is also crucial to be honest with yourself concerning your budget and what you will be able to achieve with your budget. A custom home builder will be able to advise you on budget planning. 

Be Clear On What You Need/Want

It is also important to take time and list out exactly what you feel you would need/want for this to be the kitchen of your dreams. What are your non-negotiables? Is it essential you have an island for food prep? Do you need extra cabinet space? What about a little extra room for a premium fridge? These are important questions to answer before the renovation or construction begins.

Some elements of a kitchen need to be nailed down early on before you start tearing up or building.

Put It On Paper and Stick to It

Do not create as you go. Figure out what you want, put it on paper and stick to it. Changing your mind or figuring stuff out as you go will cause several problems in your project. First, it will make it very difficult to stick to a budget. Second, it will add a lot of stress and frustration for your contractor or the team you are working with to complete the work. Third, you may miss out on the cool features you wanted because the renovation or construction is just too far into the process to go backward and make the necessary foundational changes to accommodate the feature. For instance, if you suddenly decide you want a sink in your kitchen island, but all of the plumbing has already been laid, this would be a very difficult change to make.

Floor Plan Options

There are different types of kitchen floor plans you can choose from. Each has its own benefits. Floorplans include:

• U-Shape
• G-Shape
• L-Shape
• Galley
• Island
• Peninsula