Remodeling a kitchen – Napa Valley Register

By far, the most popular remodel on every homeowners wish list is the kitchen. Anyone who has ever done or attempted this task is familiar with the dizzying array of choices and decisions to be made, not to mention the budget-busting attributes of our most sought-after features. A kitchen remodel is a wise investment, (some say a 60-70 percent return), but can cost far more than you think.

Hidden appliances, painted cabinets, mixed and/or complementary colors, white shiplap, mixed hardware finishes, quartz, marble and butcher-block countertops, and tall cabinets are all on trend in kitchen remodels.

For everyone who wants to create a spectacular kitchen, though, step back and take a deep breath. Remember that no kitchen remodel, however modest, is ever simple or fast, so start by prioritizing your list and deciding whom you want on your team.

Even if you want to do some of the work yourself, it is highly recommended that you have one or more of the following helping you: general contractor/project manager, designer, architect, and tradespeople. Tradespeople needed can include an electrician, plumber, tile professional, solid surface fabricator, carpenter, painter, and even a demolition expert. Planning the expertise you should utilize to help you will help to avoid costly mistakes. For example, if you want to replace flooring and cabinets, which comes first? (Usually it is the flooring). If you want to change the layout, will your existing refrigerator fit? A professional can make sure you make the right decisions in the right order.

As with any design project, its good to peruse photos in magazines or on line and pick out features you like. You might like this cabinet with that counter and those faucets. This process can help guide you as you plan your new kitchen.

Think about your familys lifestyle, as well as your kitchen designs longevity, timelessness, functionality, and efficiency. Use those criteria when selecting everything from your space plan, to the furniture, to the appliances. Do you and your family like to cook, or gather around in the kitchen for entertaining, or is the kitchen merely a place to grab a snack and go? Do you want professional level appliances and work stations, or is performance secondary to cost and simplicity?

On the other hand, if your preference is for a kitchen that is primarily used for entertaining, your design focus ought to be about making sure specialty features are integrated in the space to make serving food and beverage easy. Finally, if space is a problem, seek storage solutions that work for you.

Once you have some idea of what function and look your future kitchen should have, research options and get someone to help you with the layout. Both these steps are critical in avoiding costly mistakes and developing a realistic plan.

The style of the kitchen should also complement and blend seamlessly with other rooms in your house as well. An ultra sleek and modern kitchen might look out of place in a home that is otherwise more traditional.

While we may have a picture in our minds of our ideal kitchen, maybe we cannot afford it or maybe it will not fit in the existing space. So doing the homework is really important. Only then can you choose the finishes and touches that will make your new kitchen the special place it will become.

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Remodeling a kitchen - Napa Valley Register