Making a family hub. How to plan a kitchen renovation?

The kitchen is no longer just a space for cooking, but a hub of activity in the home. Therefore, homeowners are seeking kitchens that are both beautiful and functional. However, it still must meet the needs of the people who live in the house. This means not only the hardware to prepare the usual dinners, but also the possibility for children to prepare their own snacks after school, and the place to feed their pets.

The kitchen layout and equipment should meet the needs of the family. This will form your kitchen must-haves when remodeling. So it makes crucial the task of how to design a kitchen renovation. You may mistake if you think that your interior designer for the kitchen will solve these problems for you. Even if a professional takes of modeling your kitchen space, you still have to decide what will happen in the kitchen daily? What appliances, surfaces, and cabinets are your top priorities?

You should take the time to evaluate your kitchen's current use and establish goals for the remodel. This will help you stay on the right track when you make key decisions about the floor plan, cabinets, and appliances. To think about what you and your house members use most often, ask yourself a few questions:

1. Who primarily uses the kitchen and how often? For comfortable use of countertops and cabinets, as well as stoves, it is necessary that they fit the smallest in height member of the family.
2. How much storage space do you need in the kitchen? For a large family supply or a cook who uses a lot of kitchen devices, more storage space will be needed.
3. How often do you invite guests to parties? Parties often attract people to be in the kitchen. Think about extra dining space or a bar counter, as well as storage space for a large number of dishes.
4. Do you keep your cabinets in order? Kitchen cabinets with glass doors and Lighting inside become trendy last years. Such style looks great and increases the kitchen space. But it will only look good if you keep everything in order.
5. Do you need a warming drawer? If you like cooking and often gather friends and family for a fest, cooled-down side dishes can ruin your mood. Consider how often you are going to use the warming drawer.
6. Do you have enough appliances? For the big family or frequent fests, you may need an additional dishwasher, microwave, or beverage cooler.
7. Are you addicted to morning coffee? The coffee machine takes up a lot of valuable kitchen space. If you don't drink a lot of coffee, then it makes sense to consider smaller coffee makers.

Over time, it becomes clear that the success of the kitchen is in its convenience and not only in design. Perhaps now you prefer pizza delivery because the ergonomics of the space are violated and it is inconvenient for you to cook.

Kitchen work zones

When you decide on your kitchen needs, this leads you to determine how the work areas will be located. The functional kitchen should contain work zones for the following purposes:

• Stock for groceries, from non-perishable to frozen.  
• Place for dishes, cutlery, glasses, and other items.
• Area for trash cans and recycling bins as well as the space for household cleaning products.
• The main work area with access to all utensils and small appliances.
• Cooking zone with easy-to-access pans, pots, and bakeware.
• Dining place where the whole family can enjoy breakfast or dinner together.
• Entertainment zone, a bar with stools that can be used as a place to sit or stand for drinks or snacks.

Thus, the traditional work triangle between the refrigerator, stove, and sink has now been transformed into a more practical "work zone" concept. But some ergonomic rules must still be applied. The shortest path between the refrigerator, stove, and sink will allow you to use the kitchen in the most convenient way. There are 6 common kitchen layouts where this rule is implemented as much as possible.
 

Kitchen light

Lighting installation is also an important part of kitchen zoning. The point is not only to visually divide the kitchen into plots but also to make it convenient to cook with the light.
General light fills the room and bounces off the surfaces. Task Lighting should illuminate work spaces, such as countertops where you are prepping food or inside a pantry closet so you can see what goods are stocked on those shelves. Be sure to light the dining area. Such an accent over the table will create a warm atmosphere for a table conversation. You may want to add decorative party lights. All in your hands!

How to budget for a kitchen renovation

The process of setting a budget for a project requires more than simply putting numbers in a spreadsheet. Do your research before you whip out the calculator. Find kitchen cabinet makers, look through magazines and visit showrooms to see what's on offer.

It is a good idea that you have both Plan A and B options for your appliances, cabinets, tile, and just about everything else. Keep a list of all the options so that a designer can add or subtract items to suit your budget.

Decide what exactly you want to improve in the kitchen. There are cases when kitchen remodeling is necessary, but it is also possible when it is enough to make a kitchen cabinets renovation. The second way will cost you much less.

You should also be aware that last-minute changes could increase the cost of your kitchen projects. Research is a key factor in determining what decision you will make.

Limit how much you can spend on the kitchen. Most homeowners expect to spend between 6-10 percent of their home's value on kitchen renovations. Also, it is wise to reserve 10 percent for incidental expenses, they will definitely be.