What Should You Consider Before Remodeling Your Cedar Falls Kitchen
Does your current kitchen layout or design have you feeling “blah” when you walk in? If so, the thought of a kitchen remodel may have popped into your head a few times. However, you may be unsure exactly how to begin the process. Not to worry, that’s what we’re here to help you with. Let’s get started.
What Should Be Included in a Kitchen Design?
A good place to start is to think about how you use your kitchen. The three or four kitchen features you use the most in your kitchen are typically the refrigerator, stove, and sink. Then, think about the placement of your kitchen must-haves (more about that in a moment) and how they will fit into your kitchen.
It’s best to have a general idea of how you want your kitchen to function. Consider things like the layout, storage needs, ventilation, flooring, lighting, corners, and door swings – taking into consideration those most-used appliances or spaces within your kitchen. Designing traffic flow and ample counter space around these areas, based on your families specific needs, will start to steer your ideas in the right direction.
How Do You Layout a Kitchen Remodel?
When laying out a kitchen remodel, homeowners state that they generally do a little research on the topic, then turn to a design-build team to make sure it gets done right. An experienced design-build professional will be able to listen to your ideas, needs, and wants during your initial consultation to create a specific design plan! This takes the burden of detail off of the homeowner’s shoulders, and ensures a cohesive design throughout your entire kitchen.
Each homeowner will have different needs, taste, and other factors that will affect the final layout of your kitchen remodel plan, but here are some popular layouts to get you started and excited!
1. Triangular Kitchen Layout
Cedar Falls kitchen remodeling experts all recommend that you place your stove sink, and refrigerator in a triangle. This will reduce unnecessary steps between the appliances while improving your kitchen’s efficiency. All other kitchen must haves can be placed wherever you want, as long as they don’t hinder the function or ease of use of anything else. A remodeling design team will be able to go over the best possible layout that includes all your remodeling kitchen ideas.
2. Traffic Flow
You also need to look at how the traffic generally flows through your kitchen. And before continuing with your kitchen updating ideas, make sure there is enough room for the proper traffic flow for the space. Can people get around each other? Can all the doorways be easily accessed? Are the pathways free from obstructions such as an opened refrigerator door?
3. Consider Efficiency and Ease of Use
Make sure your new kitchen is designed for comfort and efficiency. For example, can you comfortably get from the refrigerator to the counter space where you prep? Is the stove near enough to the prep space and the sink to be within a comfortable range versus having to carry dripping prepared foodstuffs across the kitchen?
4. Create Kitchen Work Zones
The triangular layout method works well; however, in some kitchens, there might be more kitchen must haves to consider. That’s why in addition to the triangular layout, you might also need to think about creating work zones.
You can design work zones as part of your kitchen updating ideas. You might need a prep area, a serving area, an eating area, a desk area, a place for a TV, a pet zone, etc. Just remember, the goal is to maximize the space while maintaining the ease of use and the look and feel of the room.
5. Watch Out for Not So Obvious Obstructions
A common mistake people make when remodeling their kitchen is to not think everything through. That means you need to pay special attention to every function in the kitchen. When you are considering which kitchen cabinet features you want, don’t forget to look at the door swings and which way they will open and close. Can the cabinet doors be opened all the way, and do they block or hit anything when opened?
And the most common obstruction issue is the refrigerator. Does where you placed your refrigerator allow for the doors to be opened all the way? For example, if you place your refrigerator next to a wall, and you have a side-by-side refrigerator, you won’t be able to open one of the doors all the way because the wall is in the way. This will make using either the refrigerator or freezer almost impossible because the access will be limited.
When Remodeling a Kitchen What Comes First?
When remodeling a kitchen, think about the flow and how the kitchen will be used. Generally, you place the sink first, then the flow of everything else after that. The flow goes something like this—it starts at the refrigerator then moves over to the workspace or prep zone. Then the flow moves over to the cooking zone and then to the serving zone. After that, the flow moves from the eating or serving zone to the wash zone. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
What Are the Latest Trends in Kitchen Remodeling?
Kitchen remodel must haves along with certain kitchen trends seem to come and go. But for now, here are the latest kitchen trends according to HGTV.
Two-toned colors
Herringbone tile with a twist that introduces a bold color
Herringbone flooring with an element of warmth
Statement stools
Marble everything including the backsplashes
Eye-catching pendant lighting
Vintage color palettes
Metallic accents
Do I Need a Design - Build Team?
Yes, you probably do need to enlist the help of a design and build team especially if you aren’t an expert in this field! You will be spending your hard-earned money on your dream kitchen ideas and one small mistake could cost you big.
For example, if even one measurement is off, it will throw off your entire kitchen design which will cost loads of money to fix. Or, if there was something you forgot to consider (such as an obstruction) before installation, this could end up as a lifelong frustration you might just have to live with.
How to Choose the Best Cedar Falls, IA Kitchen Remodeling Company
The best way to put all your kitchen must-haves together into a working design is to find a place where you can consult with a design and build team then shop for all your supplies under one roof. This will prevent you from having to drag samples all over town trying to mix and match everything to fit your vision. It will also prevent you from having to endure a multitude of opinions, recommendations, and advice from people who don’t know or understand what you envisioned for your new kitchen design.
What’s Next?
If you want more information about remodeling your Cedar Falls, IA kitchen, or any other part of your home for that matter, please Contact Home Indeed today. Home Indeed doesn’t use third-party contractors, we have an in-house design and build team, as well as a 3,600 square foot showroom where we can make all of your kitchen remodeling dreams come true.
