I recently spoke to some people who are planning to re-do their kitchen, so I naturally thought it would be a good topic to talk about here. Kitchen and bath remodels are the best investments that you can make in your home- both for your own comfort and the added resale value that they bring.
So, just how does one go about creating this dream kitchen? It starts with identifying the areas in your kitchen that are frustrating because they don’t work correctly or make things more difficult for you. You might think about traffic flow- does your kitchen allow for good flow, or are people always bumping into each other? In our kitchen (pre-remodel, of course) some genius decided that the best place for the refrigerator was right smack-dab in the main traffic pattern through the kitchen! Not great for people moving through the space, or a busy cook trying to get to food in the fridge.
How about storage? Do you have enough of that? (Does anyone, ever?) When you open your cabinets do you need to practically empty them if you want to find one thing?
Then there’s counter and work space- how’s that working for you? Do you have to lug all of your recipe ingredients someplace far away from the sink and the fridge- and the trash can?
How about your cooktop/stove, sink, dishwasher and fridge? Are they older than the hills? What about their placement to each other? If you want to fill a pot with water, do you have to walk far from the sink to the cooking area? Does it cross a major traffic pattern?
What about those small appliances- toaster (or toaster oven), microwave, mixer, blender, food processor, etc. Where are they and are they convenient and neat- or just all over your counters?
Taking the time to really identify what doesn’t work in your kitchen is the first step in creating a beautiful, functional new space. Sometimes, you know immediately why it doesn’t work, and sometimes you’re just so used to dealing with it the way it is that you don’t even think about it. If it’s really hard to identify what could be better, try a little outline of the steps needed to create one of your favorite recipes; let’s say brownies.
Ok, for those of you who use a pre-made mix, this’ll probably be somewhat easier.
- Step 1. Assemble your ingredients:
- eggs, butter, flour, vanilla, chocolate, sugar, salt, baking powder or soda (depending upon your recipe!)
- Step 2. Assemble the necessary utensils:
- mixing bowl, spoons, measuring spoons and cups, spatula, baking pan, double boiler (if melting chocolate)
Ok, now how much time did it take to find and corral all this stuff? Was it more time than it’s worth? Hmm, that might mean that your storage areas don’t work together well. How long would it take you to get everything back to where it belongs? These are the things to think about when planning out that dream kitchen!
What’s your main kitchen complaint?
