5 Things to Think About Before Renovating Your Kitchen

Kitchen remodelling is a great decision if you’re looking to change up your home design without breaking the bank and make the space more functional and attractive. But there are a lot of decisions to be made before you get started—about materials, designs, fit and finish. So, let’s discuss 5 things to think about before renovating, from reimagining your kitchen to order skip bins. The last thing you want when renovating is to turn what started out as a way to invigorate your house into a time and space consuming activity, so the more consideration you give the process the more organised and efficient you can make it.

1. Think about how you use your kitchen.

So you’ve decided you need a change. Something about your space isn’t working and after a few hours of googling how to knock walls down, relocate to New Zealand and build tiny homes in France you’ve managed to narrow the problem down to the kitchen. It’s a reasonable deduction, the kitchen is the centrepiece of a home; a place where people come together to discuss their day, nourish their bodies, and indulge in creative expression (or just to sneak the last bit of chocolate in the pantry). Your kitchen is there to serve you, so you can serve yourself and the ones you love from it. Food is an essential part of living that takes up 3 different parts of every single day, so it makes sense to want your kitchen to have the most optimised layout that can cater to the way you use your kitchen. Renovating your kitchen is a smart way to refresh your home and increase its value. But before you start, you need to know what you want from it now and for years to come.

It’s important to think about your functionality. We all use our kitchen differently. What are some things you would love to see in your kitchen? Breakfast bar for enjoying lazy Sunday bacon and eggs? A countertop big enough for the kids to do homework while you prepare dinner? A built-in wine rack taller than the fridge? This is the time to go wild and ask yourself, what is it that you truly want from this renovation? More space? More functionality? What are the next few years going to look like for your family and what is the best way I can utilise the space to get as much as possible from it? Although at this stage we’re in the brainstorming phase it’s important to keep the size of the space and a rough budget in mind, as fun as it is, there’s no point dreaming of an 8-metre marble kitchen island if your space and finances don’t quite measure up.

2. Consider your interior style

Okay, so you’ve considered what you want to change about your kitchen. You’ve considered the budget and landed on the priorities. A paint job on the kitchen cupboards, update the layout, change the light fixture. Now is the time to consider what on earth you want it to look like. There are so many styles to go with and these decisions are the ones that can really elevate the look and make it stand out. This is the time to go Pinterest crazy, collect design books, subscribe to the Ikea newsletter. Start brainstorming ideas about whether dark colours will complement the natural light? Will stained wood go well with grey tiles? Can you pair country farmhouse fixtures with rustic coastal colours? Bunning’s paint samples and scrapbooking will be your best friend throughout this step. Crack the craft glue out and get creative, no one knows what you want your kitchen to look like better than you, and you now have the complete freedom to design whatever your heart desires.

3. Lifestyle

Okay, so by now you should have a pretty good idea of the kind of changes you want to make and just what might go into getting them. Now is the time to consider your lifestyle right now and in the next few years and figure out what the best use of space will be. Knocking down a wall to create more space for the kids is a great idea unless they are 3 months off graduating and planning on moving out in the next few years. A wine rack might look tasteful and stylish, but if you only drink once every 6 months because you can’t deal with the hangover, then perhaps that space can be better utilised. Really think about how you want to use this space and how it interacts with your lifestyle. Plan for the person you are and the person you want to be over the next few years, but keep it reasonable, better to design for the version of who you are right now and the things you know work for your kitchen.

4. Logistics

Okay so now is the time to get real. It’s a bit of a reality check and can sometimes be a little humbling when you find out the true cost of those fancy tap fixtures. You’ve designed the kitchen of your dreams and now it’s time to make sure it can become a reality. This is the time to collect quotes, buy supplies, figure out what you can get second hand and what is easier to buy new. Make sure to extend your quotes by 10% just in case the budget doesn’t allow for any unplanned situations that might crop up on the way, you don’t want improper planning to stop the renovations halfway through. Do you need to hire a professional to do the work? What permissions do you need from the landlord or council?

5. Overplan and clean as you go.

Okay, so the time has come to start renovating. Know your personal and financial priorities, construct a detailed plan and step by step blueprint for everything and keep everything as organised as possible. This includes in the physical, so we recommend utilising a Perth skip bin hire multiple times throughout the process so you can make sure you are clearing things as you go and avoiding any splinters, spills, and sawdust from affecting the build. You’ve prepared for this and the process should be a painless one, but chances are it won’t be, there might be hiccups, there might be injuries, there might be arguments and there might be hidden costs, but it’s important to keep in mind the reason you’re doing it all, and that in the end, it may just be the thing that you’ve been missing.