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Updated: August 12, 2009, 4:44 pm	Share    Print    Email

Remodeling either a kitchen has more potential for problems and a true blow-out of your budget than you want to imagine. Images courtesy of Google Images

Southampton - If all you make for dinner is reservations, or if feeling energetic, boil water for something pre-prepared, you probably don't need to give this room a lot of thought.

Otherwise, there often comes a time in a homeowner's life when denial hits a wall and your dysfunctional relationship with your kitchen needs to be addressed: it's just plain hard to function in there, for a lot reasons. What if you want to be able to actually cook the turkey yourself, not just serve it from a deli container with pre-cooked stuffing?

Hire a kitchen designer to help you.

However, if you decide now is the time for an upgrade, don't think all will be well with a minimum of effort on your part and the rest taken care of by your local contractor. Remodeling either a kitchen (or a bath for that matter) has more potential for problems and a true blow-out of your budget than you want to imagine. Even if you plan to hire a kitchen designer to help you, your best bet is to outline the project in advance. This will help you communicate your ideas effectively to ensure the result will be your dream kitchen and not an expensive nightmare.

What Works Or Not About Your Kitchen Now?
Take a mental walk-through and see yourself doing the usual tasks. Do you have everything you need and where you need it for convenience and efficiency? For example, it's great to have counter space near the fridge to set down grocery bags. How about counter space nearer to the wall oven too? You have to put the turkey somewhere when you take it out of the oven.

Do you have enough storage is a question to ask yourself.

Write It Out
Draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper and list on one side all the things you like about the way the kitchen looks and functions now. Maybe you like the location and proximity to the dining room, or perhaps the layout of the room works well for efficiency.

On the other side, note all the things that are "less than." Would a bigger refrigerator make you happier? Do you get depressed looking at those old cabinets? Speaking of cabinets, do you have enough storage? As you think about each detail that could use improvement, write out your proposed solution. For example, if the lighting is inadequate or not task oriented, would lights under the overhead cabinets help?

Now is the time to make a "want list" as you decide how you want your kitchen to be used. Do you see your kitchen as the heart of your home to gather family and friends such that dining is the extension of cooking? Should a plan be made for two cooks to work at the same time? Do you want a cooktop instead of a stove? More than one sink? Would an island workspace solve a lot of problems?

You want to be clear what style you are most comfortable with.

No Man Is An Island - Neither Is Your Kitchen
It's time to start collecting pictures from magazines too. You want to be clear what style you are most comfortable with. Carefully consider how much care and upkeep is acceptable to you while you're at it. For example, granite and marble countertops need to be sealed annually to help prevent stains, but even with sealing, you can't leave spills on the surface without risk.

Whether you are considering a total gut job or a simple cosmetic renovation, don't forget, however, that your kitchen is a central player in the overall design of your home. In older homes and apartments as well as newer residences, the trend is to break down walls and open the space up to incorporate it into your lifestyle, be it family oriented or all about the next smashing entertainment event.

Ideally, your stylish living room should flow into your stylish kitchen and bar area to mix a drink or two with panache, or your kitchen becomes one with the dining area for a great hearted family affair.

You could display your favorite collections of memorabilia in your new kitchen.

The décor of your kitchen doesn't have to shout "KITCHEN" either. This is a great opportunity to furnish this room in a more "whole house" inclusive way. You could display your favorite collections of memorabilia here, when in times past, the only home for the like was the library or study.

You could put a comfy chair in a corner for cookbook reading. Add a basket filled with magazines on the side and presto, you have a nook that beckons you to sit down to rest your "tired dogs" with a cup of tea and a good read. While style goes hand in hand with kitchen design, multi-tasking any room for comfort and use-ability is just a smart idea.

Florence Perchuk has been a successful kitchen designer for the past 25 years. She says "kitchens reflect what is going on in home furnishings and are designed today with all sorts of furniture pickling, enameling, marbling, and finishes painted on cabinets. Kitchen cabinets have actually become far more a piece of furniture."

For some cooks, it's about the journey, as much as the destination.

Following the general style lead of the rest of the home, narrow down your preferences. What would you like in terms of cabinet design? Do you want sleek contemporary, natural wood or painted surfaces? If painted, what color? What materials and colors will you use for the back splashes, counters and floors? What color would you like to see on walls and trim? While you may not have a specific style in mind to flow into the kitchen area, it's a good idea to reference the colors used in some of the other rooms so you will have a cohesive look throughout.

In the end, all your choices will have to fit together and hopefully get along beautifully. You don't have to make definite choices yet but now is the time to narrow down your color choices and preferences.

How Much Wonderful Do You Need?
Make your selections according to what's most important to you and what most fits your needs. There's a lot to be said for developing an understanding of quality and value in relationship to cost. Settle on a level of quality most appropriate to your lifestyle and budget. Then prioritize what's most important - more money on the tile or less money on the refrigerator?

After you renovate, look forward to having a terrific kitchen, but your habits aren't going to change and you won't have a different lifestyle. Make sure your wish list reflects who you are and how you actually live.

Settle on a level of quality most appropriate to your lifestyle and budget.

Whether you use an "ordinary" appliance or you upgrade to "professional" level, your morning eggs will taste the same. However, for some cooks, it's about the journey, as much as the destination.

"A Pro-Appliance is more robust, more powerful, less disposable, faster, and can handle more heat. They look better designed because they are for people who take their cooking seriously they are often the way to go." says Christopher Peacock of Peacock Cabinetry (www.peacockcabinetry.com).

Even if you aren't looking to install professional grade, appliances are more expensive than you probably expect. Ask yourself what's essential versus eye candy. Do you really need a pot filler?

If you are getting ready to renovate, resale value may not be foremost in your mind. Still, don't forget the motto, "Timeless, Not Trendy." This isn't a great room to get wildly creative and avant-garde. Use well-respected brands for cabinetry and appliances even if it costs a little more. An association with quality is a great selling point in a kitchen. Always remember however, it's just a kitchen.

Cindy Lee Bergersen is a home design consultant, having graduated magna cum laude with a degree in interior design from F.I.T., New York, and is also an allied member of ASID. She is a home design writer as well, and has contributed articles to several publications. Her business since 1996, Decoding Decor, offers a menu of design services to choose from, as well as access to trade resources and discounts. You can get your home design questions answered without a commitment to a larger home design project. Visit her blog/website www.DecodingDecor.com for more information, articles, case studies, and of course, design opinions.

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