The kitchen is the heart of the home and the most important room of the entire house. So when you approach a kitchen remodel, you have many things to think about from visual appeal to seamless functionality. You’ll face a series of questions as you begin discussing your needs with a reputable kitchen remodeler in your area.
Mastery Cabinetry is a custom cabinet manufacturer and partner in building incredible kitchens both in functionality and visual appeal. To help you put together the perfect heart to your home, we’ve put together the complete kitchen remodel guide.
The Complete Kitchen Remodel Guide
Whether you’re just starting to dream or you’re deep in the selection mode for your new kitchen, you’ll find everything you need to know to reduce overwhelm and avoid Googling “kitchen remodeler near me” instead of choosing a strategic partner in the process.
1. Explore Your Style
Before you begin choosing cabinet designs, countertop material and everything else, you should spend some time exploring your style. Tour sample kitchens and get a feel for what makes you feel at home and what feels like a showroom instead of a home. That style will differ greatly from one person to the next and there’s no right or wrong answer to what your kitchen style is.
As you explore, consider whether you’ll like the kitchen for decades to come. You don’t want to regret big decisions, like the style of your cabinets. But the pull handles are something you can adjust as the styles change and what’s on trend shakes things up. Appliances don’t last nearly as long as they used to so you’ll likely only be committing to those for 10-15 years at most.
2. Plan Your Kitchen Workflow
Before you envision what your kitchen looks like, you should envision how it works for you. Plan for various zones in your kitchen and discuss best practices with your kitchen remodeler.
Some zones you should plan for in your kitchen include:
- Prep and storage: This should include ample countertop space with cabinets for organization and storage.
- Cooking zone: Ensure you have a clear path to the stove, prep area and fridge from the area where you plan to cook.
- Cleanup: Try to place your trash can near the dishwasher for the easiest post-meal cleanup.
- Social hub: When you have guests over, a peninsula or island is a place where people can congregate without messing with the flow of your kitchen and making it possible to socialize while you complete the final phases of prep work.
If you struggle to envision what your kitchen could look like, talk to your remodeler about whether they offer drawings and renderings before you finalize your plans.
3. Pick Your Cabinets
With a clearer vision for your new kitchen, you’re ready to start evaluating the best kitchen cabinet designs for you.
Beyond the materials and finish, you should consider:
- Integrated appliances: Your appliances can be set seamlessly inside your kitchen design to create sleek lines. Plus, integrated appliances will enhance how you use your kitchen with storage for baking sheets right alongside your integrated oven.
- Unique designs: Since you’re building your kitchen from scratch you can make it fit your personality. Custom-crafted cabinets allow you to accomplish unique appearances and designs for your kitchen.
- Functionality: Think about what you want to place in each cabinet. Use that to tailor the interior to match your unique needs based on functionality. This might include pull-outs and drawer organization.
4. Pair Your Cabinets with the Right Countertops
When selecting countertops, you should think about more than aesthetics. Instead, consider the durability and maintenance that each material requires. Here’s an overview of what you can expect from the various material options.
- Quartz: This durable material is low maintenance and available in many styles.
- Granite: Each piece of granite is like its own masterpiece thanks to its one-of-a-kind natural beauty. However, you should be prepared to seal these countertops regularly.
- Marble: One of the most luxurious countertop options, many top-end kitchens include marble thanks to its elegance. However, it is soft and porous, meaning it could get chipped and nicked easily.
- Butcher block: You’ll be amazed at how warm butcher block or wood countertops can make your home feel. However, it does require regular maintenance.
5. Choosing Complimentary Cabinets and Countertops
While every element of your kitchen matters, the two most visual aspects are the cabinets and countertops, which means you want to create visual harmony between the two. That doesn’t necessarily mean they need to match. You can use complimentary tones or contrasting. But you don’t want them to be matching.
Consider whether you want a light airy kitchen or a deeper, cozy feeling kitchen. White is timeless and will offer the greatest open feel to your kitchen. Wood tones are cozy and classic. Pairing it with neutral countertops can build subtle contrast.
As you consider your main materials for your kitchen remodel, don’t forget to factor in the backsplash. You want that to integrate fully with the cabinets and countertops.
6. Building a Budget
Even once you’ve built a vision for your kitchen, you need to decide whether it fits your budget needs or if you need to adjust some of the elements to better fit your needs.
The cost of the various elements will vary based on the size of your kitchen. However, some estimates you can use to build your budget include:
- Cabinets: $13,000-$35,000
- Countertop: $95-$225 per square foot
- Backsplash: $700-$1,000
- Appliances: Variable based on which appliances you need and their quality but ranging from $3,000-$10,000 on average.
- Finishing touches: From hardware to organizational caddies, you should budget another $500-$1,000 for the finishing touches for your kitchen remodel.
As you start to price out the various elements of your kitchen remodel, ask your contractor about ways to adjust the budget, such as keeping your existing appliances for a few years. You might put off adding a backsplash until you have the funds or forgo cabinet pulls for a few months to make the project meet your budgetary needs.
Finding the Best Kitchen Remodeler Near You
The best kitchen remodeler is one who understands your vision and offers quality craftsmanship. Mastery Cabinetry produces kitchen cabinets in its Orlando-based manufacturing using a CNC router to offer precise cabinets tailored to your kitchen and needs. Contact us or visit our Orlando showroom at 8440 Tradeport Dr.
