If you’re interested in updating or completely remodeling your current kitchen, but you’re unsure on how to get started, follow these handy tips. Even if you’re planning on hiring a company to do all the physical construction, it’s still important to have a good understanding of the kind of design you are interested in, the type of materials you want to incorporate, and the services you expect to receive from the contractor you end up hiring. By gathering this information yourself instead of having a professional do it for you, you’ll more than likely save quite a bit of money, minimize unnecessary issues, and also ensure your finished project will be completed to your full satisfaction.

Why should you remodel your kitchen with a new design? 

There are many reasons why homeowners choose to remodel their kitchen with a whole new design and/or look. First, many families grow over the years, and as a family grows, space becomes limited. By expanding the size of your kitchen, you’ll ensure everyone in your household is comfortable during those family dinners. 

Second, many homeowners update their kitchens, because they’re simply sick of the same old boring design. By stylizing your kitchen with a more personalized, updated design, you’ll enjoy this area of your home much more while also impressing your guests when you have them over for dinner or drinks. 

Third, remodeling your kitchen with an improved design can also boost the overall value of your home. However, it’s important to note that the kind of deign and materials you incorporate will really affect the amount your property values increases. For instance, a kitchen with granite countertops and custom-crafted cabinets will increase the value of your home much more than a kitchen with vinyl countertops and stock cabinets. 

Why are you remodeling your kitchen with a new design?

In order to decide on the right design for your kitchen, you’ll need to first consider why you’re remodeling this area of your home. Are you wanting to expand the size of your kitchen due to a growing family? Maybe you’re wanting to give your kitchen a more casual environment? On the other hand, maybe you want a more formal layout for special dinners? The important thing is to explore all your options and choose the one that’s right for your personal needs and wants. Listed below are a few of the most popular kitchen designs used by homeowners today. 

• One-Wall Design: This kitchen design is a perfect choice for anyone who lives in a studio, a loft, or a more compact styled kitchen. With the one-wall design, the cabinets and the appliances are all generally fixed on a specific wall. Sometimes the one-wall design will even include an island for both style and convenience. 
• Galley Design: If you own a home with a smaller kitchen with one-cook station, then a gallery design might just be the perfect choice. Typically, a gallery-styled kitchen will have two opposing walls or countertops that are positioned parallel to one another with a walkway between the two. 
• Horseshoe: The horseshoe kitchen design, or also known as the U-shaped design, is very unique in the fact that this design consists of three walls and is a great choice for anyone who enjoys throwing cocktail parties or other casual events. This design is characterized by an island that separates the walkways. The island is perfect for setting out snacks, wine, and other party related items for your guests. 
• L-Shaped Design: If you’re wanting to increase corner space, the L-shaped design is the right choice for you. This design works great in smaller and medium-sized kitchens, and it’s designed to minimize traffic. 
• Peninsula Design:  The best way to describe a peninsula kitchen design is to think of the peninsula as an additional island that transforms a L-shape design into a horseshoe design. Sometimes the additional island will even give the kitchen a G-shaped design. 

If you are interested in any of these designs, you can obtain their floorplans by visiting the HGTV website. They’re easy to download and easy to follow. 

Kitchen Design Software 

If you would prefer to create your own kitchen design, or simply add personalized touches to the floorplans listed above, then using computer software to design your kitchen maybe a good decision. Some of the most popular software products used by professionals and sold on Amazon today include:

• Virtual Architect Ultimate Home Design 
• TurboFloorPlan Instant Architect 
• Home Designer Interiors 
• Punch Home and Landscape

All of the products listed above have fantastic ratings and will make your life a whole lot easier. Many people love using this software, because they can get a preview of what their kitchen will look like once it’s completed. In addition to this, when you utilize remodeling software, you’ll also have access to several useful features like a cloud for storing information, calendars, manager tools, and even FAQ pages. 

Choosing your materials 

After you have decided on a specific kitchen design, then it’s time to start choosing the kind of flooring, cabinets, countertops, and appliances you want in your new kitchen. Like mentioned before, the kind of materials you incorporate into your kitchen will definitely affect the overall worth of your property. 

Flooring: 

The options are endless when it comes to flooring. Some of the choices available to you include hardwood, laminate, tile, ceramic, and natural stone. When choosing the right flooring for your new kitchen, consider your lifestyle. For instance, hardwood floors can make your kitchen look absolutely gorgeous, but if your have a busy family or you own pets, hardwood may not be the best pick. Hardwood floors can be easily scratched and stained by liquids if not cleaned up immediately. 

Both laminate and vinyl flooring on the other hand are durable, stain resistant, extremely hard to scratch, and come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and designs. However, laminate and vinyl tile just doesn’t have the elegance of hardwood flooring. Hardwood is one of a kind.

Cabinets:  

Cabinets are typically grouped into one of three categories. They include stock, semi-custom, and custom. Stock cabinets cost the least of the three and are produced on a mass scale. There is no customization to them at all. Semi-custom are usually specially ordered and give the customer a little preference on what they want the cabinets to look like. Lastly, custom cabinets are custom made from beginning to end. These cost the most but are definitely worth the money. 

In addition to customization, the quality of the wood is also something you’ll want to consider. Solid woods like oak, redwood, birch, and walnut are usually used to make custom cabinets. Stock cabinets on the other end of the spectrum tend to be make out of compressed sawdust.  

Countertops: 

Countertops come in a wide array of materials, colors, and designs. Just like with your flooring, you should consider your lifestyle and your family size when choosing the right material for your new kitchen. For example, both granite and marble can be damaged by sharp objects and stained by acidity liquids if not sealed annually. Quartz on the other hand doesn’t need to be sealed, but hot pans and dishes can cause damage to the surface. All three of these materials are expensive but will generally increase the overall worth of the property.  

If you’re interested in something a little less expensive, laminate may be a better choice for you. Laminate definitely doesn’t have the appeal of natural stone, but it does come in a large array of different colors, pattern, and styles. Glass is also a popular choice for many homeowners, but it too is quite a bit more expensive than laminate. 

Appliances: 

When choosing your appliances, you’ll want to consider not only your preferences but also your families eating habits. Do you love pizza. How about incorporating a built-in pizza oven? Maybe you enjoy having guests over to your home. A wine cooler would be a perfect addition. It really all depends on what you’ll be using your kitchen for. Get creative and have fun with it. It’s your kitchen, so build it to your enjoyment. 

Hiring the right company for your remodeling project 

Now that you have all the details together, it’s time to hire a company that can transform your project into reality. The company you hire should be known for doing good work, sticking to the agreed budget, not taking any shortcuts, finishing the job on deadline, and completing the project to your complete satisfaction. So, how do you find the right company?

First, when researching different companies, always read what past customers have had to say about their experience. Websites like Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, Google Reviews, ComsumerAffairs, and Expresit and just a few of the many sites where you can find home improvement companies and read their reviews.

Second, make sure you look at a company’s portfolio. If a company isn’t able to show you images of some of their previous work, then they’re a company you probably don’t want to hire. An experienced company will have a wide variety of different kinds of projects in their portfolio. 

Finally, hire a company that offers their customers a strong warranty on all work performed by their company. This should include all appliances and materials used as well. Be sure to read the fine print, and don’t be afraid to ask any questions. Any respected company should be able to put your fears to rest before they get started.