Kitchen Renovations
KITCHEN
Home Renovations
“The Kitchen” Just those two words conjure up so many happy moments for people across the world.
Chatting over coffee’s over the kitchen bench, kids running in to steal a cookie from the jar, Mom baking and the fresh aroma wafting through the home, children making a big (but well-intentioned) mess while trying to help Mom, and maybe memories of Dad carving up the Sunday roast on the kitchen bench.
As it is often the most commonly used room in the home, it’s no wonder that after a few years (for many kitchens quite a few years!) the humble kitchen is ready for a kitchen renovation, either as a standalone kitchen renovation or as part of a full home renovation. Not surprisingly, a kitchen renovation is one of the types of home renovations that can add the most value to your home, as it is often referred to as the ‘heart’ of the home which is not just a central gathering point for the family, but a real statement piece about the personality of the whole home as well.
Kitchen renovations can take various forms from the simple refacing of cupboards, new handles and bench-top, to a full kitchen layout re-design with moving walls and other structural elements. The former type of kitchen renovation we mentioned though is not always recommended as it can be a bit of a ‘band-aid’ fix, covering up sagging doors, rotting melamine shelves, and grout work that is starting to let in water which is always a ticking time-bomb. And that can be a pity if you go ahead with a patch job that costs a couple of thousand only having to rip out the entire thing a year or two later. Of course, much of this may depend on your reason for the kitchen renovation and your budget, but a job done right once beats a job done twice hands down every time!
The two main elements to get right in a kitchen renovation are:
Functionality
As the kitchen is always a working environment (except for that sneaky glass of wine now and then with friends!) first and foremost it needs to be functional. When we talk about functionality, we are talking about making whatever you are doing in the kitchen the simplest task as possible by ensuring everything is where it should be. When designing a kitchen, it pays to make sure your appliances are in the right spot and enable you to move effortlessly around the kitchen and waste as little time as possible moving between pantries, fridges, ovens, cupboards and more. Also, the flow of the kitchen needs to be bought into line with the rest of the house, you don’t want kids having to run through the kitchen as you are trying to handle bowls of hot soup!
Style
Yes, you want the kitchen to be as efficient as possible, but you also want a fun, vibrant and inviting space where people feel like they can come and have a cup of tea while you are busy whipping up your next Masterchef creation! The style of your kitchen will be very unique to you, and what you want your kitchen to look and feel like and you can really let your personality shine through here. There are literally hundreds of different looks for kitchens, so take your time looking and don’t rush it. The style of your kitchen should also match the style of your home, in many cases, the kitchen often ‘leads’ the look of the home as it is really so prominent and one of the first things you see in many homes.
Creating your dream kitchen that functions just the way you need and looks just the way you want is totally achievable and we are more than happy to help you on your kitchen renovation journey.
If you are looking for some kitchen renovation photos, take a look at our kitchen renovation gallery below.