Remodeling your kitchen can be a fantastic way to create more space, bring in lighter, and add to the value of your home. Even if you’re doing it yourself, any home improvement job is going to be expensive. Before you take the plunge and start remodeling your kitchen, what do you need to consider?

1. Your Reason

Why are you remodeling your kitchen? Do you need more room for your culinary creations, or are you trying to add value to your home because you’re planning to sell the property in the near future? The reason behind your remodel will change everything from how much you want to spend to the quality of materials you might purchase. 

You don’t have to do any dramatic soul searching to answer this question. Just ask yourself the question and come up with the answer.

2. Your Design

Next, before you start knocking out walls or tearing down cabinets, figure out your design. Take a look at your existing kitchen so you can figure out what is staying, what is going, and what is getting changed. Having an established plan will help you keep your budget and if you’re not doing the work yourself, it will also make it easier for your contractor to see your vision. 

If you have the option, try to get your hands on or create blueprints of your kitchen or consider Kitchen Remodeling Wellington. Have your design planned out before you start making any changes to your kitchen. 

3. Your Budget

It’s easy to empty your bank account paying for a kitchen remodel but it isn’t necessary. Before you find a contractor or start the project, take the time to set your budget. Figure out how much your project will cost, including materials, contractor costs, new appliances, and any other variables set a budget and stick to it as closely as possible. If you’re remodeling before a sale, plan to invest between 6 and 10% of your home’s value into the kitchen if you want to make some of that money back. Any more than that, and you probably won’t see any return on the investment. 

4. The Colors

If you’re planning on staying in your home and are just remodeling the kitchen for love, you’ve got a bit more flexibility when it comes to the colors you choose because the only aesthetics you must worry about are your own. If you’re planning to sell, you need to be more careful about your color pallets. Take the time to choose paint colors that complement the other components in your kitchen — the wood of the cabinets, the color of the floor, the countertops, etc. 

Make your colors work together to create a warm and welcoming space where you’ll enjoy cooking and baking. 

5. Your Appliances

If you’re remodeling your kitchen, you don’t want to keep looking at the same old appliances — especially if they’ve been in the space for a decade or more. Use this as an opportunity to replace your old fridge, stove, or oven with new Energy Star rated models. Not only will these upgrades improve the look of your kitchen, post-remodel, but they’ll help lower your utility bills and make you want to spend time in the kitchen. 

6. The Lighting

You’re not restricted to the same old boring overhead lighting in your kitchen, especially during a remodel. Think about how you’d like to change up the lighting scheme in your kitchen to make it more comfortable and prevent eyestrain while you’re whipping up some gourmet treats. Most people don’t consider lighting until the very end of their remodel — and then cut it from the budget to save money instead of giving it a refresh. 

Most kitchens are designed with a single overhead light fixture that creates glare. Instead, try to create a layered lighting aesthetic — task lighting for when you’re working in the kitchen, accent lighting to add depth, and ambient lighting to make the room glow when all you’re doing is walking in for a glass of water. 

Enjoy Your New Kitchen

Once the dust has settled and the work is done, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy your new kitchen. Break it in by whipping up a gourmet meal for family and friends, or just creating your favorite snack.