It's been over a year in the making, but designer Kasia Waloszczyk is ready to reveal her newly renovated kitchen, and she has tips to share if you're planning your own kitchen renovation. From setting the budget to understanding your wants and needs, Kasia is here to help create your family's new favourite place to hangout.
Setting the Budget
The first step in planning your kitchen renovation is setting your budget. What are you allotting for the full kitchen reno? This includes products such as cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, appliances, lighting, sink, faucet, flooring and décor, but also the labour that is going into reframing, drywalling, and building the kitchen. Be sure to add a minimum 10 per cent contingency buffer to your budget for any unforeseen costs, which can and most often will happen.
Salvaging Product
Before you start ripping everything out try to see if any of the items that are currently in your kitchen can be salvaged. You can donate or re-sell your current appliances, kitchen cabinets, and even counters. This will not only save you some money (on disposal weight in bin fees) but it will keep waste out of our landfill. Plus, the profit from anything sold can be put towards the cost of your renovation.
Wants and Your Needs
Your wants and needs are the main reason why you are undertaking a kitchen renovation! This is a crucial point in renovating. Write down all your must haves including your main needs that have to be reflected in the renovation. For example, converting to a gas stove from electric. This narrows things down, such as you will only be looking at gas stoves when appliance shopping. You also know that you need to get a trades professional in to properly run a gas line. Other must have could include specific cabinetry to house small appliances, pot and pan drawers, farmhouse style sink, pot filler above the stove, etc. Once you make your must have list, this will make it easier to not only get the project quoted but it will keep you organized in your planning process!
Selecting Appliances and Finish
A lot of times my clients think that the selection of appliances and finishes is one of the last steps in a kitchen renovation, but in reality, its actually one of the first steps to renovating and planning a kitchen! Your appliance selection will determine the layout and size of your cabinetry as well as the relocation and update of electrical and plumbing. Prior to actually meeting with your kitchen designer you should have your appliances finalized and be able to provide them with all the specs. You should also have your sink selected, especially if moving forward with a farmhouse apron style sink as the base cabinet needs to be specifically customized to accommodate the sink selected. The more information you can provide to both your contractor and cabinet manufacturer, the smoother the process of planning your kitchen will go.
Mock up Layout
It’s always so helpful to visualize your plan on paper. Try doing a mock up layout of your new kitchen space. This does not have to be a 3D rendering, just a top view of your kitchen space with labels as to where you want everything to be located. Adding inspirational visuals of the style of kitchen you are after would also be very helpful in designing your kitchen. Source the internet for renovated kitchens and pull images that relate to the style of kitchen you are after.
Selecting Doors and Colours
There are so many different styles of doors and colours you can introduce. This all depends on what style you like, are you after a modern high-gloss look, or a mid-century modern matte door? A more farmhouse feel with a shaker front or a traditional classic look? When selecting your door fronts, you will also be selecting the colour of your doors: you can do a single colour kitchen (embrace the classic white) or introduce a two-tone kitchen (darker bottom and lighter top)–the possibilities and choices are endless.
Shop the AXSTAD navy door (15x30”); $59 at IKEA
Shop the VOXTORP matt white door (15x30”); $65 at IKEA
Shop the HASSLARP brown patterned door (24x40”); $158 at IKEA
Hardware
Hardware is the jewelry of the kitchen! It really finishes off the doors and injects glam to the space. Mixing hardware is a great way to add some interest and a custom feel to the door front. Adding handles to oversized drawers and matching knobs to smaller drawers or doors is a great way to introduce more than one style of hardware into your kitchen. Be mindful of the style of kitchen you are designing and select your hardware based around that style. For example, if you are introducing a mid-century modern kitchen, consider adding slim edge cabinet pulls to tie in the overall aesthetic. Consider introducing hardware in brushed gold, black matte or chrome. Don’t be afraid to mix your metals this will only add more interest and variety into the space.
Shop the 4” Amp Brushed Brass Handle; $27.95 at CB2
Shop the 6” Amp Brushed Brass Handle; $21.99 at CB2
Shop the 5” Damon Polished Nickel Handle; $22.95 at CB2
Shop the 6” Amp Matte Black Handle; $37.95 at CB2
Shop the Kela Black Knob; $8.95 at CB2
