Harrisburg Kitchen & Bath
717.939.7437

Five Basic Tips for Designing a New Kitchen

Home
Blog
Five Basic Tips for Designing a New Kitchen

Step One: Find Your Inspiration

If you're ready to begin a kitchen remodel, ask yourself why. It'll help you frame your goals for beginning a large project and put costs in perspective. A kitchen designed to maximize resale value of your home will likely look very different from a kitchen designed for entertaining. Take notes, flip through magazines, and source ideas and perspectives from your family and friends.

Once you've answered the important question of "why", you can begin working on create a budget for materials, appliances, cabinets -- and a reasonable timeline for project completion. Use a spreadsheet to determine how much you are willing to spend, including any incidental costs associated with not having a fully-operational kitchen. Be sure to discuss this time budget with your designer.

When you meet with the designer, bring a book of magazine clippings and internet images that represent your wish list and all your notes.

Step Two: Planning Your Total Budget

Setting a budget isn't one of the most glamorous steps to designing a kitchen, but it's very important. Start with a careful audit of your finances and be realistic about what you can afford -- and if you'll require financing or lines of credit to complete the work. Consider how the remodel will potentially increase the value of your home compared to the average value of homes in your neighborhood.

Budget for the unexpected, too. Last minute changes carry a time cost and can exceed your budget if you don't build in a small cushion for incidentals.

Step Three: Laying It Out

Think about how the space will be used. Personal taste aside, a kitchen show not sacrifice function for form. Reference your original goals: if you are remodeling for entertaining, think about how people might congregate in your kitchen when deciding where to place islands, countertops, and additional storage. Note: any kitchen design that includes an island should accomodate 42 inches of space from all sides. Your designer will offer options that fit within your budget and represent the best value for your investment.

And don't forget the lighting! A dim, ill-lit kitchen simply won't function well.

Step Four: Choosing Flooring

The majority of kitchens see a lot of foot traffic, so you'll want to choose a flooring material that's durable and wears well. There's a wide variety of flooring options available to suit your taste, but don't just think about appearance. Durability and ease of cleaning are important factors to consider.

Step Five: Buying Appliances That Fit

No kitchen remodel is complete without appliances, but there's a dizzying variety of options available. Choosing the appliances that fit your lifestyle and personal taste will be much easier in consultation with a designer. Built-in appliances and custom built cabinetry will create a modern seamless look in your new kitchen.

If you are keeping your existing appliances, paneling the front surfaces in a material that matches your new cabinetry is a budget-friendly choice.

A word about energy efficiency: New appliances are designed to run efficiently, so you'll see considerable savings on utilities over a lifetime of ownership. Look for the Energy Star rating. The higher the rating, the less energy the appliance will consume during operation.

Ready to Get Started?
Are you ready to make your kitchen remodel dreams come true? Contact our team to schedule a consultation to learn how we can help!  
sign up for a design consultation
Get Inspired
Check out our portfolio to see the different designs that our remodeling team has completed at our customer’s homes.
View our portfolio

Related Posts

8 Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas to Make Your Space Feel Larger

Are you so frustrated with your small kitchen that you’re considering demolishing it all to start your remodel from the ground up? Unfortunately, not everyone has the budget or the space for that chef-worthy kitchen of their dreams. If that’s your reality, don’t despair! There’s so much you can do with a small kitchen footprint. […]

Read More
How to Organize Your Closet by Color to Help Every Day Be Bright

Is your closet is out of control? It’s time to take action. You set aside some time to organize your clothes but when it comes time to actually do it you end up completely stumped. It doesn’t seem like a big deal at first but when you’re surrounded by piles of clothes, it can get […]

Read More
Trend on the Rise: Colorful Modern Bathrooms are the New Neutral

Color is so popular right now that some are calling it the new neutral. Bold, colorful modern bathrooms are one of the top trends in 2020. Your instincts may tell you that bold color would make a small space look even smaller or dated. But today’s color trends aren’t like the pastels of the 1980’s, […]

Read More

Sign Up For a Design Consultation

Fill out the form below and we will reach out to schedule a time to meet. Meetings will be set in the order they are received, so do not delay. We look forward to helping you create your dream Kitchen or Bath!
Due to increased demand, we have made a waitlist to ensure that everyone can have a one-on-one consultation with one of our designers! Fill out the form to join our waitlist and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The workers are quick and efficient. They got the work done earlier than expected and did a good job cleaning up the work site afterwards. I am quite pleased with the end result.
Kay
I was so pleased from start to finish! Love my updated kitchen. All the people associated with my kitchen renovation were great and so professional! Thank you!!
Linda
We at Harrisburg Kitchen & Bath are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and we are taking the necessary steps to protect the health and well-being of our employees, our current customers, and the community at large.
3146 Fulling Mill Road
Middletown, PA 17057
Phone: 717.939.7437
Monday through Friday: 8am - 4pm
Evenings and Saturdays by appointment only.
© copyright 2024 | harrisburg kitchen & bath