Homeowners have a variety of motives for taking on kitchen remodels, from aesthetic reasons like worn cabinets, dated appliances and cracked countertops to lifestyle-accommodating reasons like family additions and unexpected disabilities. Regardless of why you want to remodel, your first step should always be to evaluate your kitchen’s current condition and decide if your circumstances are right for a new construction project. Before you start a remodel, consider the following tips and information:
Adequate space
Are you satisfied with the amount of counter space, cabinet space and floor space in your kitchen? The position of your refrigerator or shape of your counter may be taking away useful workspace. When replacing a countertop or changing the shape of your kitchen, keep in mind that a total of 158 inches of countertop frontage is needed to accommodate all uses.
Traffic flow
If there’s more than one cook in your household, consider making more room around the main workspace. If you enjoy entertaining, you may want an open plan kitchen that allows for more social interaction between the kitchen and other rooms. The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and 48 inches for multiple cooks.
Children
If you’re in the process of extending your family, you may want more room for cooking larger meals and lower cabinets for easier access to children’s food. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), microwave ovens should be installed 3 inches below the principal user’s shoulder but no more than 54 inches above the floor to avoid accidents. The NKBA also suggests avoiding sharp corners on countertops if you have children in your household.
Efficiency
If your appliances are dated, they may be costing you more money than you expect. New technological advancements in dishwashers, disposals and refrigerators could save you a considerable amount of money. For example, purchasing a dishwasher with low-energy consumption, a delay timer and an economy cycle will generate significant savings on your water bill.
Universal design
Is your kitchen accessible to individuals with disabilities? Will you be able to use your kitchen safely as you get older? Employing universal design techniques in the remodel will help ensure the space is accessible to or useable by all people—regardless of age, size or physical ability—without the need for future adaptation or specialized design.
