10 Things To Think About Before Renovating Your Kitchen

Have you finally had enough of that broken cutlery drawer? Or perhaps you just moved into your dream home and it needs a touch of love. A kitchen renovation can be key to successfully flipping a property, or to inspire an entirely new way in which you, your family and friends interact within your home.

Before you start ripping out that old avocado cabinetry, here are 10 things to think about before you renovate your kitchen.

Would you call yourself a designer?

To renovate your kitchen, you first have to design it. A truly effective kitchen renovation is one where the property’s architecture and palette is reflected in the kitchen design. Even if you have always dreamt of a matte-black minimalist kitchen, if your home is a traditional light-filled Queenslander then perhaps you need to rethink your renovations. Achieving a balance is harder than it looks, which is why it pays to think about the designs of your kitchen renovation as early as possible.

Cook & Bathe don’t just offer new kitchens in Melbourne, but provide an all-encompassing service to customers, from the design of the kitchen right through to installation.

What can be recycled?

Can your designs incorporate existing materials in your kitchen, or make use of cheaper recycled materials that don’t sacrifice on quality? One of the most common sources for recycled material in a kitchen is in the use of timber, especially for benchtops.

There are three forms of lighting in your home: ambient, utility and accent. Kitchens make the most use of utility lighting, where specific areas of activity are given a spotlight. Consider which form of utility lighting you want to use, as well as ambient lighting (generally your ceiling lights) and accent lighting (featuring particular textures and pallets, such as on your splashbacks.)

Remember that natural light is your best friend and can be used to target specific areas of the kitchen, eg: a tubular skylight that focuses on a specific work area.

Who are the kitchen renovations for?

Are you renovating your kitchen for yourself or for a potential buyer? If the kitchen renovation is for you, then your choices for materials and layout may differ compared to if you aim the designs towards your target demographic during a sale. A potential buyer wants to be able to imagine themselves in the new kitchen, which is why you may not be as adventurous and idiosyncratic in the designs you make when flipping a property or preparing it for sale.

What layout suits you?

No single layout fits all. Firstly, how will your kitchen renovations work in relation to the adjoining living spaces? Secondly, who lives in the home and how are they likely to interact with the kitchen? A family might prefer a larger kitchen island where they can interact (and the kids can do their homework) while dinner is being prepared.

Those without kids might prefer to make the most of the available space and integrate the dining table in with the kitchen bench.

Who will build it?

If you don’t have previous experience in kitchen or bathroom renovations, ask around to find the best local builders. Make sure you ask for their references; this is common and a good builder will expect you to be curious about their previous work.

Note: not only does Cook & Bathe offer innovative kitchen designs in Melbourne, but it works with its customers through the installation stage of their kitchen and bathroom builds.

What do you like to cook?
A new kitchen can have some impact on the way you prepare and eat your meals, but it is unlikely to change your habits that much. Organise your storage for the meals you cook: i.e. the pots and appliances you most use.

Do you tend to cook haphazardly, putting meals together out of a mix of things in the fridge? If so, you want to design a kitchen where there is plenty of space next to the fridge for you to place ingredients. Spontaneous cooks also tend to use fewer pots and pans, so these can be placed on display where they are easily accessible.

Every kitchen renovation is different but you can expect the average build to take between three to six weeks to complete. You can’t eat takeout every night, so consider where and how you will prepare meals for this period. Camping stoves are a common solution, along with barbeques, so plan your meals to be simple but nutritious over this period. Not having a kitchen for a month is going to be that much worse if you aren’t eating well.

Functionality vs on trend

Open-style kitchens with limited storage space are a common sight in design blogs, but remember that these have been styled specifically for a shoot. Draws are becoming an increasingly popular feature of new kitchens as they reduce the amount of surface area you need to keep clean.

What are you willing to spend the most on?

While it is a general rule that you should never skimp on cabinetry, try to evaluate which areas of the kitchen get the most use to gauge how to weight your spending. Cabinets and drawers often receive the most use, so you want these to be durable. On the other hand, do you really need two ovens?

Explore Cook & Bathe's full range of kitchen products to start planning your renovation.