This is the second of the expensive rooms, the bathroom being the other one. As with the bathroom, careful planning is required, you won’t regret it! If you are ripping out the old kitchen and starting afresh, then you have a chance to search for whitegoods, fixtures and the whole look. If you are partially renovating, work out what you are prepared to keep and what you are really want to spend money on. That seems to be obvious however, I have seen people’s budget blow out without proper research and planning especially around the classic triangle of the stove, sink and fridge.
Some Basic Questions
- What style and look do I want? – consider the overall house style to blend
- How much plumbing is involved – this is a major expense with labour costs, do you really need to move the plumbing?
- What is your budget – what do you want to spend your money on and where are you prepared to cut back?
- Have a stretchable budget – there will always be more costs!
- What can you live with and recycle or paint?
- Do you need access to a kitchen while the renovations are being done?
Complete Overhaul
For our past Berlin apartment, various show rooms were visited and way too many magazines were bought. Eventually, we found a kitchen showroom called Küche Aktuel and were overwhelmed by the choices. We found the only English speaking consultant who seemed to want to undersell the kitchens! The chosen colours where aligned with Feng Shui and the Bagua map – see my other posts in the Feng Shui section. A buttermilk and a caffe latte combination was chosen for the cupboards. A tip – always have the dark colours on the lower part of the kitchen and move up to lighter colours. We managed to come under budget having kept the major plumbing in the same spot and not building in a fridge.
Partial Renovation – Cupboards
Partially renovating is often harder to maintain a budget. Is it as simple as painting kitchen cupboards, changing door handles and upgrading taps and finishings. Or is it a removal of some of the old kitchen. If the cupboards are wood and the general placement makes sense, lightly sand them and depending on your budget, get someone to paint them or carefully paint them yourself. Can the cupboards be replaced with new doors?
Benchtops
I vowed I would never get laminate – we did. While others love the stoneware and composite bench tops, they seemed to be a bit dated. We saw a kitchen model with what looked like cement and said we want that. It was a new laminate that looks fantastic! It cut some money off our budget and allowed us to sit the sink underneath for a seamless match. I would avoid wood, it looks wonderful but warps after time and would avoid certain stones as once stained or chipped, the damage is done.
Appliances
Ask yourself, how much cooking do you really do? If you are a foodie, get a decent size fridge but shop around. They don’t always have to be the high end. Due to Feng Shui practice, we don’t have a microwave. oven and went for a medium priced induction stove top and oven to be built in. Due to dimensions, we chose a stand alone fridge in blue, to make a statement!
Sinks, Taps and Accessories
Get the most expensive you can afford. A major tap that pulls out allows for easy cleaning. If possible, get a filter fixed for any water calcification. We forget this and it would have been a good idea. Get the best tool holder, kettle, soda streamer, coffee machine you can afford as they add style.
Lighting
Downlights under the cupboards offer task lighting and pendant fixtures offer bench light. We added a wow factor with sugar jar pendant lights and they add a whimsical note to the kitchen.
