There is no workman or contractor who should be left without an occasional check-in. If something can go wrong it will, usually because one party assumed the other was perfectly clear on what whould be done, or someone did not have enough information. Contracts rarely include every detail. Occasional food treats for workers help keep people happy.

It’s worth paying for some of the cabinet storage options. I ordered a cutlery drawer and vertical storage for baking sheets. Wish I had done more! Also I second the comment on under counter lighting. It highlights my tile (a spurge) perfectly.

Al & Karen L

If you have a good idea, implement it. We had our cabinet maker increase the depth of the pantry and refrigerator cabinet to accommodate a standard size refrigerator which provided us with larger pantry and built-in look to the fridge.
In this small kitchen we also favored pull out drawers instead of doors on lower cabinets to facilitate accessibility to kitchen pots and pans.

Drawers instead of cabinets with doors (even with pull out shelves) in the lowers = one of the best kitchen innovations ever.

We have survived (barely) two complete, down to the studs, moving walls kitchen remodels.

I designed one on my own, For the other I used a kitchen designer. Both had full, custom cabinetry.

If you use a designer, make sure you find someone that "gets" what you want. The one I used was all about looks/bells and whistles and couldn't understand why I wanted my kitchen to be cook-friendly first.

100% agree on declutter first and spend a lot of time evaluating how much you need to store.

Deep drawers (instead of doors with shelves) for the lower cabinets is indeed the best kitchen innovations yet!

We worked with a designer. She had a lot of good ideas, for example, a spice drawer so there are not spices falling out of a cupboard. She also suggested replacing our pantry with an alcove with work surface, cabinets to the ceiling, deep drawer for the stand mixer, etc. we didn’t lose storage space and even moved the wall mounted microwave to that area.

We took it down to the studs, took a walk down to open up to the dining area. I designed it. My only regret was my beautiful walnut desk area in the corner. It really holds bags & “stuff”. Should have made it a storage area with hidden storage bench.

Very nice!

1st- realize the remodeling experience is just as much mental as it is physical. Both you and the house are getting “upgraded”. .. by this I mean your every day habits, beliefs and processes will be disrupted and hopefully upleveled for a more efficient and joyous way of living.
I had to mentally let go of the result- and what I thought the experience should look and feel like as it happened.
I had planned, researched, budgeted, gathered a great team and then I had to give them enough room to make my dream happen.
The key was communicating and building relationships with each of the crew. ( I acted as the PM) I remember telling my tile installer, “ this is your masterpiece. When people open my door- the first thing they will see is your intricate work and I can’t wait to show them what you can do!” Holy calypso- and he did the best job ever! Get everyone invested- treat them with respect and be clear about what you want. That what when you need something re- done, and you will. It won’t be a battle or wrapped in shame. It will be SO much more smooth. I have yet to see a happy and respected crew do a crappy job! And you know Love will have been the final ingredient that makes your remodel shine!!!

Clawson Architects,LLC has done too many to count. It is clearly sets us apart as we don’t design just a box for you to go get filled in by others ...we work with you and create a useful space tailored to your needs, budget, traditions and cooking style. As a value add, you can now work hand in hand with the
the design team for your cabinets, counters, hardware etc. as they also own Clawson Cabinets, LLC to ensure the design intent is met.

We renovated our entire house in 2015 and had the kitchen moved from one side of the house to the other. I read and researched everything I could find, including topics like “What if I Don’t like my kitchen after a renovation” and yes, there are stories to read about that and,thankfully, it wasn’t my story. While researching I discovered the microwave drawer for the island, the benefits of recessing your refrigerator, deep drawers for lower cabinets-all of which we did and LOVE and wouldn’t have thought of if I hadn’t spent the time reading/researching.

To add to what kcgorski said, treating the crews as craftsmen(women) and engaging with them is worth it. And makes it much easier to get your wishes fulfilled. One incident that sticks with me is when I answered to door of the mcmansion (yes, we built one) we had just that week moved in to. There stood 4 of the electricians to work on some unfinished/punch list items.

I said, "Well, here's my little electrical army!" with a big smile. The head electrician looked at me and said, "You are the only person we've ever worked with that's treated us as people, not laborers, or even talked to us and we can't tell you how much we appreciate that."

If you're going to purchase items through big box stores which use their own General Contractors to sub out the work, be VERY careful what you're asked to pay up front before the "scope" of the work is done. Verify the GC's UBI number and do your research on them first as well as ask for UBI numbers for each sub they send out to do different types of work for your remodel (electrical, drywall, flooring, cabinets, etc). While there are very good GC's and subs, there are also very shady ones as well who will charge you way more than if you were to just purchase materials yourself and then use a service like Angie's List or Home Advisor to sub out the work yourself and save THOUSANDS of dollars, time, and headache.

When planning my reno, (I must agree with a comment earlier in this thread) to plan a year in advance. I try to look for the best deals I can on Marketplace and other online sources for those items that are a must have, such as faucets. I will keep them in storage until the project starts. I did as much work I could do in my own and hired a local handy person who had done many kitchen projects over the years. It took me several months to really find the light fixture over the sink, this year of planning gives you plenty of time for those hard decisions with so many options.

Don’t start demo until everything is ready to install. Did 2 kitchen remodels, first one moved walls, plumbing and heating, new floor, cabinets, counter and appliances and took 3 weeks. Second remodel (same kitchen, 15 years later) changed out fuel source for stove (from electric to gas), all new cabinets, counters, appliances, paint, tile backsplash and sink. Took 10 days (consecutive) from demo to finish.

Design the kitchen to match the house style. No Frankenstein kitchen will sell your house later.
Keep the project moving along and do not give up.

•Have a budget and a back up budget, always.
•Get what you want for function over fads if you are living there.
•Buy the biggest cfm fan range hood and have it vented outside. (My friends still talk of my hood and grilling inside during winter)
•A second sink with a second disposal cost the same a fancy pot filler over the range. Sink is definitely more useful.
•Under-mount your kitchen sink always, always and also, always.
•Under cabinet lights is a must but use LED, not halogen. My halogen type radiated heat above to spices, etc.
•Buy antimicrobial disposals. Big box store ise type smell after 5 yrs and you have to replace them.
•Plan for where your trash can will sit or upgrade for cabinet type at the planning stage.
•Drawers under the cooktop for lids which I missed doing.
•Exposed side cabinets should be upgraded to wood veneer so it does not look like wood wallpaper. (Its not that expensive to do)
•Be prepared for cabinet costs. Wow. Also upgrade must is dovetail, full extension, under rail ballbearing drawers. (People know and high end buyers look) your entire high end kitchen will be judged on this.
•Microwaves do not belong above a range if your house is custom or over 500k.
•If you need to save $, do it on the refrigerator or a used cook top. Not the double oven or dishwasher. (People always replace the refrigerator you buy anyway). Buy a lower grade stone counter but never formica. Skip the backsplash for now if it means getting solid counters.
Take the free edge angle on solid counters (people do not care)
Buy your own island to save on cabinet cost and installer assembly.
If you keep old cabinets, have a professional painter paint them and not yourself or all remodel money was wasted at this point.

Do not buy a lesser grade anything if you will dislike it (Be realistic though). You can add tile, knobs & fancy lights later.

I've designed my own kitchen (with help from this forum).

I let the people selling my old home "design" that kitchen, but they did nothing other than change the aesthetics. All functions remained in the same place, as well as the original cabinets and counters. (Just new doors to the cabs, new hardware, new paint (ucky grey), new baseline appliances, tile.) Except for the ucky grey, it looked okay when done, but still not functional as a good cook would like. (Hey, as a prep space, I was usually using the range cook top as a prep surface.... the room was just simply WAY too small.)

Well, it sold. That's what counts. Although a truly functional make over for that kitchen would have required a good bump-out.

the latest design that i have done

We did all the planning and work ourselves (with the helping hands of friends) using semi-custom cabinets more than 25 years ago. I’d say there is no such thing as over-planning. As the design developed, we established where each category of equipment would be stowed so we knew we had a place for everything and could put everything in its place. There is nothing magnificent about our kitchen, but we love it and people still ooh and ahhh when they first enter. It’s open and light and cheery. We went with counter-depth appliances before they were so common and have never regretted that decision. The single problematic feature is having the cooktop on an island with seating at one end. The island attracts clutter, and often have to move it before we cook. It’s not a big deal, but it could be for some people.

I am a "do some of it" yourself amateur & loved remodeling this kitchen.
My best advice is to (1) start with a "vision" I had a picture that was very close to what I wanted (2) Find a reasonable carpenter/contractor and do custom cabinets so you can maximize your space (3) Choose a few more expensive things to dress it up and that make you feel happy every time you walk in. I did a turquoise Big Chill fridge, gas top electric oven, and a deep sink. we fabricated the counters with a soapstone "kit" and got a unique solid surface for less than the Home Depot granite.

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My advice...prioritize flow and function in your budget. Even if it means trade offs like less high end finishes. For example I chose ikea cabinets, laminate countertop and vinyl plank to enable us to complete structural design changes e.g.remove wall and change layout. This choice allowed us to double the size of our kitchen and open up our entire living space. We are almost complete with some finishing work and flooring left. We r pleased with the finishes so far even though our cabinets aren’t custom, our countertop isn’t stone and we don’t have hardwood flooring! Last piece of advice is don’t doubt your design choices! Once all the finishes come together u will see they were the right choices!

We gutted and remodeled the kitchen in our previous home. We used Cabinets to Go, not custom, but their team was totally helpful in providing options to provide access to previously “blind corners”, which is otherwise dead space. I decided on some much brighter and not so traditional colors which the family balked at in the beginning, but the finished space was fantastic! We had a-bit of a neighborhood open house when we finished and pretty much everyone was impressed with the changes. one thing I can suggest is to spend a bit extra on additional lighting it can make all the difference especially in a kitchen space.

I have remodeled two kitchens in 5 years in 2 different houses. I only have two thoughts to share:

1. You know what you don't like about your kitchen and remodel to fix those wrongs but there are also so many things that you unconsciously appreciate that go unnoticed... until after the remodel. And then you realize your old kitchen had some great features and start missing them.

2. Run away from trends unless you really love it and have always loved it. I read somewhere that if you're going for a trend, you're already late.Stick with what goes well with the house and its location. For our second remodel, we stuck to the original style of the house so while not popular right now, the kitchen is consistent with the rest of the house and is "aging" really well.

We are just finishing a complete kitchen remodel. We even removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room. Thank goodness I have a husband that did all the demo work, removed walls, moved the recess lights did the plumbing, electrical, moved the gas lines for the stove and much more. I am happy to say I don’t have any complaint.
We went with Van Deusen Blue. We were going to do Hale Navy but in our house it looked black. We have a nice ocean view so we went with a coastal theme. My favorite part of my kitchen is my backsplash, two islands and huge bar window that opens up to our view. I also really like that I took the cupboard to the ceiling with glass at the top. We also did a microwave drawer, steam oven and wood paneled refrigerator doors.

Beautiful job!

Be prepared to plow your own path. What I learned here and on the Gardenweb/Houzz forums gave me was invaluable advice. Seemed like everywhere locally they were focused on kitchen triangles and still putting MWs over ranges etc. Of course when you tell people what you are thinking they think you are crazy or just don't understand.

Ended up with a fabulous kitchen. Cherry cabinets, granite counters, microwave in its own space, hardwood floors, subway tile with a pencil line with a jog backsplash, a great layout (it was a tough spot to work in as we added on to an old house), and the showstopper...a heated granite island. All for $10,000 (that does not include cost of the addition which included other rooms so hard to break out just the kitchen) We did all the labor other than installing the granite. People love working in or just hanging out in our kitchen and so do we.

Going into other kitchens now even in homes that cost 10x or more than our home, DH and I look at the kitchen and whisper to each other how bad the layout it, why did they not use lower cabinet drawers, etc. Leaned so much on the gardenweb/houzz kitchen forum. Advice that will last a lifetime and is not about trends.

We did some reconfiguring of layout, painted the cabinets and built a new island (also painted but a couple shades darker). We put in new flooring and backsplash and got a completely renewed look on a fairly cheap budget! My husband and I did all of the work and design.

Eat in area

So what we learned is if you aren’t ready financially to do a full kitchen gut job... rearranging the flow and painting any woods you don’t love can make a huge difference in the look.

I learned that some idiot built a bathroom above my kitchen and didn’t add support in the kitchen ceiling so it was bowing. The remodel cost us 10,000 more than we anticipated. You never know what you’re gonna find!

Make sure you fully understand your layout drawings. Especially kitchens with odd shape wall. Don’t just depend on the contractor getting it right.

I learned that finding a very good contractor is a must . I was very lucky to find one .!

To design a kitchen well, it’s important to think through the realm of activities it is to support from the number of people to be entertained on various occasions, to the location of dishes and flatware, to the safety of children and users. Giving this phase the proper time makes all the difference.

I am in the middle of a Reno at the moment and have learned that functionality is more important than the latest trends. Do you really have room for that fancy fan over your stove? Maybe that should be where your microwave goes. My kitchen will be beautiful and perfect for me.

Plan and research, test, try, see everything you can and research and plan some more. Houzz Kitchen and Appliance Forums were a god send. Be prepared for honest criticism i.e. you need tough skin some times BUT it will keep you from making costly mistakes.

My husband and I are on our fifth kitchen. The best advice I can offer is that the flow and details really matter. Take time to think about working and moving in the space. My husband and son were football linemen, so we need extra room for those two to cook in the kitchen together. Also, every fraction of an inch matters. In our second kitchen we had an area of molding that was 3/16" off, so guess where my eyes went everytime I walked into the room?

We’re in the final stages (backsplash, light fixture) of the first real remodel we’ve ever done and hoo boy, it’s been harder than I anticipated. I am so glad to have found the Houzz forums, because I’ve referred to stuff that I’ve learned here a million times over. Even still, it has not been easy.

If we were ever to do this again, I’d:

* schedule in more demo time. We did it ourselves and did not take into account the time that we’d need to replace drywall, mud, sand, prime, paint, etc. before the new cabinets arrived. We were foolish.

* pack up EVERYTHING that was not absolutely necessary in the rooms immediately surrounding the kitchen. We put all kitchen stuff in the dining room and even with the doorways covered with plastic and taped, drywall dust ended up everywhere. Constantly. I now know that I can deal with the inconvenience of not having running water in a kitchen but that drywall dust makes me lose my marbles.

* double then triple check the dimensions of every single thing. We just had Corian counters installed with an integrated Corian sink. I carefully read the width and length dimensions, as our kitchen is small and I was specifically looking for a 27” sink. What I did not do was look carefully at the depth and now we are stuck with a sink that is about 5.5” at its deepest and more like 3.5-4” throughout most of it. I keep calling it our Barbie sink. My husband keeps trying to convince me that it will be fine, but dear reader, we all know that it will not be fine.

Favorite parts of new kitchen: the cabinets are beautifully made and were installed by a true craftsman. Least favorite parts: because it is a small kitchen in an old home, we had to make some sacrifices in regards to layout. The only one that is a daily annoyance is that the spices are in a narrow cabinet and I have to take them all out to find what I need. We’re working on a solution for that now. I do not ever want to go through another major renovation. I’m up for building a house one day, but gaaaaah on renovating.

Double check measurements when altering paths. Adding one slender side cabinet for cookie sheets & then the countertop took the path from say 36 inches down to 24. It didn’t seem like much at the time. After the install, it took some getting used to. Also, if you’re not comfortable about a decision, slow down to figure it out. Your first instinct is usually correct. Everyone has opinions & it can be difficult to know what to do. Last, the glass door cabinets are completely painted even underneath. Regular cabinets were not. So being short, I see the different colors underneath. The sink drain can make a difference for plumbing. It all adds up. Smile & laugh at the issues.

Spring flower outside arrangements in pots

Spent time to get the layout right. It's hard if you're moving walls and appliances but you need to understand how the space will work. We laid out cardboard boxes the rough shape of the island and counters and appliances in an open area and actually went through the motions of cooking in the space together.

That made us realize we had some problems so we went back to brainstorming.

We couldn't afford a big built in fridge so we ended up moving a full size fridge into what had been the pantry. Got close to the look of a built in and plenty of fridge space without the price.

We went with top end Ikea cabinets and hired a designer to help us figure out the cabinet layout. Best decision, next to hiring cabinet installers. Not sure our marriage would have survived my husband spending weeks on his own putting them together!

I've redone our kitchens in two of the houses we've lived in. Nothing is harder to live through but nothing is better than living with a kitchen that fits your life. Both times I acted as my own designer and was extremely lucky to get referrals to independent contractors that were affordable and quality-focused. Both times we got to live in our kitchen for several years and got a result that sold the house, when it was time to leave.
Lessons I learned that worked for me:
Purge your cabinets first! Get rid of things that don't fit your lifestyle. (You won't want to do it afterwards and clearing some room gives you a chance to try moving some contents to better spots.)
Study kitchen design basics and honor the work triangle.
Take the opportunity to tailor the space to how you really live; things like a counter for kids to do homework, a morning grab-and-go station (coffeemaker and mugs, or blender and to-go smoothie cups, or lunchbags and leftover containers), or a bar/island for friends to gather around -- now's the time to customize.
That said, balance personalization and resale potential by researching elements that have enduring popular appeal.
Explore ways to save on cabinetry such as buying and reconfiguring pieces from someone else's gut job, especially if you can find solid wood quality pieces. I once bought an entire kitchens worth of solid oak cabinets for $350 and used the savings to hire a carpenter who added shelves, a desktop, and other custom elements to tie it all together.
Manage costs by avoiding moving plumbing, gaslines, etc. if possible.
Splurge strategically and try not to get carried away on pricey specialty materials on floors, counters, backsplash and lights if a similar less expensive option is available.
Manage stress by limiting your choices. If four stores each carry 50 lighting options, for example, try to find something you can live with from those 200 selections. Don't overload yourself by needing to check dozens of additional providers with thousands of choices.
Limit yourself to just one or two areas that are top priority, allowing yourself more options for that one special light feature or focus point but try to spare yourself from feeling every single item has to be unique. Make a few thing really stand out.
Take the opportunity to upgrade the electrical and add layers of lighting. Excellent task lighting will make your life easier and dramatic and dimmable features can create a variety of ambiances.

Gorgeous!

Kitchen remodels are great, but if you do so solely for aesthetic purposes and don't plan storage and functionality, it is not worth it. I had contractors who obviously do not understand functionality and tried to talk me into things because they would look better. The ones I caved on I regret and have literally torn apart and redone myself. Listen to your gut and how you need a litchen to function and go with that because after all, you are the one using it and paying for it!

Modern

When we were shopping for countertops, the salesperson suggested we choose things that WE love rather than going for trends or other people’s opinions. Also, we built cabinets and organized around how we use things. Saves an amazing amount of time whether we’re entertaining friends, simply preparing meals for ourselves , or putting things away.

This is the way we should live our lives! 😊

Non ci sono più contenuti europei?

My best tip is to pick something classic, not something trendy, because in 15 years trendy is going to look dated.

Get what you want and need for the way you live, not for the way "most people" want things, and not for the way "it will maximize your resale". Don't feel you need to stick to every "rule", as long as you understand why they're there and why they don't apply or matter to you. If you're spending all this time and money, make it personal for you, not for "most people" or the current trend. If your kitchen designer doesn't understand that, find another.

Revisiting this thread to echo the advice to starting planning a good year in advance of starting the work.

Especially if you are working with a tighter budget, because that gives you time to shop hard for bargains on the elements you want. Don't be afraid to look at closeouts, Amazon warehouse (I saved over $100 on my desired sink), scratch and dent/floor model appliances. Visit multiple sources for the type of counter you want - google for a discount seller in your area - would prefab granite work for you? or a remnant? solid surface vs. quartz? Same for flooring - check all outlets in your area, watch for "warehouse" sales. And lighting, too.

Don't expect your installers to interpret drawings the same as you do. Go over everything with them - nicely and politely, because some may think that you are doubting their abilities! Make sure that whoever is installing your sink uses a secondary device - like a sink setter or strapping system - and not just adhesive/caulk and clips - get their agreement to do this in writing (probably provide the device yourself!).

Don't try to squeeze in an island that is too big, or even at all, if you really don't have room or if you have to compromise workflow design in order to have one - yes they are in all the gorgeous kitchen remodel photos, but they aren't always the best decision. Sometimes a smaller wheeled cart/cabinet, or a table on wheels, or a peninsula, are better ideas for a smaller space.

Upgrade your lighting! Position ceiling LED cans or disk over the edge of the counter. Get at least 3000k color temp.