What Are Your Kitchen Remodeling Goals?

Tuesday, December 16th, 2014 by Danny Peterson

A kitchen remodel, like most any other undertaking, requires some kind of direction. If you just start tearing up your countertops and unplugging the appliances without any thought, well—don’t be surprised when you end up with a mess on your hands, to say nothing of a blown budget! There are several aspects that go into kitchen remodel preparation. These include budgeting, selecting new appliances and fixtures, and—unless you’re going completely DIY—finding a good contractor to help you out. But there’s one step that comes even before all of these others—and that’s setting your kitchen remodeling goals. People remodel for different reasons. It’s important that you identify yours. Your kitchen remodeling goals will help you determine the steps you need to take in your remodeling process.

Remodeling for Style

Among the different reasons why people remodel, one of the most significant ones is appearance. Your kitchen may be plenty functional, but it may look totally out of date, with appliances and countertops that are decades old, a poor or peeling paint job, and a complete lack of modern verve. All of these things can be addressed, of course, and if you’re remodeling for style then you’re probably going to pay special attention to things like your floors and your walls; your kitchen fixtures; your appliances; your lighting; your counter spaces; and more. Our biggest recommendation, as you think about remodeling for style, is that you choose a style that is in fact timeless. We’ll put it this way: You don’t want to replace your outdated kitchen with a trendy new one—only to see it go out of style again in five or ten years!

Remodeling for Function

Of course, your kitchen is one of the most-used, most functional rooms in your home—or at least it should be. Not every homeowner has a kitchen that lends itself well to cooking or to gathering the family together, which is why functional remodels are so common. There are actually several sub-goals here. You may be remodeling to get more space to cook—more counter space. You may be remodeling for more storage space—larger pantries. You may be remodeling so that there is more room for your family to gather around the table. In some instances, you may be able to simply make better use of the space you have. Extending counter tops, installing new cabinets, adding a kitchen island—all of these things are possible, sometimes. When they’re not possible, though—when you simply have to have a larger kitchen—then you’ll obviously want to call a contractor to help add on to the room.

Other Reasons to Remodel

Some remodeling projects have more specific reasons. Maybe you just really want a breakfast nook in your kitchen, one with big windows and comfortable seating. Or maybe you are remodeling to replace certain worn-out elements, like an older stove or a cracked/stained set of counter tops. Moreover, you may choose to remodel your kitchen to go green. Newer kitchen appliances, including refrigerators and stoves, can actually help you cut your utility bills, in the long run. Perhaps you want to bring in new, energy-efficient appliances, and make sure the rest of the room looks suitably sleek and fresh. Clearly, there are any number of reasons to breathe new life into an old room. What matters is being honest about your goals. Make sure you know what it is you’re trying to accomplish; in doing so, you can achieve those goals efficiently, and add some real value to your home, in the process.