A Few Kitchen Makeover Tips for Every DIY Enthusiast

Have you ever noticed how friends and family members always end up in the kitchen? The rest of your home could be a gem, but somehow the kitchen is a people magnate at any gathering. That’s why you want to get your kitchen makeover  right. Here are five easy ways to ensure a brilliant kitchen renovation that will be the envy of your neighbours!

Guide 1: Start with your needs

How will your family use the kitchen? Do you eat at all hours of the day? Do you have young children? Do you prefer a casual or more formal dining environment? If you are more casual about eating, benches or island bars may be the ticket. If you have young children, you may want to create a less formal look and use textured colours to hide stains and marks. Maybe you need to expand the size to create a bigger seating area and more space for kitchen supplies? Beyond simply “updating your kitchen”, you need to be specific about your needs and how you want to use your new kitchen. 

Guide 2: Do some research

Take a look at samples of different kitchen renovation styles to see what appeals to you. Visit kitchen renovation showrooms. Look at magazines. Get inspired. OakWood has an extensive online gallery to whet your appetite and jumpstart the concept design stage of your kitchen renovation. Pay attention to materials and finishes because this will affect cost. Key elements include cabinets, countertops, and flooring.

Guide 3: Kitchen Layout and design

Now that you know what you like it’s time to bring these ideas and elements together in a design. This is a creative process that blends many elements with the goal of creating something unique. Our concept design process always includes brainstorming on different options and “what if” scenarios. We take your ideas and add to them based on your needs and preferences. We can also create 3D kitchen concept designs to help our customers visualize their end solution before we start to build. 

Guide 4: Get a detailed plan

Once you have a concept design, you need a roadmap for making this a reality. A good plan links the design and what you want, to your budget. If you make a change to any design element, it will affect your plan. That is why any plan that’s worth its salt includes a detailed proposal, right down to the number of electrical outlets. 

Guide 5: Hire a “design-and-build” renovator

Unless you are a talented handyman, you’ll be hiring a renovator to do the work for you. Make sure they are a qualified “Design and Build” renovator. That’s because over 50% of kitchen design projects that start with a designer or architect never get built. The design drives the plan and budget. A design and build renovator will ensure these two phases are completely integrated and that nothing falls between the cracks from your concept to final construction. (See our free report on how to choose a qualified renovator).