“What steps do I need to take to achieve my dream kitchen?” In today’s blog, we’re going to be answering this question.
Whether you have a clear image in your head of what your dream kitchen will look like, or you have just a few kitchen designs you like the look of, tucked away in a Pinterest folder, it can still be unclear to see the steps you need to take to achieve the kitchen you want.
We want to demystify the roadmap to creating the kitchen of your dreams by taking you through the steps you can expect to take in this home improvement journey.
Defining Your Kitchen Remodel Objectives
The first step to take is one of the most important. You need to define the goals of your dream kitchen – what duties will this kitchen need to fulfil to achieve dream-level status?
You may be thinking that a kitchen is a kitchen and they all do the same thing, which isn’t incorrect but surely something you would call “My dream kitchen” ticks all the boxes you want it to.
Here are some things to think about:
- What size do you want your kitchen to be? If you want a bigger kitchen space, you may need something like a kitchen diner extension
- What needs to be included in your dream kitchen design? Think about things such as a cloakroom or a central island
- What appliances will you need to fit in the kitchen? Appliances like American fridge freezers can take up lots of room that you may need to plan for
- Do you have a particular style in mind? With so many different styles, from modern to traditional, you want to be clear on the perfect one for the kitchen of your dreams
These are just a few points to consider, but defining the goals of your dream kitchen by considering factors like the above is vital to achieving exactly what you want.
Planning the Perfect Kitchen Design
When we imagine our dream kitchen, how it looks is likely the first thing that pops into our head, so much so that there may be an image, as clear as a photograph, in your head of your dream kitchen.
If you haven’t quite pinned down your dream kitchen design, it’s time to look for inspiration.
Social media apps such as Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram are great places to start in your search for some dream kitchen inspiration. Find existing kitchens you love the look of and keep these saved somewhere you can easily find them.
For more inspiration, you can browse the case studies on our site, including this incredible kitchen that was created by us as part of an extension project in Norwich.
When thinking about your dream kitchen design, don’t forget to consider every detail, no matter how small, including:
- The flooring
- The lighting
- The colour palette
Setting Aside a Budget for Your Dream Kitchen
It’s impossible to know how much the cost of building your dream kitchen will be without asking around for quotes.
According to Checkatrade, the average cost of a budget kitchen renovation in 2023 is £6,200. And for a fully custom kitchen renovation, you could expect to pay around £35,000.
So ensuring you have a decent budget to start with is paramount. Remember that different factors, such as your location, will alter the price range.
But it costs nothing to get started on getting a clearer idea of what your unique project will cost. To do this, look around for local contractors and construction companies and ask for estimates.
Kitchen Layout and Architecture
Deciding what you want your dream kitchen to look like is your job, but actually drafting up the architectural plans and drawings is the job of a professional architect.
At this stage, you need an architectural design drafted before any building can begin.
One way to speed up this process to get to the building stage faster is by working with a design and build company, like Bespoke Construction Group. This way, the architectural design and build of your project are handled by one party, which creates a fluid process from design to build.
Hire Certified Kitchen Renovation Contractors
The next step is to hire the people that will create the kitchen of your dreams. But of course, if you choose the design and build route, you can skip this step completely.
When hiring contractors for your kitchen renovation project, you want to pick reliable workers who know how to do the job and can keep to the agreed budget and timescale.
But how on earth do you tell the good contractors from the bad? By asking questions and doing a little bit of research.
Ask questions such as:
- How long have you been in business?
- Do you have experience in this particular type of project?
- What have your past customers said about working with you?
And of course, you need to do the research and ensure that anything said can be backed up by the big P word – Proof!
Getting Your Home Ready for a New Kitchen
This is the last step and includes perhaps the most work that you yourself will have to do.
To prepare for the installation of the kitchen of your dreams, there are two main tasks you need to tick off your checklist.
- Pack up your kitchen – you’re going to be saying goodbye to this kitchen but not necessarily most of the things in it. So pack up all of the things you want to keep and chuck out all of the stuff you won’t be needing – per your dream kitchen design.
- Set up a temporary kitchen – Depending on the scale of your project, this could take anywhere from two to four weeks, so you’re going to need a new kitchen area. Don’t worry, it’s only temporary; as long as the kettle is within reach, you’re good to go.
Final Thoughts
Every home improvement project is different so you can never really predict with absolute certainty the process you’ll go through to fit your dream kitchen.
But the steps we’ve discussed in this blog will hopefully give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
If you need help achieving your dream kitchen, you can reach out to our team to set up a free meeting with us where we can discuss your unique project in more detail.
