Needs vs. Wants. Separate your needs from your wants. Your home is 2,000 square feet, maybe there’ve been additions since your home was built, but you still have an 80 square foot 1957 galley style kitchen, you probably need a larger kitchen. First steps, identify what you really need, what limitations you have in space, budget, and make a list. Online sites like Houzz and Pinterest are a good starting point, gathering general ideas of what appeals to you, style, textures, and colors. Maybe you have always dreamed of having an island with seating, allowing the kids to be close while doing homework, but outside of the work triangles. Creating a baking area allowing enough space for the family to participate in making holiday treats will produce memories that will last a lifetime.
Once you’ve gathered general information and made your list, gathering design ideas, and needs, then add to your list wants. At this early stage it’s important to include all your wants that will produce the kitchen of your dreams. We are early in your project and nothing should be eliminated yet. When you speak with designers and/or contractors, the more information presented, the better they will be able to help you in forming ideas that eventually can be the basis for your new kitchen. Maybe some of your wants cannot be incorporated but discussing them may spark ideas that can. As a designer and contractor, it’s extremely important for me to know how a client wants their space to function not just how it will look. Maybe a baking space, double ovens, island, built in table, commercial style range, walk in pantry, great room, there are so many options that need to be discussed. Needs as well as wants are going to dictate whether to expand the footprint of your home or move some interior walls expanding the area to accommodate all the design elements.
Expanding your home and moving walls come with their challenges. There are many factors to consider when expanding to the rear, side or front; setbacks, lot coverage, roof lines, and pools, just to name a few. Moving interior walls have their challenges as well; traffic patterns, furniture layout, lifestyle, structural walls, utilities in walls, just to name a few. All of these issues can be dealt with, but must be discussed with a qualified designer and/or contractor. Having both disciplines in one person is extremely useful in minimizing surprises throughout the project which could come with some high price tags. There are many factors that go into a kitchen design that will add value to your home, blending with the existing architectural lines and add benefits to your daily life.
There is no substitution for experience and should be a prime consideration when you are selecting a designer and/or contractor. A well designed project is not one that only looks good, blends with the original lines of the home but comes within an established budget. This can only be accomplished working with an experienced designer and/or contractor. During your preliminary interview determining experience in your particular type of project should be high on your list of questions.
Baccaro Construction is a premier “Design and Build” contractor with NKBA certified kitchen and bath designers, working with our clients from the initial “Wish List” to setting the final finishing nail. If you are ready for your first free consultation, call us.
If you have any specific questions or suggestions for future posts, please contact me at Peter@baccaroconstruction.com.