4 Small Ways to Kickstart Your Kitchen Renovation
Over 50 years of helping Sydney homeowners update their kitchens, we’ve heard just about every catalyst that’s sparked the decision to renovate.
It could be that the current kitchen is too small for entertaining. Or that the style is about 30 years out of date. Or that the home is going up for sale, and a kitchen update may increase the home’s value.
Whatever the reason for wanting to renovate, getting stuck into the process can be a little more challenging.
To help you navigate the beginning of your kitchen renovation, we’ve compiled four ways that you can simplify the process and reduce your costs by doing small jobs yourself.
1. Plan
While some homeowners have a detailed vision for their new project, for many first-time renovators it can be hard to envision every little detail of your new space.
And there is no shortage of details – you’ll be making decisions on everything from joinery materials to colour palettes and door hardware!
Without a clear overarching design style, these decisions are not only difficult in the moment, but become mentally taxing as you try to keep track of how everything will come together in the end result.
Planning is therefore an important step to minimise stress and make sure you design the perfect kitchen for your tastes and your lifestyle. Ask yourself why you are renovating, and consider these things:
- Your biggest priority for the kitchen renovation
- Features that you want and need
- How much space you have to play with
- What your budget is for the project
- How you will account for unplanned disruptions
- Whether you’ll be selling the home in the near future
2. Research
During the planning phase of your project, you’ll need tips and inspiration. This will help you to determine things like the best layout for your space and the way you like to cook; what style of cabinetry handles would work best for your family; whether you’ll have a traditional or induction cooktop and so on (the list is truly endless).
Our blog is a good place to start. You’ll find design inspiration on subjects like trends, colours and themes. We also offer practical advice on DIY renovating, choosing materials and maximising storage.
Sites like Pinterest or Houzz can also be helpful to help you imagine what an end project will look like, but keep factors like your budget in mind as you browse so you can work out what’s achievable for your kitchen renovation.
Want to create the ultimate kitchen solution for your home? Download our eBook for kitchen inspiration, practical tips and exclusive expert advice.
3. Prepare
Preparing your home and your schedule will also help reduce stress during your kitchen renovation. You should also prepare mentally, too – a kitchen renovation is a big disruption to both your space and your day-to-day routines.
This means moving everything out of your kitchen into temporary storage or other parts of the house. Try to keep everything in order by labelling boxes and using quality storage containers.
You also want to ensure your schedule is flexible enough to accommodate your kitchen renovation. You might need to take some time off work or reduce your hours to make sure the process goes smoothly.
Depending on the scale and length of your project (and the size of your family) you may even consider alternate accommodation to avoid the disruptions.
4. Book a consultation
Whether you’re doing your kitchen renovation yourself or you’re working with a professional, a consultation will go a long way.
Visit a kitchen showroom and chat to a kitchen designer. As someone experienced with not only kitchen design concepts but the renovation process, they’ll be able to give you some options within your budget, and show you examples of other projects that may spark inspiration for you.
They can also give you expert tips on reducing costs, maximising space and building the right kitchen for your lifestyle. This kind of advice will be unique to your needs, so may be more useful than guidance you find in a magazine or online.
Ready to make a start on your own renovation project? Peruse the Apollo Kitchens blog, and check out our profile on Houzz for examples of our past work.
If you want some more specific advice, or if you’re ready to start speaking with a designer, you can visit one of our showroom locations in Sydney or the Central Coast. Our friendly team will be able to point you in the right direction based on your needs, and we can organise an obligation-free quote to help you plan your project.
