Some clients know exactly what they want when it comes time to remodel the kitchen in their Chicago home. Others simply know there's work to be done but have no idea where to start. If you're in the latter category, the following guidelines will help you figure out what you want in your new kitchen.
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The best way to go about the process is to start with the big picture and slowly whittle your way down to the smaller picture.
Start with an ideas book. There are many ways to go about this. If you still prefer tangible paper, collect and/or print pictures from design magazines and websites and assemble them. Don't analyze too much. If you see a kitchen and think, "I really like that," add it to your folder. If you are more of a digital-phile, use online idea books to store the pictures you love or start a Kitchen Remodel board on your Pinterest page and start pinning.
Once you have a collection of photos, even it seems like a hodge-podge, we can go through it with you and pick out the general themes.
Identify how you use your kitchen. Be as pragmatic, and then dreamy, as you want. How does each member of your family use the kitchen. Perhaps the earliest riser walks with eyes shut, feeling his/her way into the kitchen to make coffee (may we suggest soft undercabinet lighting for a non-offensive glow and a built-in coffee station that can have your coffee ready for you?). Your kids may love to snack, do homework and hang out with their friends close to the fridge and meal prep areas (may we suggest a kitchen island with raised bar seating so friends and family can gather comfortably?). Identifying how the kitchen is used will help us design a layout and flow that works for you and will also help us with appliance and finish selections.
Choose a style. Typically, your kitchen will fall into one of three design categories: modern, transitional or traditional. Your ideas book will help with this because it will be pretty apparent whether the majority of the kitchens and finishes you identified with are modern or traditional. If it seems like a 50/50 balance, we'll know you are a transitionalist and will pull a little of this and a little of that into your design.
Get specific. By the time you've collected ideas, identified how you use your kitchen and know your general design style, it will be much easier to make specific choices. If eco-friendliness is important, we'll discuss things like quartz countertops and recycled glass tiles. If universal design is a goal, we can work with that. We'll make your materials selections process easy, fun and stress-free.
Contact the design pros at Kitchens & Baths Unlimited and we'll help you figure out exactly what works and looks best for your Chicago kitchen remodeling project.
