How to Make Your Dream Kitchen a Reality

With the right color scheme, furniture and appliances, a kitchen can be the perfect space for comfort and cooking, especially if you’re an avid chef or party host. There is a lot to think about when planning and executing a home improvement project. Depending on what aspects of the space you want to upgrade, you may need to perform some research to find the best services in your area. From flooring, countertops, cabinetry, hardware, lighting, and appliances, make sure you have goals in mind, and that you give yourself enough time to outline the process.

Plan Your Design

During the initial planning stage of a kitchen project, remember to ease into it slowly. If you start the process too quickly, you may end up forgetting something important. Start by making a list of what you’re looking for. Maybe you’ve come across a few pictures on social media that you want to replicate, or maybe you have a magazine that you’ve saved photos from. Whatever it may be, collect all of those images and save them in a folder, or create a mood board. You can use this as a reference during the times when you’re communicating with a designer and contractor throughout the duration of the project.

Along with photos, keep yourself organized by jotting your ideas down on paper. This can help you remember all of the really specific touches you want to add to your new kitchen. Ask yourself -- What is the style I want to achieve? Do I want to design a space that is modern farmhouse or edgy? Are there any colors that I want consistent throughout my kitchen and its accessories? Write, sketch and save everything! You won’t regret having more inspiration than normal compared to not enough.

If you need additional assistance when it comes to the creative side of planning your dream kitchen, consider hiring an architect or a designer to bring your vision to life. Working with professionals will allow you to get expert opinions and they can reassure you what will look good within your space.  Find a qualified and insured contractor to manage and build your dream kitchen.

Choose The Materials

Whether you hire a designer or not, it’s important to order swatches for paint colors, tiles, and flooring so you can compare each and decide what materials will look best in your space. Make sure to mention all of your needs and wants to your designer. If you are trying to be environmentally friendly with your upgrades, consider looking into eco-friendly tile selections and other eco-friendly materials. Explore granite, marble, tile, laminates, wood, and quartz options since all can give your kitchen a different feel when they are paired with your appliances. If you’re adding an island or bar, look into the styles and colors of bar stools or shelving to ensure it goes along with your tiles and flooring too.

If you are designing a kitchen right before starting a family with your significant other, you’ll want to look at child-friendly and easy-to-clean surfaces with less upkeep. Do your research, ask for input, and weigh out options that will work best for you and your family.

Pick Out Your Appliances

Before starting your research on what appliances you’d like to incorporate in your kitchen, figure out what needs a full replacement, or maybe just a quick fix. Consider looking into energy-efficient and commercial-quality appliances if you are looking for your kitchen to look more upscale.

As you research, remember there are many different ways you can educate yourself when it comes to finding the right appliance for your home. If you are stumped, start by checking out the buying guides provided by vendors. These can give you an in-depth look into what the appliance will offer you.

You can gain a lot of insight by diving into customer reviews and reading the comments and ratings for the appliances you need is a great way to see if they uphold the manufacturer's standards. Consider the key features that the reviewer either loved or disliked. Reviews are also a great place to learn about any problems or malfunctions an appliance may have had.

As a buyer, it’s so important to ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Remember, when you make home upgrades you do have the chance to increase the ROI of your home. Depending on the materials you use and the size of the project, you can have the chance of increasing the value of your home. Down the road, this can benefit you if you ever put your house on the market.

Compare Your Payment Options

Remodeling a kitchen requires financial research to ensure you are approaching payments for appliances, new cabinets, floors, countertops, and hardware for example, in the correct way. There are a variety of options to look into:

Personal Loan. If you don’t have a lot of home equity, a personal loan may be a good option for you. A personal loan typically has a shorter repayment period and higher rates.

Home Equity Loan. A home equity loan is a second mortgage that you can repay back in installments for 15 years. In this case, a home equity loan is based on your home’s value.

Home Equity Line of Credit. A home equity line of credit is secured by the equity in your home. A HELOC is a good idea when you have a home improvement project that may take up to 10 years to complete. Depending on the lender, repayment terms can fall around 20 years.

Personal Line of Credit.  A personal line of credit is a sum of money that you can borrow over a certain draw period. Whatever money you borrow is the amount you have to pay back and then pay interest on. A PLOC is an unsecured financing product that can be ideal for minor home and related expenses. 
You can also finance your purchases by using your credit card or money from your savings. In these cases, try setting monthly or weekly saving goals, so you have a sense of when you will have enough funds.  Keep in mind that it may take some time to save for the total cost of your purchases.

Say goodbye to that outdated kitchen and hello to a new and improved space. Feel happy in your revamped kitchen and confident in the products you buy.