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Kitchen Design - The Choices      

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Kitchen And Bath

There is no way around it, kitchens and baths are the most expensive rooms in a home.  They are expensive to remodel even when you aren't using $100 per sq/ft tile or top of the line jet tubs or Wolf appliances.  The numbers add up fast.  However these are also the rooms that get the most use and require the most performance on a day to day basis. 

 

Because kitchens and baths cost and are not easy to change it is important to consider all selections carefully.  Thankfully the internet can help you do all the research you need from pricing, to quality ratings to consumer reviews and the endless supply of products and materials.  Magazines are helpful however, one has to be mindful that advertisers do sometimes pay for positve articles.  When it comes to appliances check with other people who have used the brand or model you are interested in.

 

What we have tried to include here are tips and tricks to help you avoid what we've found to be common pitfalls or stumbling blocks to creating a successful kitchen or bath design.

 

Real Costs

 

The Roadmap For Your Bathroom Design

 

  1.   Visit a couple of bathroom showrooms.

  2.   Make a checklist of what you need and what want.

  3.   Research products on the internet focusing on styles, options and consumer reviews.

  4.   Learn about new products created since your last bathroom design project.

  5.   Determine with the help of a qualified contractor what is practical for your environment. 

  6.   Make actual selections of materials, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, lighting and any installed design elements.

  7.   Now get estimates from contractors.

  8.   Make any revisions in the design and select your contractor.

  9.   Select hardware and be warned this can add up fast.
  10.   Only after you’ve selected the tile, cabinetry and flooring can you choose a paint color 

 

 
 

INSPIRATION Checklist

Questions to ask when planning for a new kitchen or master bath:

 

For a master bathroom remodel:

  • Shower and/or tub for one or two?
  • Do you like to take a bath? Do you soak, read, listen to music? Need a view?
  • Do you use a lot of product? What and what sizes? Certain chemicals guarantee unhappy results if used on certain surfaces.
  • Do you shave in the shower or at the sink?
  • Do you need privacy for your toilet?
  • One sink or two? Do you both use the bathroom at the same time?
  • How and where does a woman put on her make up?
  • How much storage do you need and for what?
  • Appliances: hairdryer, curling iron, hot rollers, etc.?
  • What size towels do you use and how many?
  • Do you wear a robe?
  • Do you change your clothes in the bathroom or elsewhere?

Kitchen:

  • Do you cook?
  • How do you cook and what?
  • How much time do you spend in your kitchen?
  • Are you a messy or clean cook?
  • What type of utensils and pots/pans do you use? How often?
  • What and how much do you handwash items?
  • Do you need a separate sink for food preparation?
  • Do you need a garbage disposal or do you compost?
  • How many trash and recycle bins do you need in the kitchen?
  • How many sets of dishes to you use?
  • Do you entertain? For how many?
  • Do you like to eat in your kitchen?  Full meals or just quick snacks?
  • Where do your kids do homework?
  • How often do you shop for groceries?
  • What kind of storage do you need: dry goods, canned, fresh fruits & veggies, bottled drinks, etc.?
  • What do you hate or love about your current kitchen?
  • Do you need a TV or computer in your kitchen?
  • Do you have lots of kitchen appliances: mixer, toaster overn, coffee maker, etc?
  • Microwave – who uses it and for what? (If is young children you don't want to put it in upper wall cabinets.)
  • How many people cook at the same time?
  • How many cookbooks do you use?  How do you store recipies?
  • Do you bake and need a lower countertop for rolling out dough or pastry?

 

There are many more questions one could ask but this will get you started in the right direction.  Kitchen and bathrooms require a large amount of planning and research before you ever get to the design part of it.  Answering these questions first will put you well on your way to a successful design.

 

 Interior Design Factory, Ltd.

Lisa M. Smith - Interior Designer, Associate IIDA
29399 Shaker Blvd.
Pepper Pike, OH  44124
Phone: 216.255.4143   Fax: 216.765.8065
 

 

Green Kitchen Design Products

  • Cork or bamboo floors
  • Recycled glass tile backsplash
  • Recycled concrete and glass countertops
  • Low VOC paints, adhesives and finishes
  • Daylighting
  • Energy efficient appliances 
  • Xenon rather than halogen lights
  • Linoleum flooring
  • Look for Leed Certified materials
 

 

Why a general contractor?

 

 Creating a kitchen or bathroom involves many elements: plumbing, electrical, carpentry, flooring, painting, etc. A general contractor has people on his staff or sub-contractors he can call on for the various elements and provides the project management skills to coordinate all the different trades.

 

CAUTION: Kitchens and baths involve major money – this is not the place to skimp and decide you can be your own project manager. I have never seen it work well and it ALWAYS ends up costing the homeowner more.

 

As a designer and having done many of these projects, I get help from other professionals.  There are too many things to go wrong and get missed if you are too close to a project or don't have ample knowledge.