Remodeling Tips for Virginia Beach & Chesapeake Homeowners

If you are considering a kitchen remodeling then make sure that you do it right! That means that during the design stage you take steps to address any weaknesses in your current kitchen design.

After all, a remodel is not just an excuse to install new shiny cupboards and appliances – it is a chance to design your dream kitchen that you will love cooking and entertaining in for years to come.

So, before you do anything else, consider these great design tips during the planning stage – and good luck with your new kitchen!

 

Walking Space

One of the keys to a great kitchen that is easy to navigate is to leave sufficient walking space in and around the island.

Of course, this will depend on the overall size of your kitchen, and if you don’t have a huge amount of room to work with this could mean sacrificing some walking space or some appliances- that’s a decision for you to make though.

Broadly speaking, all pathways through the kitchen should be around 35 inches in width, with walking in the cooking zones (i.e. around ovens/hobs) should be a bit bigger, more like 40 inches of unobstructed space.

 

Kid Friendly?

Do you need to bear little ones in mind during your design process? If you do, then try to ensure that the cooking surfaces – such as hobs – are kept out of traffic areas.

In other words, try to design so that a person – especially a little person – can get from one side of the room to the other without having to get too close to any pans of boiling water or bubbling sauces.

 

Avoid the Refrigerator Wars

Anyone who has cooked for a group– especially a large gathering of family and friends – will know the universal rule that as you get busier in the kitchen so will the needs of everyone to get into the refrigerator.  They don’t do it on purpose of course – though it may feel at the time as if they do!

As a friend of mine Vince often says: “Take this chance to work this universal rule into your remodeling designs – try to place the refrigerator so that it can be easily accessed by both anyone cooking, and also by anyone who just pops into the kitchen looking for a cold soda.” When it comes to sharing the kitchen, Vince know what he’s talking about, especially after being a successful home renovator for over 20 years. He also loves giving tips to homeowners like myself, and puts out some of new content at https://www.freedomremodelers.com/bathroom-remodeling and also his Chesapeake VA page, so if you’re interested, you know where to go.

One of the videos pertaining to kitchens Vince had told me about is this one:

 

Your Private Island

The island in your kitchen – if you decide to have one of course – can be a key part of the kitchen design. Therefore, you must decide before you start building what the function of the island is going to be.

For example, if you want the kind of kitchen that you can cook and eat in, plan for this with the island installation. Make sure it is large enough for the number of place settings required for your family, that everyone can sit and eat without clashing elbows and there is sufficient room for the stools or seats.

 

Think Trash

Finally, that new kitchen is going to generate trash once you start using it. Food scraps, wrapping papers, and plastic containers – it all has to go somewhere.

Consider installing an integrated trash can for general waste as well as a cupboard or large drawer segregated for various recycling materials, but don’t forget about the smell.

An overflowing bin stuck in one corner of the room is seriously going to ruin the aesthetic (and smell) of your design – so tuck all trash receptacles away out of sight.

 

Those are definitely the top ones you should start with, and go from there. Hope you’ve enjoyed it and stay tuned for more.

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