A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Dream Kitchen

If you’ve ever been a part of a home renovation project, you probably already know that the kitchen remodel is usually the most expensive part and requires a lot planning ahead. Not to mention it’s also one of The Best Renovations to Increase Home Value. We’ve done many full kitchen remodels at this point and we’re still amazed at how much effort goes into it every single time! So we’re compiling our process of how to create your dream kitchen full of helpful links and free resources all in one place.

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And if you are working on a major kitchen remodel as a part of a larger home reno project, don’t forget to bookmark our Ultimate Guide to Planning a Home Renovation which we are sure will come in handy.

Lay the Foundation: Goals and Budget

Set Clear Objectives

You may think you can skip this step, but if you don’t set expectations and outline a path forward, you will lose yourself along the way. Luckily this step is also fairly easy.

You should decide if you will renovate the entire kitchen or only tackle the project in phases over a certain period of time. If you are an expert DIYer, you may decide that you will complete this full kitchen remodel yourself. However if you are running against a timeline or deadline, then you may decide to hire professionals to get the job done. This is the time to set parameters for yourself and anyone else involved.

There is a caveat. With any renovation project, even if you have the best intentions, you may need to pivot from time to time. For the renovation of our current kitchen at home, we were only planning to renovate one half of the kitchen at a time, since again, a major kitchen remodel project is a lot to deal with (especially with a toddler!). After we started pulling design ideas together, we realized we wanted the countertops to come from the same slab (since natural stones are distinct and unique), which means we would need the entire layout completed to order all of the countertops. All in all, we decided to do the entire kitchen at the same time. So don’t be afraid to come back to this step!

Related: Don’t Make These 5 Renovation Mistakes

Budget Realities

According to Architectural Digest, kitchen remodeling is one of the most expensive renovations you can do to your home and you can try to avoid spending more than you anticipate by establishing a budget. In 2023, Americans spent an average of $25k on a minor kitchen remodel according to Remodeling by JLC. To determine where you fit on this sliding scale, here’s are some major cost considerations:

Cabinets

The largest cost investment in a kitchen remodel is typically the cabinets. Custom cabinets can be tailored to fit your kitchen and specific layout perfectly but is also on the high-end of costs. We found that custom cabinets fit our layout and storage needs for our latest kitchen remodel.

On the other hand, ready-made stock cabinets are more cost-effective and practical for most standard kitchens. Also choosing cabinets made of premium materials such as exotic woods, soft close hinges and custom hardware and pulls will add to your costs. If you are an experienced DIYer, you may even choose to build your cabinets (the box frame and cabinet doors), which could significantly decrease this expense.

Countertops

Countertops also contribute to a large chunk of your kitchen costs. How much will depend on if you choose a luxury stone or marble countertops, high-end faucets and flooring, a commercial-grade range and/or luxury faucets. Alternatively you could consider a nice laminate surface which is the cheapest kitchen countertop option you’ll find.

Appliances

You may want to replace your 80s fridge and whether you choose a standard or smart fridge will affect your overall costs. If you are looking to save money here, visit your nearest home appliance discount store (i.e. American Freight) to see if they have any deals on appliances like a range and/or dishwasher.

Flooring

If you need new flooring, hardwood or tile will be the more expensive options compared to LVP or laminate. Other cost-effective flooring materials/options are vinyl and engineered wood. Vinyl flooring options are relatively easy to maintain and engineered wood is appealing to those who like the solid hardwood aesthetic but at a lower price point.

Example Kitchen Renovation Budget

Here are example kitchen remodel costs below. The second column is an example if you were DIYing the entire project and the last column is if you hired a professional and were replacing most items in the kitchen.

Note: We’re presenting a broad example so any particular kitchen remodel cost maynot apply to your situation (square footage of the remodel, location differences, material and supply availability, labor considerations etc).

If you are trying to save a significant amount of money, you may have to reconsider some of the finishes, refinish or paint your existing cabinets, take time to find deals on new appliances or DIY the tile backsplash. At the same time, just note that investing in more durable materials like hardwood for cabinets and granite or quartz for countertops will ensure you’ll create a kitchen that will last for years to come.

Just remember, a budget is like a roadmap, helping you make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary costly detours. So give your best estimates and don’t forget to save some funds aside for unexpected expenses.

Research and Collect Inspiring Ideas

Visualize Your Ideal Kitchen Remodel

When you envision your dream kitchen, what do you see? Do you lean towards a modern, minimalist vibe, a more traditional feel or a vibrant, eclectic space? Are you considering adding new appliances with smart home technology or are you keeping it simple? Do you visualize bright ambient light in the room or a warm, moody vibe? We used to lean more towards a very neutral, farmhouse look but are now adding more colors to our designs these days, such as the now trendy olive green paint color.

Related: Choosing the Perfect Colors for Your Home Renovation

Visit showrooms to see materials and kitchen designs in person. This allows you to better understand the textures, finishes, and overall quality of potential elements for your kitchen design ideas.

Plan it Out

Pulling together designs can be a fun part of the kitchen remodel. Take this time to explore as much as you can, both online or in print. We created simple home renovation planning templates that allows you to properly manage all aspects of your project in one place. You can print them, put them in a binder and fill it in. The planning pages include a project calendar, budget tracker, design page and more! Best of all, when you are discussing specific tasks or concepts related to the renovation with a professional or someone else, you can easily show them your design ideas instead it all being in your head.

Form Follows Function

After you gather your design ideas, you’ll need to review the functionality of the plan. Check to see if your existing space and layout is logical and efficient. Do you have a small kitchen that requires more storage or a larger kitchen that isn’t efficient with space?

You want to create spaces in the kitchen that make it easy for you to access different tools and appliances while you are prepping, cooking or cleaning and one way to do this is by designating zones. The Kitchn has a wonderful reference article about How to Setup a Kitchen and how to organize and arrange your kitchen by its zone:

• Consumables zone: Where food is stored. Storage space examples can be your refrigerator for fresh food and your pantry for other goods.
• Non-consumables zone: Where everyday items are stored. Examples could be silverware and dishes.
• Cleaning zone: Usually where the sink and dishwasher are located.
• Preparation zone: Working area for preparing food. Examples could be countertop space or a kitchen island.
• Cooking zone: Where the stovetop, oven, or range, and/or possibly the microwave are located.

For example, originally our refrigerator was in front of the exterior door to the garage and away from the rest of the kitchen. Obviously when someone would come through the garage door, you better not be in the fridge or you’d get hit with the door! So part of our design would need to include moving the fridge to a more open part of the kitchen.

Alternatively if your budget allows, you could consider hiring a professional interior designer who can translate your ideas into a cohesive and functional design.

Building the Right Team

Thoroughly Vet Contractors

We’ve written an entire post on How to Hire a Contractor for Your Home Renovation where we shared best practices to help you hire the right professional for your home project. Be sure to bookmark it to come back when you’re at that stage.

To summarize, you’ll need to thoroughly research contractors before you make your final decision. Ask your friends, family and other locals about reputable contractors in the area who recently completed a kitchen renovation project.

Then check references, review past projects, and confirm necessary licenses and insurance before making your final selection.

Compare Quotes Carefully

Request detailed quotes from multiple contractors (we recommend to get a least 3) so you’re able to compare prices among your short list. Pay close attention to project timelines, warranties, and any potential additional costs to make an informed decision.

To save you some time, click here or the photo below for a very easy and FREE checklist to help manage this process. You do not want to pick the wrong contractor so be sure to take your time on this step to save your both time and money down the line.

Preparation and Communication

Create a Temporary Kitchen Setup

Take it from us, you can plan all you want but you will encounter unexpected problems along the way. One way to prepare for the (potential) chaos is by creating a temporary kitchen setup. This could include essential kitchen appliances like a microwave and a portable cooktop so you can maintain some level of functionality.

A good example is that for our kitchen renovation, we scheduled our new gas line service a month in advance, perfectly timed with the installation of the cabinets and new stove. However the serviceman was not able to come that day and because this was during the holiday season, we were pushed back to over a week for the next service date. So as a temporary fix, we bought an electric cooktop because well, you don’t quite realize how much you use your stove until you can’t use your stove!

Maintain Open Communication

Stay in regular communication with your contractor throughout the process. Addressing concerns promptly will help keep the project on track and minimize potential issues.

Also revisiting your original plan from time to time is important. You may need to adjust your budget or design plan to reflect any changes made along the way. Then share those changes with everyone that you are working with so everyone is on the same page.

Conclusion

Creating your dream kitchen renovation requires thoughtful planning, designing and communication. Although it takes a lot of time and effort, walking into a space that has been renovated in alignment with your goals will give you an incredible feeling of accomplishment and pride.

We hope that this process is made clear and less daunting after reading this guide. It’s our hope that you’ll be well-prepared to turn your kitchen into a functional and aesthetically pleasing space that you’ve always wanted.

Related: Flip Property – Kitchen Renovation Before and After