No. 1 – Budget 

The most important topic to consider when planning a kitchen is your budget. Once you come up with a budget, we will work with you to keep within it. A custom kitchen can range, on average, between $600 to $1,400 per linear foot and more. The overall cost depends on so many variables from the type of wood used, the design features, whether you use granite, marble, quartz, and so on. The biggest budget breaker is making changes after the building stage begins. That’s why careful planning (and sticking to it) is the foundation to achieving a successful new kitchen.

No. 2 – Increased Home Value 

Your kitchen can add a great deal of value to the price of your home. Whether remodeling or building a new home, the kitchen you ultimately put in can drastically affect your home’s value.

• Custom Cabinets – Using custom cabinets rather than stock cabinets can be one of the highest variables that can affect both the resale appeal and value of your home. We offer a number of choices and price ranges from which to choose. You might just be surprised what a difference in look, value, and longevity of your cabinets to the alternative of stock and semi-custom cabinets.
• Countertops – The countertops you choose will likely affect both the resale appeal and value of your home. All Countertops from laminates to wood, concrete, solid surface, granite, marble, quartz, and quartzite all have variables that affect the price, wear, and value of your kitchen. Your budget in the long run will determine the countertops you choose, but remember that this is a critical element to make your kitchen stand out and take notice.
• Appliances – Using high-end appliances vs standard brand appliances can add resale appeal and value to your home, however, if your current budget doesn’t allow it, there are more affordable options to choose from…but it is always wise to consider an appliances longevity, utility usage and food preservation qualities for long term cost as some high-end appliances have been shown to pay for themselves rather quickly.
• Fixtures and Faucets – Using low-cost, hum drum sinks and faucets can not only bore a kitchen but also create an increased chance of needing repair or replacement due to being of inferior quality. Always research the manufacturer’s warranty and the life expectancy of their products. It may just be worth the extra dollars to buy better quality from the beginning saving you more dollars in the long run. 

#3 Design – A great place to begin finding your design style is by putting together an inspiration scrapbook. Fill your scrapbook making notes of likes, dislikes and must-haves. This is a great start for us to help you achieve the results in which you are desiring. 

• Open-Floor Plan Kitchen or Slightly Secluded – Today kitchens are starting to back away from the center of attention to allow a little more privacy to reduce noise and distraction while adding suspense to what’s going on in the kitchen. If you like to entertain, but don’t want everyone right there under your feet, having a kitchen a little separated away may be ideal for your taste. If you have walls, but don’t want the expense to move them, consider replacing them with a partition of windows or French doors…embrace the beauty of old charm. For those messy makers (or for those times you are not so organized), it may be nice to have your kitchen a little more secluded from the kitchen so that those secrets are not so revealing to your guests.

• Kitchen Layout and Work Spaces – When a kitchen’s layout is designed for optimal workflow, your meals will come together more easy and cleanup will be far less demanding. There is one very essential design rule that should always be adhered to, and that is the work triangle. Keeping your main workspace locations within a triangle.
• Dining Area(s): For family and friends that hang out together in the kitchen, it is nice to have seating areas around an island or a nearby kitchen table for those to gather and keep you company while cooking.
• Style – The style of kitchen cabinets, countertops and design features you choose can affect the long-term value of your home. If you decide to choose the latest and greatest…your kitchen may be in danger of becoming outdated very quickly. We are happy help you select elements that are timeless to increase the longevity of your kitchen’s style for decades to come.

No. 4 Kitchen Island: Okay, we have mentioned it earlier in this blog, however we cannot omit further discussion into one of the greatest design elements you can add to your kitchen and that is the kitchen work island. Whether you add either a sink or cooktop, or just prefer a wide-open workspace, having an island adds valuable function, added built-in appliance space, storage and more.

No. 5 Pantry Space: the pantry is one of the most cost effective spaces of your kitchen as it can actually reduce the number of cabinets needed in your kitchen for food, serving dishes,  small appliance storage and more.  

No. 6 Electrical, Gas, and Plumbing – Depending upon the age of your home, your electric and plumbing can be out of code and in dire straights. A big plus in remodeling a new kitchen in an older home can actually help prevent catastrophic damage to your home due to failing electric wiring, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets, aged gas and plumbing lines, and much more. Whether building new or remodeling old, always have your electric and plumbing work done to code—the code is there for a reason—to prevent damage to you and your home.

No. 7 Windows  – Strategically placed windows can make or break the desire to work in your kitchen…believe it or not, your mood to cook can be affected. Having a naturally well-lit space to create your meals should be carefully considered. Whether you have a window over your sink, a wall of windows to peek out into your back yard, or skylights that shine down, don’t forget this important topic.

No. 8 Kitchen Ventilation – Proper kitchen ventilation is a great asset to both your kitchen and your home. Whether you have a large or small cooking space, you will the area to be ventilated using an exhaust vent to remove both carbon monoxide, heat, excessive moisture, smoke and odors. There are several things to consider when choosing your ventilation: (ADD LINK to Kitchen Ventilation Article)

No. 9 Lighting – There are at least three (okay four) types of lighting to consider when planning your kitchen, and the combination of all makes your kitchen both alluring and functional:

• Ambient Lighting – (aka: General Lighting), this type provides a room’s overall illumination. This type of lighting can be ceiling mounted, recessed, wall, floor, soffit, and the such.
  • Task Lighting – This type of lighting helps you see specific areas that might normally be dark, such as under the wall cabinets, over your island and other work spaces.
  • Accent Lighting – This type of lighting gives a room the “pièces de résistance” by adding a type of lighting to show off an area such as a tree, artwork or even be a piece of artwork itself. 
  • Natural Lighting – Adding natural light to your kitchen via windows and/or skylights is essential for daytime lighting. 

• No. 10 Flooring – One of the biggest concerns for the kitchen floor is its Trip and Slip factor. Choosing a product that has neither high edges to trip nor a smooth surface in which to slip will keep you and your family safer while walking around your kitchen. Other factors to consider when choosing a floor is the clean-ability and tear for both you and your floors.
  • Hard Flooring: If you are going to be in the kitchen for long period of times, hard surfaces such as tile or concrete with do a doozie on your legs, plus there is a high chance of your floor chipping or breaking when something is dropped.
  • Softer Flooring: Softer, higher maintenance products, such as cork, is great on the legs, has less issues when something is dropped, but can wear much faster than a hard surface. Wood is also not so hard on the legs (unless laminated onto a hardboard), but can have moisture problems resulting in warping and separation. Today’s solid Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP), offered by a few manufacturers that are totally water-proof and offer a softer surface on which to walk. These are very durable and come in styles that look like real wood and tile…it might be a great option to consider. 

We would be honored to work with you creating the heart of your home.

If you're ready to start planning your new kitchen, we're ready to help.
Contact Heart and Home Design Co. today.