The Kitchen Planning Process

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Step 1: Inspiration

How to find Your Kitchen Inspiration

The kitchen and bath remodeling process can feel a little overwhelming at times — from the initial planning stages, to your first visit to a showroom to look at cabinets, to the moment your new cabinets are delivered and installed. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Through this early stage, you will have to depend upon inspiration to direct you and help you to envision life in your new kitchen. So, to get started, let’s explore a few important questions that will provide a clearer direction.

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Question 1: Would you consider your space to be ‘open concept’?

This is a term that’s very common today, and if you have the right space, it can provide a very cohesive look, not only for your new kitchen, but also for any adjacent living spaces that also share the layout.

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Question 2: Do you envision having an island in your new kitchen?

Kitchen islands have almost become a must for many designs in the past few years, and for very good reason. Having an extra work surface in the kitchen is always a benefit, but when you consider that a well planned island can also serve as an extra seating area, cook-top, an extra sink, kids’ homework station, plus some cleverly hidden additional storage, it really makes a lot of sense to include it as you work through your inspiration stage.

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Question 3: What about the workflow in your new kitchen?

While you may well have some very grand ideas about the wonderful parties, family gatherings and much more that will happen in your new kitchen, remember that, at the end of the day (and the beginning of the day, and the middle of the day), you have to be able to cook, work and function in there too.

It’s vitally important to think about the layout and flow of your kitchen, especially during this early stage of inspiration. Try to picture yourself living, working and cooking in the space and ask yourself “will this work for me?” Think about how many people will typically be in the kitchen at the same time. Will it have the space to accommodate them? Also think about the number of actual “cooks” you have in your family (children included) and ask yourself if the layout, design and workflow you have in mind will allow each of those cooks to really shine.

Sources of Inspiration

There are many places to find inspiration as you plan and implement your new Kitchen Craft kitchen or bath.

Look through kitchen and bath design magazines featuring lifestyle trends that resonate with you. In addition to local, regional and national magazines, your library may have an app that gives you access to digital versions of British, French, Italian and Australian design magazines.
Download a copy of the latest Kitchen Craft Inspiration Guide and get inspired by the kitchen and bath projects within.
Start a scrapbook or mood board, collecting anything and everything that inspires you visually.
Check out social media outlets such as Pinterest or Houzz and look for trending colours, looks and layouts.
Ask someone who recently updated their kitchen, bath or home office for ideas about how they got inspired.

Remember that you can rely on the experience and expertise of your Kitchen Craft designer to create a kitchen design you will love.

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