How To Best Plan A Smooth Small Kitchen Remodel

Fixing up your small kitchen doesn’t need to be stressful, but rather a pretty easy and fun experience. Here is all you need to know about how to best plan a smooth small kitchen remodel.

Is it time your kitchen needed a facelift? As a small kitchen, you want to make the most out of all the space you have, while dealing with all the complications that a remodel brings.

Here’s how to plan it so everything goes smoothly, and you end up with the kitchen of your dreams.

Look Into the Best Contractors

Before you do anything to your kitchen, you need to have the best contractors on your side. Unless you’re an expert yourself, it’s so much easier to have a contractor dealing with all the building work for you.

But if you want to find the right contractor, you’ll need to use one that comes highly recommended. Try using review sites like Yelp to help you, or find recommendations from family and friends. They will help you find someone who will do excellent work on your kitchen.

Decide on a Budget

Next, think about your budget. How much money do you have to spend on your new kitchen? Having a number in mind now will help you when you’re picking out cabinets, appliances, and so on. Even if your budget is small, don’t worry. You’ll be able to prioritize what needs to be done with a budget as you’ll spend the money on what needs doing most.

Also, put aside an extra 20% of your budget for emergencies. Pipes burst and appliances break down, so you’ll need to be prepared. If you have that extra cash, you won’t need to worry about it.

Create a Priority List

Now you have a budget, you can think about what most needs to be done in your kitchen. As you’re renovating a small space, it’s likely you want to look at adding more storage and cabinetry. Maybe you want to focus on adding new appliances or changing out the countertops. Whatever it is, you can allocate the cash towards making that happen.

Plan Out Your Storage

As you’re renovating your small kitchen, now is the time to make the most of all the space you have. Are there any ‘dead’ areas in your kitchen that could be used better? For example, any blank walls that aren’t being used, or any vertical space that you aren’t using right now?

There are lots of ways you can increase that storage. For example, installing upper and lower cabinets makes the most of the wall space you have. Can you get in any shelving under stairs or under bench seating? Get creative with where you add storage.

Wherever you put storage, plan what will live in that space. As it’s such a small space, everything needs to have a home. Plan around it and it will make storage much easier.

Consider Opening Up the Space

Is the space you have still too small, even with creative storage solutions? If you’re really struggling, then you can look at taking out a wall to open up the space. Most homeowners look to extend the room out into their yard or elsewhere on the property, so they can make more space. You can also combine the kitchen with another room, making it larger overall.

Of course, this is a large job and it will need to fit into your budget. Price up the work and see if it will work for you and your needs.

Consider What You Can DIY

When it comes to your kitchen, there are some things that are better done by professionals. However, if there are some things you want to save cash on, then you can DIY. Think about what you’re confident doing in an effort to save money.

Would you be happy to do your own painting, for example? Could you lay down flooring tiles or wood planks? If you can, then this will save you money. You can also consider other money saving ideas, such as repainting tiles rather than replacing them.

When thinking about this, weigh up the time and stress these tasks will take doing. Will it be worth it to save cash? If you’re confident and have the time, then you can save a lot of money this way.

Kitchen Islands Are Possible

You may have already discounted the idea of a kitchen island. If your kitchen is small, then surely there isn’t room for it? In fact, you could actually benefit from including one in your kitchen.

A kitchen island here won’t be big enough to serve meals at or host parties at, but you can still put it to good use. They’re perfect for adding more storage, as cabinetry and shelves can be added to them.

Create the Illusion of Space

The kitchen is small, but it doesn’t need to be cramped. You want to ensure that your new design will create the illusion of space, so the kitchen will be a pleasant place. You can do this in several ways. You can add mirrors on the walls, or add mirrored tiles, to bounce light around the room. You can also use open shelving rather than cabinets. These allow light through, making the room feel larger.

If you’re serious about this, you can add extra windows to the room. This will allow for a lot more light and make the room feel airier. Again, this depends on your budget, so weigh up the options you have.

Create a Timeline

Now you have a plan in place, create a timeline for getting everything done. Remember, some renovations take time, and you may have to work around your contractor’s schedule. Try and stick to the timeline, but if something goes wrong don’t panic. Use it as a guide to show what needs to be done next.

Conclusion

With these tips, you now know how to best plan a smooth small kitchen remodel without the stress. It is possible to remodel a kitchen without the worry and expense. Get the most out of the room, and create a space that’s pleasant to be in every day.