Kitchen Remodeling Checklist

When you start the kitchen remodeling process, it’s important to understand the decisions you’ll be making along the way — not just the big items, but the little details that can transform a good kitchen into a great one (or worse, leave you endlessly frustrated by a blemish for years to come).

Today, we’ll walk through a checklist for the process, focusing on a mix of big picture ideas and the fine details that complete the entire project.

Vision

Let’s start with the biggest picture item on this list: vision. You want to go into kitchen remodeling, or any remodel, really, with an idea of what you’re trying to achieve. This might mean making a nice kitchen that matches the new stove you really want, or it might be a specific image from a makeover magazine or portfolio you liked. It could mean color, or materials, or a specific layout. It might mean a particular utilitarian goal, like a nice kitchen to congregate in with a bar or a utilitarian kitchen any pro chef would envy. Think about what your highest priority is, so you can shape the rest of your decisions through that lens.

Budget

Most people don’t have infinite resources to throw at our kitchen remodeling projects, so it’s important to set boundaries for you and your remodeling team to work with as early as possible. You might want to establish an overarching firm budget, budgets for individual components of your remodel, soft budgets you’d like to adhere to unless you can get something really incredible by going past them, etc.

The better you figure out the rules in advance, including any financing, the easier it will be to adhere to your budget and not end up with a lopsided final project because you ran out of budget and had to go cheap on what was left.

Must-Haves

This isn’t quite the same thing as vision, though it can overlap. When we talk about must-haves, we mean the fine details that you might not even realize are optional. A feature you love on an appliance, a particular type of hardware, necessary allowances for a disability, things you need to check the fine print for to make sure you’re not going to be disappointed.

Deal-Breakers

The mirror of must-haves, you should figure out your deal-breakers early in the process so you can filter out unappealing options quickly. You might want to categorize further, dividing undesirable factors into “deal-breakers” and “flaws,” with the latter representing problems you could tolerate if the rest were good and deal-breakers representing a hard rule.

Colors

If you have a preference for colors, figure it out early before you fall in love with something that can’t fit your color preferences, no matter how hard you try to force the issue. As you make choices on your kitchen remodel, you might find yourself constrained to certain colors moving forward; after all, you don’t want your kitchen to clash horribly — at least, probably not.

Materials

Materials can have an immense impact on the final aesthetic of your kitchen, so make sure you start thinking about them early. Whether you’re aiming for sleek modern everything, with mirror finishes and solid colors, or a more classical or rustic aesthetic with rough materials, or something fun and interesting, with a focus on intriguing patterns and appliances that look a bit livelier, consider how materials might affect the final result.

Utility

Even if beauty is your highest priority, never forget the practicality of your kitchen as you remodel it. Countless homeowners have looked in awe at their perfect new kitchen, only to learn to hate it in the months ahead when they’re forced to interact with it on a daily basis. Choose appliances you’ll want to work with, floors and countertops you’re willing and able to keep clean, and layouts that work well with how you use your kitchen.

You may never notice if you get it right, but it will absolutely ruin your kitchen if you get it wrong.

Remodel Your Kitchen With LivCo

Your kitchen remodel, budget aside, has almost infinite options for you to consider — make sure you figure out what matters to you early and pare those numbers down quickly. The sooner you start figuring out what to prioritize for your perfect kitchen, the more likely you are to be satisfied with the final result.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry — our team can help you throughout the remodeling process. Reach out to LivCo today by dialing 708-267-9262 or by contacting us online.