Ten Kitchen Remodeling Tips:
1. A successful design including color, theme and layout starts with YOU. Plot out how you cook in your kitchen and how you and your family live in it. Select finishes, colors and styles you truly love.
2. Because your hardest-working space is your countertop, invest first in durable, beautiful countertops that are easy to clean and maintain. Choose non-porous surfaces that do not have to be sealed and are resistant to stains, heat, scratching and chipping. A perfect option is DuPont Zodiaq quartz surfaces, a blend of natural quartz crystals and innovation that creates stunning and functional countertops. For high-performance countertops with a softer look, DuPont Corian solid surfaces remain a terrific choice. Corian is also highly renewable.
3. Don't overdesign. Every aspect of the kitchen should be functional as well as good-looking. Work with a kitchen designer who understands cooking to ensure success.
4. Save steps. Put prep areas near stoves, cleanup areas near the dishwasher and tableware storage near the serving area. Consider movable islands, stow-away tables and peninsulas for smaller spaces.
5. Organize your kitchen into "stations" with the necessary tools and storage right at hand: a baking area, a grilling center, a pasta-making area, a coffee and tea cupboard, a pet food corner -whatever works for you.
6. Carefully consider sink options. The best sinks work seamlessly with your countertop. Corian owners praise their seamless countertops and sinks and often incorporate features such as routed drain boards to make cleanup even easier. Eliminate seams and you remove trappings for dirt and bacteria growth.
7. Make multi-functionality a top priority. Look for smart appliances that do more than one thing and finishes that accomplish tasks more efficiently: ranges that cook and cool; dishwashers with extra racks for pots and pans; countertops with built-in sinks and draining boards.
8. Consider a children's corner: separate cabinets for snacks, a small refrigerator or refrigerator drawer for drinks, a low-level counter with an indestructible surface for projects.
9. Think Green-environmentally friendly kitchens are a smart choice. Look for tiles made from recycled windshields, salvaged flooring, cabinets of wood from sustainable forests and countertops manufactured in accordance with environmentally sound practices.
10. Layout is more important for resale than decor. If the space is well-thought out, it will appeal to future owners no matter what the style.