How to survive a kitchen remodel.

Have you thought about remodeling your kitchen.  It’s not an easy task,  your family’s life may be disrupted  and there are so many details to consider.

Betsy Rackliffe, the smiling eclectic designer of OpenDesign, has some wonderful insights into kitchen remodeling that you won’t want to miss if you or anyone you know has this project in their future.  She says:

“Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and remodel the kitchen. We have all heard the tales about how awful it was before. How long the construction took. And the worst, how much over budget it went.  Don’t fret; there is good news! Not everyone’s remodel went like that. Here are some tips that might make it easier for you when you do yours.

• Before you start, cut out pictures in magazines of kitchens you like. Cut out pictures of everything you like. You will find similarities among the pictures, and those will lead you to a kitchen you like.
• Think about how you are going to use the cabinets. What are you going to put in each cabinet? There are many storage gizmos now to utilize the entire cabinet where on space is wasted. There are features that are make specific tasks easier, like a build in mixer stand, a cabinet designed for your can goods, or a place to put the recycling.  Most companies offer them at the time of manufacturing. There are also companies that sell after-market units for ease modification later.
• Finish off your cabinets with the extra details. They are the kitchen’s version of dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s.  Get the crown molding for the tops of your cabinets, even if they go all the way to the ceiling. Install the light rail along the bottom of the upper cabinets; this will also hide the under-cabinet lighting. Finish the exposed sides of the cabinets including the side of your refrigerator. Make sure you even select the perfect knobs.

These are some ideas to get your juices flowing. Don’t rush into this project until you spend some time thinking about your space. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. Make yours memorable and functional.

Meet the people who will help you in my next posting… to be continued…”