Planning for a perfect Thanksgiving? If you’re hosting family and friends this year, why not make it one to remember with a kitchen remodel that puts your hospitality at the heart of the holiday.
Whether you want a show-stopping kitchen that will wow your guests as they enjoy the day’s food and festivities or you simply need a more practical space so you can truly enjoy cooking duty, finding the right kitchen remodeling contractor is vital. If you want an on-time project that professionally delivers on your vision for the space, read on.
If your kitchen could benefit from a full refresh, there’s a lot of elements to consider — not to mention the time spent finding the right person to complete the work. So now is the perfect time to get started with ideas and inspiration. Here’s what you need to think about when looking at a new kitchen:
Table of Contents
Think About Practicality
A beautiful kitchen is great but as the working hub of the home, you need to think about its usability, too. Maximizing the space you have will create a better kitchen for sure, but you should also think about your kitchen routines, frustrations, and habits.
How you use your kitchen may have changed as your home dynamic evolves, your family has grown, or as children leave for college. Perhaps you’re preparing more dinner parties than bagged lunches now or maybe more meals just for two. Whatever your cooking style is, a practical kitchen that fits your needs is a must.
Take some time before you commit to a kitchen remodel to really think about how you use your kitchen on a daily basis. Leave a notepad on your worktop for a couple of weeks and jot down observations on how you use the area, including where you can see potential improvements.
Open Up the Space for Guests
As more of us look at what we consume and why, it makes sense that we are cooking different things — in new ways too. Are you working with the oven more now than the stovetop? Perhaps you’ve found that batch cooking works well for your family and therefore having a lot of surface space to prepare food is a priority. Maybe you’re ready to try that new dish for your holiday guest and want maximum space.
If you’ve ever welcomed guests into your home at Thanksgiving and found you’ve spent more time tucked away in the kitchen than with your loved ones, you’ll know that a great kitchen needs some noteworthy social space too. Even if your five-course masterpiece requires you to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, how about opening up that space so guests can interact with you? Your hosting job can transform into a more social experience when guests are welcomed into the chef’s theatre.
If this is something you’d like to do, think about how you could include a seating area or breakfast bar in your kitchen, so you can chat with your gal pals or golf buddies as you mix up some pre-dinner cocktails. You could go a step further and think about the potential for an open-plan environment, perhaps one that blends your kitchen and outdoor space with the use of bi-folding doors. You could also create a flowing family space that seamlessly connects the kitchen with the rest of your living area.
All of these options welcome more light and space into the home. They also allow you more opportunities to socialize on a grander scale, whether that means dinner for two or twenty-two.
Replace The Appliances
When planning a kitchen remodel, set aside some of your budgets to upgrade your kitchen appliances. Some might simply have a dated appearance, while others could no longer be serving your needs.
One of the hidden benefits of replacing old appliances is the cost savings to be had from fitting the latest in energy-efficient kitchen technology. Not only will you have a kitchen more suited to who you are and how you cook but you could also save hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs.
We know measurements, fixtures, and functionality can be overwhelming when choosing appliances, so at DFW improved, our kitchen remodeling team helps clients find the right equipment, starting with appliances that have Energy Star label credentials, which can improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Optimize
Think about what frustrates you in your kitchen right now. Are there ways to optimize counter space to give you more workable room for prepping vegetables or leaving baked goods to cool? The same goes for storage, what could you change to make storage more practical?
Here are some of the solutions we’ve already installed for clients in the Dallas Fort Worth area:
- Customized cabinets to keep everyday items within easy reach
- More counter space with handy pull-out/hide-away surfaces
- Cooling storage drawers for daily drinks and snacks
- Overhead displays for cookery books and fine china collections
- Discrete garbage and recycling solutions
- A space-saving pet feeding station
- Taller cupboards fitted for once-in-a-while equipment storage
Find the Right Contractor
The success of your kitchen remodeling project will depend on finding the right contractor, so it makes sense to start your search early if you’d like to be all set for the holiday season.
If you’re not sure how to start your search, here are some ideas.
Take a Look at Who’s Local to You
A contractor familiar with your area will be easier to engage, plus you’ll be able to ask for local references. They’ll also be more likely to get invested in your vision as your completed project is their best advertisement.
Get a Recommendation
Ask friends and colleagues if they’ve had any recent remodeling work done and would recommend their contractor to you. These can then be reliable sources for you to follow up on.
View Their Work
Take the opportunity to see any previously completed projects up close, talk with the homeowner and find out more about the contractors’ customer service skills and creative input.
Make Contact and Ask for a Quote
Discussing your vision with a contractor will help you see if they have the technical know-how and creativity to bring your plan to life. Many contractors will also be willing to offer advice and ideas, which can show you whether they’re a good fit for your project.
Your Thanksgiving plans can start today. With the right contractor in place and all those ideas coming together, your kitchen remodeling project has the potential to transform your home into the perfect hosting environment. If you’d like to talk to us about your kitchen remodeling ideas and inspirations, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us today!