What Should You Consider For a Kitchen Renovation

At Modern Kitchens Northside our kitchen designers are full of creative ideas to help you get the most out of your renovation budget. This week we spoke with Megan, one of our kitchen design consultants about some of the top considerations for your new kitchen renovation. So what should you consider for a kitchen renovation?

• The purpose of the renovation; are you planning on living in your home long-term, or are you renovating for mass appeal to sell the property in the near future?
• Will there be building works? Are you planning on removing walls or moving windows, doors etc.
• Will you be keeping the same kitchen footprint/layout? If you are changing the kitchen’s layout, are you planning on changing your flooring, or do you have spare flooring you can utilise?
• Will you be installing all new appliances, or will you reuse your existing ones?
• How do you use your kitchen? Do you like to cook or entertain often? Do you need to use it as a dining space as well as a kitchen?
• You should also consider styling; are your finishes going to match the rest of your home? Are you going for a modern cool colour palette, or are you wanting a Hampton’s or country style which could be warmer tones?

Do you have to create a ‘working triangle’ in each kitchen?

Not necessarily, not all kitchen shapes can accommodate the perfect working triangle. In my opinion, it’s more important for your kitchen to be well zoned. Usually, you would have a food storage zone consisting of your fridge and pantry; a food preparation zone to prep your meal, cut up vegetables etc.; a cleaning zone for your dishwasher, sink and bin, and a cooking zone for your oven and cooktop. So, providing your kitchen is zoned well, you don’t need that perfect working triangle.

What is the most popular kitchen layout?

The most popular kitchen layout usually includes an island bench or a breakfast bar. The island is probably the most desired layout because you have two entrances into your kitchen, and you can utlise the breakfast bar on the rear side of the island for casual dining and provides a good preparation zone which is ideal for cooking and entertaining.

How do you choose finishes that aren’t going to date?

I normally suggest choosing reasonably neutral doors and benchtops for your kitchen finishes, then add some colour and personality with your splashback. If in 5 years your splashback has dated, you can change that reasonably easily, whereas you want the main part of your kitchen (doors and benchtops) to last you for at least 20 years.

What are the most popular finishes?

Currently we are seeing a lot of Hamptons style kitchens which include traditional routed/profile doors in Hamptons or Shaker style, but in cool tones with accents in navy or Halifax Oak for example.

What is the difference between a laminate door and a 2pac door?

A laminate door is a flat door which is laminated with melamine on the front and back with ABS edging. A 2pac door usually has a routed profile and is finished with 2pac paint; a combination of paint/resin, and hardener, which is very hardwearing paint.

What’s the best type of kitchen benchtop?

Our most popular benchtop is engineered stone because it’s versatile and comes in a range of different colours and finishes, and is heat resistant, stain-resistant, virtually non-porous, easy to maintain, and looks like natural stone. Laminate though is still an excellent and hard-wearing choice, especially for the budget conscious.

What is the difference between natural and engineered stone?

Natural stone is naturally occurring, usually marble or granite, stunning to look at, heat resistant and durable. Engineered stone is manmade, usually consisting of 93% crushed quartz and 7% resins, colours and additives, it’s virtually non-porous, heat and stain resistant, and offers continuity from slab to slab.

Why should you choose an engineered stone vs a natural stone?

Engineered stone usually ends up being more cost effective than a natural stone. It’s also harder wearing, heat, and stain resistant, and it doesn’t need to be resurfaced or resealed every few years like a natural stone. Natural marble is quite a soft/porous stone, therefore over time it will show signs of ageing due to scratches and denting etc (this can be desirable), and it can stain if it encounters acidic or strongly coloured foods like vinegar, lemon juice, red wine and saffron etc.

What kind of lighting can we use in a kitchen?

LED strip lighting underneath the overhead cabinets can brighten your working surfaces. We can also provide LED downlights inside glass display cabinets, walk-in pantry lights, or sensor lights inside of appliance cupboards etc.

What is the average cost of a new kitchen?

It’s a little bit like asking `how long is a piece of string’. Our kitchens range anywhere from $15,000 up to $50,000 plus. It really depends on how many cabinets are in your kitchen and what sort of finishes and appliances you choose, but our average is between $25,000 to $30,000 appx.

How long does it take to install my new kitchen?

The length of time to install a new kitchen average about two weeks for a stone benchtop. If you choose a laminate benchtop, you are probably looking at around 3-4 days appx.

How do you get started?

It starts with your visit to our beautiful Brisbane kitchen showroom where you get to look, feel, and experience different kitchens, finishes, colours, cabinet options, and so much more. There’s even a play area for the kids to hang out. You can take your time and get a feel for what kind of kitchen might work best for you, and you don’t have to decide straight away, you can visit as often as you like. Book a showroom tour today on 07 3889 9054.

“Well what can we say..MKN gave 110% in every way.