Anyone design/remodel a kitchen?

[vettechick99]

We are hoping to remodel our kitchen in the next few months. We need new cabinets and counters, but fortunately I won't have to replace any appliances except buy a new dishwasher.

Our budget is very tight, so we need to do some of the work ourselves, including design. I downloaded the Ikea kitchen planner and drafted three plans. Anyone else use a different planner? I'm not sure we'll use Ikea per se, but I'm using the software as a workspace.

Any tips from anyone that's done this before? TIA!

 

[stinkerbelle]

FYI - be careful.
My parents are just now starting their kitchen remodel.
It started with "just some new appliances"...and has exploded into "remove this wall, all the carpet in the house, and gut the one bathroom with a working shower"

Best of luck to you!

yes - this post was absolutely no help...but I wanted to say I thought of you yesterday...I hit a damn fine sale at a Gap...and I actually said in my head "hot snot they have my size"

"hot snot"?

yep - from a dis'r

 

[Ava83]

We did this when planning our home...we went to Lowes's and Home Depot. They do a preliminary at no charge. You pick the cabinets from there they enter the cost and do the counters also.

A nice quick price quote.

 

[vettechick99]

FYI - be careful.
My parents are just now starting their kitchen remodel.
It started with "just some new appliances"...and has exploded into "remove this wall, all the carpet in the house, and gut the one bathroom with a working shower"

Best of luck to you!

yes - this post was absolutely no help...but I wanted to say I thought of you yesterday...I hit a damn fine sale at a Gap...and I actually said in my head "hot snot they have my size"

"hot snot"?

yep - from a dis'r

uh, how do you think this remodel got started? I just wanted a freakin' dishwasher and new counters!!

Wow, how weird. I thought of you yesterday. I swear! A long time ago you made the comment (I think) that the best Renee Zellwegger looked was in Chicago. Well I saw her last night at the GGs and thought, now that's the best she's ever looked!

 

[offwegotoneverland]

DH and I did one without the program but with the stuff from Ikea (before they had it). We moved within a year but really liked all the options they had and the ability to install them ourselves.

The drawer options are really cool.

One thing to consider is what and how you cook as well as the look. Are you the type to chop alot or do you buy mostly ready made. Stove top or oven?

Large batches or small pans etc? Baking??

Look at the pans and pots you have and try to measure or take one with you for the best fit in drawers or cupboards.

Resist the urge to not spend money on the interior of the units as that's what makes them work.

Also you need more drawers than you think. An appliance garage is a must if you don't like a cluttered countertop. And a corner unit without a lazy susan insert is just a nice way to have what the heck is that moments when you finally clean out the back of the cabinet.

If possible can you use boxes or something to make your new kitchen up in your old one?

As to appliances one thing to think about is if you move in the near future can you take them with you or is that not a concern.

I really liked my kitchen aid bottom mount fridge and find my ge profile to be not quite as good.

Long enough post sorry!

 

[stinkerbelle]

uh, how do you think this remodel got started? I just wanted a freakin' dishwasher and new counters!!

Wow, how weird. I thought of you yesterday. I swear! A long time ago you made the comment (I think) that the best Renee Zellwegger looked was in Chicago. Well I saw her last night at the GGs and thought, now that's the best she's ever looked!

Hmm...I mighta said that...of course, these days...RZ just looks like she finished sucking a lemon...but I digress...

I have to second what Ava said about going to HD or Lowe's...or even a cabinetry place. Yes, they aren't "schooled interior designers" (well - some might be)...but you'll get a good 3rd party opinion at no cost.

Enjoy it! don't go batty looking at counter/cabinet samples...and if your kitchen floor looks dingy against it all...pray for mercy!

 

[Ava83]

and if your kitchen floor looks dingy against it all...pray for mercy!

Or call it Shabby Chic...

 

[Cindy's Mom]

uh, how do you think this remodel got started? I just wanted a freakin' dishwasher and new counters!!

Wow, how weird. I thought of you yesterday. I swear! A long time ago you made the comment (I think) that the best Renee Zellwegger looked was in Chicago. Well I saw her last night at the GGs and thought, now that's the best she's ever looked!

That's how my remodel started too. The house we bought didn't have dishwasher and I had to have one. I mistakenly thought we could just take out the cabinets next to the sink and then slide in a dishwasher. WRONG. But it did work out for the better, we gutted the whole kitchen and got everything new.

What we did was do to Home Depot, meet with a Kitchen specialist. They will give you a packet that you will take home to measure and chart your current kitchen. You call them when you're done and make an appointment to meet with them, they will enter it all in their computer, and then you will work together to figure out what can go where. Its all free, we met with the guy for about 2 hours. He even referred us to some workers guys to install some things. I think we did end up buying our cabinets there and we are extremely happy with our brand new kitchen. All that for a $500 dishwasher.

 

[disneymcgraw]

When we moved into our house it had a very tiny galley kitchen, thankfully hubby is handy and we now have a big, beautiful kitchen. We ordered our cabinets through HD but hubby and father in law did all the installation. HD was helpful with the design.

The countertops we had to get at a local home place as HD and Lowe's didnt' have what we wanted.

Be prepared for the work involved, but remember it's worth it.

 

[pattyT]

I am smack in the middle of designing a kitchen -
from scratch...


here is a site I have found very usefull...

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/?13242

but some of these people kitchens I wish I had their budgets

and dh is ready to because of all the ideas I keep coming up with

 

[dg39]

I'm going through this right now. Cabinets are in, appliances are ordered and as soon as we're finished renovating the basement, the contractor will be doing the kitchen. I frequent gardenweb.com. They have great ideas. BUT BEWARE....I'm already OVER BUDGET..........One thing leads to another and you get that domino effect. Walls,floors,ceilings, EVERYTHING all of a sudden looks terrible and before you know it, your doing major renovations....

 

[golfgal]

My best tip for a complete kitchen remodel is to have an electrician install an outlet in your garage or basement for a stove. It takes a while and eating out gets old and expensive. You can plug your fridge or microwave into any outlet but the stove needs a special one. You will save WAY more then the install costs in making meals vs going out to eat.

 

[Taylor]

I actually designed and built our kitchen and all cabinetry myself. It's a hobby of mine.

My advice is to not scrimp on the construction of the drawers and the drawer slides. You will quickly be unhappy with cabinets with cheap hardware (including hinges).

 

[golfgal]

I actually designed and built our kitchen and all cabinetry myself. It's a hobby of mine.

My advice is to not scrimp on the construction of the drawers and the drawer slides. You will quickly be unhappy with cabinets with cheap hardware (including hinges).

Do you hire out???

 

[Taylor]

Do you hire out???

I wish, since I really enjoy it. Unfortunately the Mrs. would kill me.

 

[Twinkies]

gardenweb.com has a gallery section that has great ideas!

go to the kitchen forum and before the list of posts, there is a link for "gallery" or "conversations" Just look through the gallery for inspiration!

I think hgtv.com has a kitchen planner as well.