Planning a new dream kitchen is exciting and fun. Homeowners the Upper Valley can let their imaginations run wild and they often do so, imagining gleaming new finishes, smart appliances, fixtures and lighting and statement-making cabinetry and countertops. Almost every homeowner the Upper Valley spends months researching and imagining multiple what ifs. We encourage homeowners the Upper Valley to compile images of designs and products that inspire them and that they would like to see in their new kitchen.
Despite spending months online, watching home improvement television, creating mood boards, etc., most homeowners the Upper Valley don’t know where to begin the planning process once they sit down with a professional designer. Providing direction is a compelling reason to rely on a kitchen and bath showroom and to retain professional designers to create the kitchen of your dreams. By understanding which decisions have to be made and in what order makes the customer journey easier, more enjoyable and less time consuming.
After asking the right questions to better understand how homeowners the Upper Valley want their new dream kitchen to look, function and feel, we start the preliminary planning process. We encourage homeowners the Upper Valley to first select appliances and sinks because they affect the placement and size of cabinets. Lighting is another product category that should be addressed in the initial planning phases. Selecting specific fixtures is not as important as determining the number and types of lighting that will help ensure that your new dream kitchen will always be in the best light. There are practical considerations to creating a lighting plan in the initial planning phases as well. It helps to identify electrical requirements that will need to be installed in walls and ceilings and can help expedite the permitting process if required.
We recommend to homeowners the Upper Valley select their cabinets and countertops after appliances, sinks and lighting. Cabinets set the tone for the entire kitchen and represent a significant portion of most new kitchen budgets. Countertops are where almost every kitchen activity begins and ends. Because countertops and cabinets are one of the first things you see when you enter a kitchen, they naturally serve as a focal point.
The choice of flooring is affected by the materials selected for cabinets, backsplashes, and countertops. Stone and quartz are the most popular countertops choices among homeowners the Upper Valley. The flooring should complement the materials selected for countertops and cabinets.
Don’t forget to include storage and organization requirements for your new kitchen. Insufficient storage is the number one cause of buyer’s remorse among homeowners the Upper Valley who recently created a new kitchen. A great kitchen needs to account for your storage needs and desires in the initial planning phase. A storage plan will address how often you cook, entertain and hold gatherings. A great kitchen must not only look out of this world, it also must incorporate the best functionality that meets your needs.
Planning and designing a dream kitchen involve making numerous decisions. There is a logical order in the decision-making process that can save time and effort. If you would like to further discuss best practices for planning and creating the kitchen of your dreams, please give us a call at 603-448-9700 or make an appointment visit our showroom at 105 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH.
