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Kitchen Planning
& Worksheets
How do you create a
"no mistakes" kitchen while you have the chance ahead
of time??? It's not easy, but remember this:
A kitchen is not a
living room with moveable fixtures! A kitchen can't be changed
later to correct problems without great expense. Thus,
planning correctly now can save thousands of dollars, as
well as many regrets, later on.
I. Identify your
needs:
- Decide whether this
is a long-term (or last) home, or a short-term home for you.
- Brainstorm your
family's future in terms of growth and change. In this vein,
consider children's ages and project their changing
requirements over a 20- 25-year period. Also consider
additional family members who may be moving into your home.
- Consider physical
challenges these people now have, or could experience in the
future; provisions made now could allow you or them to live
in your home successfully longer. If you believe this will
be a long-term home, it might be well to plan for advanced
age situations and requirements.
- Look at the
functions of each family member within the kitchen itself -
the jobs they traditionally perform, or would like to do if
the room were so equipped.
- Outside of the
family, who else spends time in the kitchen?
- When
entertaining, how many friends use the room?
- Seating
requirements should be established both for everyday use,
and for typical mode of entertaining, keeping in mind that
the kitchen is not intended to also be a dining room in most
homes.
- Cooking requirements
may be established in several ways:
- equipment
desired
- number of cooks
typically in the kitchen
- by task or jobs
to be performed in the room
- maximum
capacity (typical of holiday needs)
- Storage needs: Know
exactly what you want to store, particularly for everyday
needs: excess or unusual requirements (such as extra sets of
china, grill equipment, stuff used once a year); pet food;
unusual cooking equipment; medicines, etc. Long term storage
for additional supplies, particularly if you live a distance
from grocery stores, etc., can usually be arranged away from
the kitchen area proper. Another consideration for storage
is frequency of trips to the store.
II. Evaluate Your
Space:
You will need a space
planner to assist you with this, but you basically want to look
at the room you have as it is, with the windows, doors, closets
and idiosyncrasies, in order to begin formulating a plan for the
room. To be successful, this plan must include ways to meet the
needs you've already established.
III. Establish
Several Floor Plan Possibilities:
Sketching to scale is the
method to use here, as nothing is permanent; all you are trying
to do now is determine the various options you have within the
space available.
If you are still in
the stages of planning your home with an architect, good! This
means that if a wall or door needs to be shifted somewhat, it
can usually be accommodated. If your home is already under
construction, you don't have the time to make those changes,
which are also very costly. Thus, you will need to work with
existing conditions (as do those who are renovating existing
homes).
IV. Finalize Your
Plan:
Final drawings with detail
should be drawn for your kitchen, so as to minimize mistakes and
misunderstandings. These should include:
- Floor Plan
- Elevations or
Perspectives drawings (so you can "see" what it
will look like)
- Lighting/Electrical
Plan
If you've planned in
final details, large-scale drawings of moldings, decorative
elements, edges, etc, might be appropriate. These plans should
include exact manufacturers, model numbers, and sizes where
needed. It would be difficult to over emphasize the importance
of establishing this information early, and communicating it
clearly to contractor and all sub-contractors.
V. Determine All
Products:
Cabinetry,
countertops, light fixtures, hardware, special features or
products: All by manufacturer, model number and size! If at all
possible, a full list should be included with the plans
described above and distributed to everyone associated with the
project.
Note : When you choose
products to be installed in your home, you are actually choosing
the local company who represents those (and other) products. You
should fully investigate all companies you intend to transact
business with, to be certain that they will provide what you
expect, at the price quoted (in writing), and will stand behind
their products and installation. Ask the questions and weigh
answers carefully. You are the customer, and you must be
comfortable with all factors of each choice. The time to
evaluate these critical factors is before you choose.
VI. Budgeting for
the Products:
Consider: The best
kitchens aren't the most expensive, but they are the most
interesting, fun to use and those that age gracefully. The best
value for your home probably isn't the least expensive. The
ideal is: all products of similar quality, well installed, and
harmonious together. Thus, it's not smart and it doesn't look
good to have a $4,000 built-in refrigerator with
do-it-yourself-store cabinets and tops. Go ahead and put a nice
GE in that situation, and the whole picture works. Fancy and
expensive granite countertops on a $4,000 kitchen not only look
foolish now, but when the cheap doors and drawers fail in a few
years, the granite's going strong! Renovations are very expensive
and kitchens work hard! Thus, the wise consumer budgets
generously for this hard working and long-lasting room. A rule
of thumb is 10% of the value of the home (and lot) for the
kitchen; thus a $400,000 home would have $40.000 worth of
kitchen cabinetry, countertops and appliances. Conversely, a $200,000
home should have $20,000 worth...
VII. Enjoy the
Building Process:
Be available if
there's an unexpected bend in the road; things come up, even in
nearly perfect projects. Just keep your cool, and rely on the professionals
you hired to assemble this wonderful space for you!
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