It’s time for a new kitchen!
Renovations are a big undertaking, which is why we’re here to equip you to make the best choices for your home and lifestyle. When you start your project with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, you’ll feel much more confident during the renovation process and ultimately end up with a finished product that aligns with your vision.
Before you start any part of your renovation, the first step is to identify your style and determine if you want to enlist help in design. We’ll dive into the process of working with a cabinet specialist later in the blog—for now, let’s talk style.
Step 1 – Identify what you love
When it comes to creating your perfect kitchen, you want to end up with a space that reflects you and your family. Renovations are the perfect time to bring in more personalization.
Start the renovation process by looking at your existing space and asking yourself a few questions:
- What do you enjoy about your current kitchen?
- Are there any elements you’d like to keep in your new kitchen?
- What feels like you in your existing space?
- What is particularly convenient about your current kitchen?
You’re likely doing this renovation because you don’t like your current kitchen, but take the time to assess any redeeming qualities before making a huge transformation. If you like the layout, there’s no need for structural changes, which is a huge cost-saver.
This step is also important for creating a new kitchen that feels perfectly designed for you. After all, you’re going to be the one using it, so if there are any unique or special features, remember to keep them around.
Step 2 – Identify other design elements to bring in
There are a number of other aspects to consider about yourself and your lifestyle that can be implemented in a new kitchen to help better reflect who you are.
What are the needs of your family?
Does anyone have unique features that need to be taken into account, such as limited mobility or height restrictions? Do you have children who need to do homework at the island? It’s important to plan for a kitchen that will feel welcoming and open to everyone.
What are your eating habits?
Do you eat together as a family? On the go? What types of food do you like making—any aspiring bakers or chefs in the family? Do you enjoy entertaining? All of these can impact how your ideal kitchen will look. Plan for a large table if needed, or an island that can fulfil multiple purposes for a busy family.
What is the existing style of your house?
While renovations are a great time to rethink styles, you won’t want to go with a look that’s jarringly different from the rest of your home. A rustic-style kitchen in an otherwise modern home may alter the house’s stylistic integrity. This is your home—you want to feel comfortable and harmonious in it.
How do you discover your personal design?
If you’re not sure how to tap into your design side, consider the following aspects of yourself and your home.
Look at your shelves. Do you have any collections or mementos that are important to you? Do you enjoy travelling—do you have a number of keepsakes you’d like to show off? Photos of your family? Family heirlooms or dish sets that you’d like to display?
Consider your hobbies. Most significantly, is cooking or baking important to you? Do you love nature and the outdoors, and want to have a more outdoorsy feel to your kitchen with wood look cabinetry and textured elements?
Take a look at your wardrobe. Do you have a distinct style that you’d like to reflect in your kitchen? Are you more boho or modern?
Finding the perfect design means getting in tune with yourself and your interests, so take some time for self exploration to help create the perfect kitchen for you and your family.
Step 3 – Consider popular styles
These styles are popular for a reason. While you can always go in a different direction to create a kitchen that is fully unique, knowing the basics is helpful.
The main styles are:
- Contemporary/Modern
- Traditional
- Transitional
- Farmhouse/Country
- Coastal
Contemporary/Modern
This look favours clean lines, flat surfaces, and no elaborate details to achieve a sleek, streamlined space. Colour palettes can range from dramatic to calming. High gloss or super matte laminates (TFL) and 3D laminates (thermofoil) door styles are a great choice. A textured wood look can also be used in a contemporary way. Eurorite’s Sonoma and Pacific door styles fit the bill perfectly!
Traditional
This style leans towards formality, but this doesn’t mean it’s stiff or unlivable. A comfortable and familiar environment is achieved with fresh or warm whites, a warm wood look, and natural stone. Door styles with more detailing like Eurorite’s Seymour or Capilano work well in a traditional space.
Transitional
Transitional style is a favourite because it blends the best of contemporary and traditional to create a versatile, timeless space. It removes the formality of traditional, so lines are simpler and cleaner, but still has some of the detail and charm that traditional can bring, just more restrained. Shaker door styles like Eurorite’s ever-popular Whistler and Olympic are perfect for transitional spaces.
Farmhouse/Country
Warm whites and greys are often paired with textured rustic wood laminate in this style. Try adding a pop of colour with a Sage green or Midnight blue door style. Don’t be afraid of mixing all three—a neutral, a wood, and a colour—as this is becoming increasingly popular. Beadboard detailing and more rustic hardware and accessories also work well with this look. Eurorite’s selection of Shaker door styles, including Santos with a beaded centre panel, are on point here.
Coastal
This look is all about the synergy between white, blue, grey, and light to medium woods. It’s fresh and breezy no matter what door style profile you choose. Eurorite’s Midnight, Boulder, White, and Dorian shades are made for this kind of space. Accessorize with seagrass or raffia baskets, live edge woods, and striped fabrics.
Working With a Cabinet Specialist
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the steps above, don’t worry. That’s why cabinet specialists exist! Their job is to walk you through the whole process as your guide.
An experienced cabinet consultant will inform and help you make choices that best suit your lifestyle. They’ll help you sort through all the information and teach you the benefits and drawbacks of your options, as well as point out features that best suit your needs, design tastes, and budget.
They can turn a headache into a piece of cake as they help save you money, time, and guesswork. So how do you choose one?
Choosing a Cabinet Design Specialist
The most important thing about a cabinet design specialist is trusting them. You want someone who you can rely on to give you the best information and who really gets you so that you’re confident in every decision.
- They should have experience and up-to-date information about what’s popular and available within your timeframe and budget.
- They should work with you and ask your opinion. Making recommendations is great, so long as you don’t feel bulldozed by their opinion.
- They should make you feel comfortable. Being available for your questions is crucial, and you should never feel rushed.
Meeting a Cabinet Specialist
Share your wish list. If you haven’t already, sit down and list everything you can think of that you’d love in your new space. Do you have any thoughts on how you want the new space to look and function? If you’ve collected any colour chips, photos, pinterest boards, or magazine clippings, your design specialist will start off with a better sense of your style and what you’re looking for.
Explain what you currently like. Unless you truly dislike everything about your current kitchen, there may be some elements you’d like to carry through the renovation. Make sure to share those with your designer so they understand what’s important to you.
Share photos of your space and a floorplan. Even a sketched floorplan is helpful for your cabinetry planner to get an idea of your space and how they can transform it.
Explain how you will use the renovated room. It’s not just as simple as “cooking”. How many people cook at once? Do you entertain guests often? Do your kids do homework at the island? Do you need a special display area or storage for cookbooks? Try to think of everything that you normally use the space for and any tweaks that would make the space fit your lifestyle even better.
Share your budget and timeframe. This will help your design consultant understand if you have any deadlines you must meet and will help them create a cabinet design that is not only beautiful, but realistic to your budget. They will work hard to include all the things on your wishlist, while paying close attention to what you’re comfortable spending.
Whether you’re tackling design yourself or enlisting the help of an expert, renovations are an exciting time. Feel free to contact us if you have any further questions or want us to connect you to one of our incredible dealers!