Finding the right look for your kitchen
What inspires you? You’re about to do a kitchen remodel and you’re still uncertain about a number of details. You know you’ve got to start somewhere, but where? Are you a fan of a certain kitchen? Have you seen photos in magazines of kitchens you admire?
Are you finding yourself feeling overwhelmed or confused?
If so, it’s perfectly ok. Just like any other person, you are special and capable of being vulnerable. You have depth, and choosing a kitchen design isn’t as easy as opening a catalog and pointing to a page and saying, “that one”. You live in an age of abundance. If you like to portray a sense of extravagance, that’s a good thing. But not so much if you prefer simplicity…
The unfortunate truth is that the process of narrowing all of the elements down to the ones you ultimately believe to be the right choices is not an easy one. Sure, you’ve always imagined your dream kitchen, but you’ve never had to put it into blueprints! Always remember, the fact that you are embarking on this project is a good thing. You’ve managed to create circumstances for yourself to make this possible, so be proud – and have fun!
Go online and explore modern kitchen layouts. Print out photos of the ones you really like. Create a neat “Idea Book” to catalog the pictures. A pattern will emerge – and this will be the first step to figuring out what your kitchen style really is! Assemble a horde of photos – whatever appeals to you, so you have multiple sources to reference when talking with a related professional. And what a coincidence, finding someone to work with is exactly what you should do next…
Locating a design professional to help you realize your kitchen vision shouldn’t be too difficult. You may even take note of the names attributed to some of the designs featured in the photos you’ve collected. Just because they’re online or in a magazine doesn’t mean they cater only to the rich and famous. You may ask people you know personally who have had kitchen work done if they were happy enough with the results to recommend their previous hires.
Often, a designer is brought on and given full responsibility. He takes the ball and runs with it, filtering and suggesting the ideas he believes would be applicable. If you come to find the ordeal too intense for your taste, you may prefer this route. Either way, you currently want to prepare and schedule interviews with potential candidates.
Revisit your Idea Book. Now you are going to edit and revise. Create categories that make sense to you and separate the images by them. They can be divided by styles, like modern or vintage, or maybe even by types of flooring. Your sections might even be further subdivided down to such specifics as lighting or wallpaper.
When the task is done, put the book away. Don’t look at it for a day or two before approaching it again, now with a fresh perspective. Make a note of what you respond to most favorably above the others. If certain images no longer inspire you, remove them. Ultimately, you’ll have a condensed book that is tight and concise.
Using the updated version of your idea book, hop online and search for content relating to your favorite photos. Maybe there’s a specific oven backsplash that catches your fancy, or glass-front cabinet doors, or a wonderful vanity – you are now narrowing down the exact elements of your chosen kitchens. There’s a lot of fun involved with combining all of these different components.
Your design collaborator will help keep you on the track of practicality and taste. And when it’s all over, you will finally have a fully-customized kitchen based solely on your inspiration and personality!
