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The kitchen is the heart and soul of a house. In most households, families convene here at least two or three times a day to enjoy a meal and bond together.

In many ways, the kitchen also sets the tone for the home. The delicious scents from home baking or an aromatic stew on the stove help to make the home feel warm and cozy. Seeing as the room is so special, constructing and remodeling a kitchen so it's beautiful and endures heavy use is vital.

Although one consideration is the aesthetics of the kitchen, functionality should always take precedence. A kitchen should be easy to use in terms of food prep, storage and finding one’s way around. That's not to say that functionality shouldn't go hand in hand with aesthetics. Given the amount of time spent in the kitchen, it makes perfect sense to make it as beautiful as possible without compromising on functionality. At Future Vision Remodeling, we provide quality service to update and remodel your kitchen spaces and more. Here's our guide for what to consider when remodeling your kitchen.

Kitchen Remodeling

Fremont, CA

Remodeling is a great way to inject life back into the kitchen.

The reason for remodeling can vary from a need for repairs to wanting a more current look with appliances to match. The latter is common especially when people buy a new home but remain unsatisfied with how the kitchen looks. A kitchen remodel that goes right can not only revamp the space but also increase the overall market value of the house. That explains why most homeowners will consider remodeling the kitchen and bathroom over other rooms in the house.

Cost and budgets of remodeling a kitchen

The cost aspects vary greatly depending on the materials used and the size of the kitchen. Experienced hands at kitchen remodeling always make it clear that expensive does not mean it's the best. Still, it's important not to skimp on quality even if that means spending a little bit more. For that reason, it pays if the homeowner can do a bit of research to understand what a good kitchen entails and what materials are at their disposal.

Knowing the pros and cons of various materials and how they perform in the kitchen will significantly help in achieving the desired reasonable budget. On top of that, using a skilled professional also goes a long way to cutting costs, since they know how to conserve material without compromising quality. There are also fewer chances of creating errors and wasting materials, which is the norm with DIY remodeling projects.

Between researching to understand materials used in kitchen construction and hiring an experienced and savvy contractor familiar with kitchen remodeling, it's likely that budget and cost issues will be resolved by careful planning and reliable advice.

Crucial Issues to Consider When Remodeling a Kitchen

San Jose, CA

1. The extent of the remodel

Some remodeling work is small while other remodeling needs involve a total overhaul of the existing kitchen. Partial remodels are often a result of wear and tear, or a technical problem that has occurred to necessitate a remodel like a plumbing issue.

A consultation with a contractor will clarify the extent of damage and the amount of work needed. They may recommend a simple solution such as replacing the broken pipes and redoing a wall instead of tearing the whole space down.

Since the kitchen top is still in good working order and the skeletal frame of the plumbing is strong, that may be all the remodeling needed to give an existing kitchen better efficiency.

A small paint job on the affected wall and voila! The kitchen receives a face lift.

In other remodeling cases where a total overhaul and re-design of the kitchen is called for, the remodeling task will tend to be far more involving. It may entail bringing down the entire kitchen and starting to build it up again from the ground up. In such a case, with the help of a remodeling professional one needs to have decided on the following things:

• What material to use for the cabinets
• What handles to put on the doors
• What type of hinges to use
• Color scheme of the kitchen
• What sink type to use
• Kitchen layout
• What type of appliances to use
• How to improve the plumbing

The above are the main points to cover when remodeling a kitchen from scratch.

2. Kitchen cabinet materials

San Mateo, CA

While considering what materials to settle for, it's most important to determine what qualities one would want in a kitchen. This includes aspects such as using water-resistant, easy to clean, synthetic, or natural materials, and where should the cheap and expensive materials be used.

Kitchen cabinets can be made from materials such as wood, medium-density fiberboard, or chipboard. If looking for a real and natural wooden look, then there is no substitute for wood. Some owners love wood because of its many traits such as natural wooded grains and longevity. The only con with wood is that it requires a lot of work and is much harder to cut, especially when working with a manual saw. Wood also needs to be sanded, which can be a pretty tedious process especially if prepping wooden materials for a large kitchen. This usually means more specialized labor like hiring a wood artisan and paid contractor.

The alternative to wood is laminate boards such as what is popularly known as MDF (medium density fiber). These can come with a laminated or unlaminated face. The board is made from finely ground wood left over and compressed together to form a dense board that is almost as hard as wood. The advantages of working with this board is the fact that it's much easier to cut both manually and when using a machine.

But they are cheaper and do not need special skills to handle. There are numerous laminate finishes for this board, offering a homeowner an extensive array of colors to work with. Because of the compressed particles, unlaminated MDF can still be used to make cabinets. In fact some owners prefer it because of the design prospects it presents. For homeowners who love groove designs on the face of a kitchen cabinet, the unlaminated version of an MDF provides a great surface to get creative. The board is then stained or painted to the desired color for finishing.

The laminate on the MDF is waterproof, however edges of the board are not laminated. When exposed to water, they can absorb water and swell over time, leading to a look that's far from appealing. This is where choosing cheap may turn out to be expensive. But as long as the boards are not exposed to water, they are an excellent material for building cabinets.

The other board known as chipboard is made the same way as MDF. The difference is that the condensed pieces of wood are bigger hence the name chipboard. Chipboard has the same strength as MDF. It only comes in the laminated options with a variety of colors.

The edges of the chipboard can be covered with a laminate to prevent water from seeping through the side. However, the laminate on the edge easily peels off with time. Since the chips in the board are bigger, they are more prone to water damage as water seeps in more easily compared to their MDF counterpart. The unlaminated version of chipboard is not an option for making kitchen cabinets because the wooden chips used to manufacture the board are big enough to be seen.

Browse our showroom to find out which material is right for your kitchen cabinets.

3. Kitchen Hinges

From a lay perspective, hinges might not be mentioned in the kitchen remodeling conversations. However, they are an important part of the kitchen which are chosen based on the following factors:

• Style of the kitchen
• Material used
• Size and color of the kitchen cabinets

Below are some common types of hinges used in remodeling kitchens.

• Wrap around hinges: These are hinges that are fully visible and placed outside the cabinets on the face of the door and the frame. The design wraps around the wood which earned them the name wrap around hinges
• Flush hinges: These are partially hidden as they are placed in the inset of the cabinet. The only visible part of the hinge is the knuckle as the cabinet opens. A remodeler has to use a router or chisel to make a hole on which the hinge will be attached.
• Full extension hinges: most kitchen cabinets will open to a 90-degree angle or at best a 120-degree angle. But if a homeowner prefers cabinet doors that open to an almost 300 degrees arc, then the full extension hinges are the ones to go for.
• European hinges: Banging of cabinets is not exactly music to the ears but using European hinges will solve that problem. These hinge mechanism is self-closing with the help of an internal spring that gently closes the door without a bang.
• Side Hinges: These types of hinges sits outside the cabinets and is very decorative. It is often used for an additional punch to the cabinet aesthetic.

4. Kitchen countertops

Kitchen countertops are an integral part of a kitchen. Remodeling, in some instances, might mean only changing the countertop. For as long as the structure of the base cabinet is firm and sturdy, upgrading a kitchen top from concrete or a wooden countertop to a material like Corian or granite can be done. This is enough to transform the look of an entire kitchen.

When choosing a countertop material for the kitchen, one should look out for the following traits:

• Water resistance
• Heat resistance
• Aesthetic value
• Ease of installation
• Cost of the material
• Toughness and durability

Kitchen countertops can be expensive, and therefore one needs to scrutinize their options. That will ensure they get the best bang for their buck. Commonly used materials for countertops include

• Marble
• Granite
• Quartz
• Ceramic
• Solid-surface material

Marble makes an exceptional kitchen counter material because of its high aesthetic. Those looking for a one of a kind kitchen counter with beautiful natural grains, it's hard to beat marble. The only downside to marble is usually the cost as it is quite expensive.

The next best option is granite, which is tough and durable with many beautiful patterns and colors to choose from. Granite is relatively affordable. Some rare patterns of granite may be quite costly because of the shipping costs. However, a remodeling expert will often be in a position to advice about which granite options are available locally at lower costs but still good quality. They can also help shop around for some of the more rare patterns at a fairly reasonable cost.

Unfortunately, granite is porous to a degree. For this reason, applying a good quality sealant once or twice a year is necessary to keep the granite protected.

An alternative to granite that is also pleasing to the eye but with more a superior trait is man-made quartz. This countertop contains 93% stone like particles bound with 7% binders such as polymeric based binders or cement. The material is 100% nonporous and is just as beautiful as granite.

Conclusion

Cupertino, CA

All the above-mentioned considerations are important in remodeling a kitchen. An experienced contractor harmoniously brings each element together, resulting in an exquisite kitchen without breaking the bank. It's imperative to ensure that the contractor is skilled and understands the various complexities of kitchen design and subsequent cost. Such a person will prove to be an invaluable resource that delivers a dream kitchen. Check out some of our best work at Future Vision Remodeling to find out how to bring your future vision to life.