Renovating your kitchen is no small task. There are countless details to consider; where things should go, what colors to choose, which materials look best, and so many others.
As you compile what seems like a never-ending list of decisions, be careful not to overlook what are arguably the most important features of your new kitchen - the appliances.
It’s easy to dive straight into focusing on the fun, aesthetic details like backsplashes and countertops, but it’s important to remember that you need your kitchen to be functional. Even a beautiful kitchen will go unused if cooking meals in it is a pain.
Paying close attention to the fundamentals from the start is the best way to ensure that you end up with a kitchen that you love to look at and work in.
During a kitchen renovation, appliances are one of the final pieces that your contractor will install. First, the new flooring and cabinets need to go in. Since they’re one of the last steps of your project, it’s okay to wait and worry about them toward the end, right?
Wrong.
The problem is that even though appliances don’t physically come into your new space until later, from a design and practical standpoint, they should be one of the first items you plan for.
A great kitchen is one that’s functional and efficient. You can accomplish this by choosing a layout that facilitates how you will use the space. If your renovation includes making adjustments to your kitchen’s layout, then you should decide where to place your appliances first.
For example, you don’t want to have to carry a heavy, boiling pot of water from your stove all the way around a large island to your sink on the other side.
Taking the placement of your appliances into account before finalizing the layout helps you avoid ending up with a kitchen design that makes cooking difficult and time-consuming.
While finding a practical layout for your appliances is important, you also want the appliances themselves to be efficient. Viewing different brands and models in person before buying can be beneficial for discovering which styles and designs will work best for you.
For instance, imagine that you initially decided on a traditional oven. However, after seeing and trying out a wall oven, you realized that you liked not having to bend down to retrieve baked items.
This change of plans would be costly if you’d already installed new cabinets with a traditional oven in mind. You’d have to tear out some of those brand new cabinets to make room for the wall oven or choose to stick with the traditional one. It’s always a good idea to test different appliance styles and figure out your preferences early on to avoid making expensive alterations mid-project.
We’ve discussed several reasons why you should consider appliances early on, so what can happen if you don’t?
A likely result of waiting until after the majority of your renovation is complete to choose appliances is finding out that they don’t fit properly.
Imagine walking in on the last day of your renovation only to find that your refrigerator was too wide to squeeze in, or your oven noticeably protrudes further than it should.
Knowing the measurements of each appliance is critical when designing your kitchen cabinets and countertops - especially if your chosen appliances have non-standard dimensions. Having this information available for your contractor at the beginning of the project is the best way to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Not only can putting off your appliances affect how they fit in your kitchen, but it can also affect how they fit in your budget.
If you initially spend the majority of your budget on aesthetic components like cabinets, countertops, and a backsplash, you may be left with very little to invest in quality appliances. This means settling for less expensive elements that may not suit the rest of your dream kitchen and end up being more work to maintain.
To make sure that you can afford that self-cleaning oven or extra-wide fridge with maximum storage that you’ve been dreaming about, prioritize these as some of your first renovation purchases before concentrating on the smaller details.
If you’re considering a kitchen renovation or you’ve run into issues with your appliances improperly fitting between your cabinets, talk to a professional who can help answer your questions and address your concerns.
For S&S Woodcraft, customer satisfaction is our number one priority. We want you to love your kitchen, so feel free to stop by our showroom in Cold Lake, AB (just a short drive from Edmonton!) or set up a remote design conversation with one of our design experts to discuss the goals you have for your kitchen and how we can help you accomplish them.