A kitchen is definitely one of the rooms in your home where the most action takes place! When you have guests over, it is also the area where they’ll spend the most time. This means that combining functionality with design is an essential part of renovating your kitchen!
Are you planning your next remodelling? Cuisines Rochon, your kitchen designer in Quebec, presents a complete guide to kitchen renovations.
Planning for your project
Before you let your inspiration take over, there are several steps of rigorous planning that should take place first. After all, this is a significant investment that should not be left to chance!
Here are the steps you should follow to establish a renovation plan for your kitchen.
Your needs and lifestyle
Before remodelling your kitchen, take a minute to establish your needs and habits. After all, a kitchen can be perfect for one family and inadequate for another!
Do you like your current kitchen? What is it exactly you don’t like? What are the problem areas?
Your needs also represent the needs of your household: a kitchen for a large family will require more space to move around.
People with limited mobility or older adults will have other needs related to accessibility.
You should also think of your daily life and habits: is the kitchen also a space used for homework or work? How often do you have friends over? Are you a baker in your spare time? The answer to these questions will help you identify your main needs.
Your Budget
Firstly, of course, you must think of a realistic budget for your kitchen remodelling.
This will depend on several factors, according to what you are keeping or tossing: cost of materials and furniture, paint, lighting and, of course, labour.
Keep in mind that there are usually unforeseen costs. So, once you’re done calculating your budget, you should add an extra 15 %.
You should also figure out a financing plan and how you will pay. Finally, you should think of the cost and expenses and compare them to the property value.
The actual work and the necessary equipment
Are you changing a few pieces of furniture and painting on a fresh color, or starting over from scratch? Whatever your kitchen renovation project is and how big it is, think of everything that needs to be done so that you can get a clear and realistic overall picture.
You should also make a list of all of the necessary equipment to make sure that nothing has been forgotten in your planning process:
- Plumbing and electricity
- Paint and floor covering
- Appliances
- Kitchen cabinets and countertops
- Etc.
Do you need a contractor to complete some of the work? Our partner Gereco Construction can take care of the electricity, plumbing, painting, floor installation and much more!
Alex Harvey’s project signed Rochon
Think of a functional layout for your kitchen
Once you have thought about your needs, you might have also thought of what you’d like to integrate into your kitchen like, for example, an island, a cellar, a bar space for guests, etc.
Before remodelling your kitchen, you first have to think about the layout. Think of functionality before you think of style: your kitchen must allow you to go about your daily tasks easily.
You will also want to make sure that the place where you prepare food is big enough, and that it is close to the sink and stovetop.
You should also think about where the storage drawers will be so that you can access all of your cooking tools easily.
In short, you want to make sure that the layout is practical above all else!
If you want to make a quick and easy plan, you can make an appointment with one of our experts.
Kitchen style and design
Contemporary, modern, minimalist, Scandinavian, industrial or even farmhouse: there are so many possibilities when it comes to kitchen design!
No matter your preferences, think of the combination of styles and colors along with decorations and accessories in order to create a harmonious whole.
When choosing accessories, you will also want to keep in mind functionality, as they can be both practical and stylish.
For more inspiration, take a look at the pictures from our renovated kitchens.
Alex Harvey’s project signed Rochon
Choose the right materials
Choosing the right materials often goes with the choice of design. However, you must also take into account certain properties.
Cabinets and Drawers
Melamine, polymer, polyester or thermoplastic, kitchen cabinets are available in a variety of materials. No matter if you opt for wood imitation or a colorful door, they can adapt to your taste and priorities.
Our partner Door Industries, the kitchen cabinet manufacturer in Quebec, also makes stunning custom-made cabinets.
During your kitchen renovations, you should also think of practical accessories that can simplify your storage solutions or your daily use.
You could install a corner mechanism, a WingLine sliding system or a sliding garbage bin.
You can integrate a cutlery divider to your drawers, like a compartment for your dishwashing brush or a practical U- shaped drawer.
When the time has come for you to redo your kitchen, it is important to evaluate your needs properly, which is why working with a professional kitchen designer is a must!
Alex Harvey’s project signed Rochon
Kitchen Countertops
For your countertops, water and heat resistance are essential, given that they are sure to get dirty and wet, on top of being close to heating elements.
If you are looking for an affordable option with an elegant look, laminate and synthetic materials like Corian are among the best options. These resistant materials will give you a customized style and finish.
Another durable option is quartz, and the fact that it is not a very porous material makes it highly resistant to stains and acidic foods. Easy to maintain, it comes in several different finishes including a marble finish.
If you have a more significant budget, natural materials are sure to please for their refined and timeless elegance. You could opt for:
- Granite, a magmatic stone that is highly resistant, especially to heat;
- Wood and its rustic charm and warm tones, in a variety of finishes and essences that are easy to care for;
- Marble, very resistant to heat and with an undeniable elegance;
- Dekton, a mineral material available in different colours, highly resistant and practically non-porous.
It is also possible to superimpose materials like Dekton and wood, like if you wish to create a butcher block, for example.
We have written an article comparing Dekton vs Quartz vs Granite to help facilitate your choice.
Flooring
Ceramic tiles are a very popular choice in kitchens given how resistant and durable they are. Among the different ceramic tile trends for your kitchen floor, you will find wood imitation or natural material imitations. By imitating different materials in a wide range of colours, it is the ideal option for numerous people.
You might want to opt for a resistant wood essence, unless you prefer a beautiful and more affordable imitation like a laminate. Those of you who love natural materials can also turn to stones like slate or granite.
Finally, vinyl and linoleum are suited to more limited budgets and to people who are looking for flooring that is very easy to maintain. There are several different types of textures and colors that can blend into different kitchen designs!
The Sink and Faucet
From a classic stainless-steel sink to a sophisticated and resistant Silgranit, without forgetting elegant clay models, Blanco sinks −available with Rochon- combine superior quality materials and esthetics, no matter which material you choose.
You should also consider your daily needs. A single sink is perfect for a small kitchen or for people who own a dishwasher, while double sinks are best suited to those who often accomplish several different tasks at once.
You could also opt for an undermount sink, which is integrated into the countertop for a uniform and modern look.
You can think of adding practical accessories like a pot filler, which will quickly become one of your must-have kitchen essentials, allowing you to easily fill even a larger pot with water.
Appliances
Appliances cannot be overlooked when planning a kitchen remodel.
You should take the time to really think about where they should go and take into account your fridge and stove dimensions, given how these vary from one model to the next.
You could opt for a conventional stove or built-in oven and a stovetop. If you love to cook, then a gas stovetop might be ideal.
You will also have to plan for a kitchen hood, which comes in a variety of categories, like some that can be integrated under the cabinets, others built like a chimney, above a kitchen island, built-in or integrated into your microwave, for example.
Would you like to have a dishwasher? Then you will also have to plan for enough space for this appliance and where it will go. Try to imagine yourself in your future kitchen to make sure you are making decisions that will make your life easier. If you have the space for it, having two dishwashers could very well be a game changer for you.
No matter the appliance, like the refrigerator, the dishwasher or the kitchen hood, they can all be built into your kitchen cabinets for a minimalist and elegant look.
When it comes to smaller appliances, they can be hidden in a pantry or on the counter thanks to a small folding door or a door that opens vertically.
When designing your new kitchen, you will want to think about custom made furniture and cabinets like for your pantry or a bar area.
Lighting
In your kitchen, it is important to plan for general lighting but also lighting that is specific to each station.
Hanging lights are perfect above a kitchen island or table.
Lights under the cabinets will allow you to see better in your workspace, lighting up the counter discreetly, like with LED strips in glass cabinets for example.
Depending on the room design, wall mounted lights can also be used and add a touch of elegance to the room.
Ventilation
Choosing the right kitchen hood is of the utmost importance to evacuate odours, vapour, humidity and pollutants. The kitchen hood with an exterior vent is the best choice to evacuate air properly, although in some cases you might have to use a hood without an exterior vent.
No matter which type of hood you use, it will have to comply with certain standards and regulations, especially when it comes to motor power.
The most important: surround yourself with experts in whom you trust
Remodelling your kitchen is not a project you should take lightly.
After all, a successful kitchen design not only improves your daily life, it can easily increase the resale value of your home or your condo!
If you want to work with seasoned experts who know their way around kitchen renovations, contact Rochon – kitchen and bathrooms.
From design to completion, we help you build the kitchen of your dreams.
No matter if you are close to Montreal, Quebec or Gatineau, we are here to make your dream kitchen a reality!
