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By Cara Clayton, ASID, Allied Member          

It never fails!  You have decided that you want to remodel your kitchen, a face lift for the inside of your home if you will.  You are excited because you are getting started with your project and the next thing you know the colors you picked looks pale in comparison to the beautiful cherry, shaker style cabinets you love and you realize you still have not picked out flooring or backsplash tile.  Or the paint samples reflect an odd cast and make the granite countertop material samples look BLAH!  In trying to do a large project like this on your own could be very costly with little satisfaction.  It could result in having material piling up that you are not going to use because you changed your mind and the expenses could stack even higher than the material left to collect dust.

It can be hard to match mediums so that your project looks as if it were out of a magazine.  There are a few things to consider when preparing for a large project remodel to help avoid the project creeps and to allow the homeowner to stay within budget.

First thing find a kitchen and bath designer.  The designer will be the one who can lead you into a functional yet dramatic project direction.  Once you have decided on a layout, the designer will meet with plumbers and electricians to try and guess what is behind the walls.  Planning and analyzing for what “could be” will prepare the homeowner for potential additional cost. 

Next make a wish list.  Start doing your homework and look through magazines, open house events, showrooms, etc. and figure out what you want in this kitchen.  Look at lighting, ventilation, tile, cabinetry pull-outs and features, cabinet wood species and door profiles, handles and knobs, under-cabinet lighting, appliances, faucets, sink styles, paint, and anything else that might affect a kitchen project or any project for that matter.  Start tearing out magazine pages and tag them with what it is that caught your eye.  Don’t look at the entire magazine photo, keep in mind that it is not your kitchen, but rather what part of the photo that you are attracted to.  The cabinet handles or the decorative stacked crown molding-anything that will help you define the styles and colors that you like.

 Then, set your budget.  Define what allowance you, the homeowner, can spend for this project. Analyze how much you want to spend-not how much you think the project will cost.  At this time the designer can take the items that you like, along with the layout, and provide an estimate for you.  Now, your budget and your magazine cutouts will be taken into consideration for a beautiful, well thought out kitchen or bath. 

Taking these actions and spending a little time defining your tastes allow the project to move much smoother.  Trust your instincts and try and stick to your initial thoughts, whatever the product is you liked it.

Planning to remodel your kitchen or bath?  For professional design, budgeting, and materials assistance, contact Cara Clayton, ASID, Allied Member, at Ultimate Kitchen & Bath.  Visit us online at: www.ultimatekitchenandbath.net.  Showroom: 8514 Manchester Road, Brentwood, MO.  314.968.7755.

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