Kitchen Renos
What you need to know before you start
Contributed by: Bonnie Moore, Patefacio Design Inc. 905-717-7937
Many renovations begin, leaving details, timelines, budgets and planning to an undetermined schedule. This is NOT HGTV! A renovation is often one of the largest expenses you will ever encounter, depending on the size. This is your home and your investment. It needs your time and attention. Have some fun along the way! A renovation rarely goes without a hitch but with careful planning and discussion, problems can be kept at a minimum. There are so many items like cabinets, hardware, sink, faucet, flooring and appliances, colour, design, lighting and price. And, what IS the budget? A full discussion is necessary to ensure you don’t get heavily into a renovation only to find there is no more money for those beautiful handles you wanted. It’s a super important conversation to have, not only with your designer, but also with your spouse and your banker. In the beginning, and I suggest minimum 3 months of planning, seek your Contractor, look at several design studios for ideas, budget, create a folder of ‘likes’, check out websites for designs and create relationships with your suppliers. For example, I have created relationships with Stradwicks, Chemong Home Hardware, Kawartha Hardware, Lane Construction, Upper Canada Castcrete, SCF Countertops and others. Why these particular stores or contacts? Because I know, based on experience, that when I send a client their way, they will be dealt with professionally, get good pricing and get the education they need and most of all, they will show up on time, when they say they will. Another common question is, how much is a kitchen? Well, the same exact space can hold a $10,000 kitchen versus a $40,000 kitchen. This is dictated cabinet style (shaker or raised panel), wood (Oak or Cherry), and is there a glazing application that will drive up the cost? All applications or wood can make a large difference in how your kitchen is priced. Other items to consider are Page 40
special features of the kitchen. For example, a Lazy Susan, recycle bins, pull out shelves, glass shelving, wine cubes, plate rails, microwave shelves, all the ‘fancy’ items that make a kitchen looks super great in all the Pinterest pictures, add up to costly additions. For maximum longevity, my personal attack on design is to create simple spaces, not too many costly gadgets and give you a project on budget with items that will last. After all, this is an investment that you want for years to come. The MOST important conversation in my world is COLOUR! What colour are we doing? Also, it is important to understand that White is not white is not white. There are many shades of white and depending on your countertop choice, you may require a custom white. I see in colour; that is my Super Power. But the everyday individual cannot see a complete project or its colour in their minds eye. So I often refer to concept pictures on Pinterest to allow my clients to have a vision of how an overall concept will come together. Other areas that play on colour is your home. What I mean by that is your light, flooring, etc, which
