Kitchen Remodeling Ideas:
Granite Countertops, Cabinets, Appliances and Flooring

How many times have you left for vacation with your kitchen a mess to come back and find it completely remodeled? As you drop your bags in the foyer you see new forty-two inch cabinets, rich, warm granite countertops, new appliances, and a new floor! Many say this is something that they have never experienced; and of course would never happen to them. Everyone knows that living in a home going through renovations is not pleasant, especially if you have a family with small children. Little Debbie™ various snacks, McDonalds™, Burger King™, etc. become a way of life. The dust, dirt, and noise are just enough to drive one crazy. But with preliminary planning and careful execution, this is very achievable.

The first step in completing your kitchen remodel is to research different companies that will give you the “biggest bang for your buck”. Please remember that choosing a company just because they have the lowest price does not mean the quality and service will be exemplary as well. Finding the complete package, average price, a warehouse to hand-select your granite, and excellent quality, craftsmanship, and customer service sets the course for a smooth renovation.

The next step would be selection of cabinets. Cabinets come in many different colors. The most popular cabinet colors being oak, maple, cherry, and white. Choosing the correct color and style of cabinet sets the ambiance of the entire kitchen area. Many opt to redesign the kitchen area because they are a growing family that needs more room or just for an updated look. The company that you choose should have an in-house designer or will subcontract out a professional to help with this process. Once you have finalized your cabinet layout and ordered your cabinets, you’re ready for countertops!

Nowadays, everyone either has or is moving toward kitchen granite countertops. Granite countertops are very affordable; as well as durable and aesthetically pleasing. Granite has natural veining and dimension that no other surface displays. When selecting your new granite countertops, please remember to bring a sample of your cabinet and any other pertinent items to help in the process (for example, paint/fabric swatches, existing floor sample, etc). Walking into a granite warehouse can be quite intimidating because of the volume and variety of granite slabs in stock. Take your time walking through to look at every color making sure to place your cabinet sample and any other helpful items you chose to bring close to the slab. Sometimes it takes one trip around the warehouse and other times it takes five or six depending on how certain you are about the color before arriving. Please note that many granite fabricators/suppliers have you select from a certain lot rather than looking through numerous slabs. Do not feel pressured to make the decision on color your first trip to the warehouse; many places have samples that you can take home with you to help with your decision.

The last two items that need to be selected are your appliances and flooring. It is preferred that the appliances be chosen while the cabinet design process is being completed, only to allow ample space for the appliances to be placed after the countertops are installed. Flooring can be selected at any stage, however should be installed after the countertops and cabinets are completed. This way the pressure is taken off the homeowner if something is dropped on the floor or if dirt is brought in by one of the trades.

Now that everything is selected, your relaxing vacation can commence. Your contractor is trustworthy enough to leave a set of keys to manage the remodel while away. Just remember that hard work in the beginning will bring beautiful results in the end.