Vicki Gerson
Bankrate.com

Any homeowner — regardless of the size of their current kitchen — can turn their dreams into reality. But, before you start remodeling, go through a checklist to make sure you will make the right decisions.

Kitchen remodel checklist
Check out the space. Is it adequate? Will you have enough counter space, storage space and floor space? Does the shape of the counter or the position of your refrigerator need to change?
As a cook, think of three things: storage, preparation and cleanup.
Traffic flow is important in remodeling your kitchen. How many cooks are in the kitchen? Is there enough room around the main workspace? Do you want an open kitchen plan, so you interact with your guests?
Consider the efficiency of your kitchen. Outdated appliances may be costing you in higher electric, gas and water bills. New appliances with new technology can save you money.
Families with children need to decide if the kitchen is hazardous. If your family is growing, you may need lower cabinets for the children’s food or more room for cooking for more people.
Think about the location and design of your current kitchen. Do you plan to keep it the same or add a deck? Do you want a door leading from the kitchen to the deck? Are you keeping the windows where they are or changing their location?

Get answers for these questions before remodeling starts. When interviewing kitchen designers, you should have spent some time looking at shelter magazines, books, newspaper articles, Web sites and television home shows to see what options you have. Determine your personal taste. Your kitchen remodel can have a Victorian, modern, southwestern, traditional, eclectic or even a country look.

Most importantly, you need to determine your budget in advance. How much can you spend? How much can you borrow, for example, from a home equity loan? Typically, to start the project, you will need to put 20 percent to 50 percent down. More money is expected when the old kitchen is torn out and the installation of cabinetry, countertops and appliances begins. A final payment is due at the completion of the job, when it has passed your final inspection.

“Some kitchens are so large they almost seem too large,” says Alan Vaughan Hilsabeck Jr. of Hilsabeck Design Associates in Flower Mound, Texas. “To be efficient, I always use the old cliche “form follows function” as a general rule of design. If the outcome of the design maximizes the storage needs and functioning requirements of the client, then there is an efficient kitchen design no matter what the size of the kitchen environment.”

However, in designing an efficient kitchen for a client, the designer must consider the number of people in the family, their ages, how many cooks, the cooking styles they like (baking, culinary, family style), the appliances requested and lifestyle schedules. “With all of these crucial items taken into consideration, the designer then will be able to create an efficient kitchen for the client,” Hilsabeck says.

New products
Many of today’s homeowners want environmentally responsible kitchens as well as efficient kitchens. “Electric bills and water bills can be cut by the type of products you install in your home,” says Sean Ruck, spokesman for the National Kitchen & Bath Association in Hackettstown, N.J.
“Dishwasher drawers are now available, and they are half the size of regular dishwashers. Horizontally built, they take less water, but also hold fewer dishes,” Ruck says. These high-end dishwashers are more expensive than a normal-size dishwasher. According to Ruck, some homeowners are purchasing two of them because they take up the same space as a regular dishwasher. For large parties, they just run them both.

The microwave no longer sits on the countertop. Efficient kitchens have them either attached under a cabinet or in place of an upper oven. The newest idea, however, is the microwave drawer, which is mounted under a counter. These microwaves are relatively small. Another item that has been introduced if kitchen space is very small is a double-drawer, under-the-counter refrigerator.

Electric cook-tops are available that allow the cook to set a timer for each cooking surface separately. Usually, this product is made as a four-burner cook-top. Certain manufacturers have also touch-screen TVs in the refrigerator door. Other refrigerators have an express-chill drawer so if the homeowner brings home a bottle of wine, it chills quickly. “Some refrigerators even have quick freeze options so the meat will freeze quicker and lock in more of the flavor,” Ruck says.

The work triangle
The kitchen work triangle is primarily a work center: cooking surface, cleanup and prep area and refrigeration-storage. To be efficient, Ruck points out, all three together should be no more than 26 feet apart. “Even though some kitchens are huge,” he says, “homeowners can still stay within that range,” Ruck says. “However, some larger kitchens are creating two work triangles.”
Cabinet efficiency
Cabinet and countertop placement needs to take into consideration the height of who will be cooking in the kitchen. If the cabinets are too high, safety becomes an issue. Consider pullout shelves or shelves on rollers and Lazy Susans in corner cabinets so everything doesn’t have to be pulled out to get something in the back. “Make sure the new kitchen has enough drawers because many people, when remodeling, never put in enough drawer space,” Ruck says.
If you are remodeling your kitchen but can’t afford to install new cabinets, glaze or antique them. If you’re handy and creative, you can do it yourself or ask the designer for advice on how to get the best results.

Homeowners who use open kitchen plans can run into storage problems. The open kitchen faces the family room or the dining room, integrating it with the rest of the house. This creates interaction with the food preparer but in many cases the kitchen loses a wall. The homeowner will need to compensate with a pantry or to determine how to more effectively use existing storage and cabinetry.

Countertops
Many families use kitchen stools and have members of the family eat their breakfast or lunch at the countertop. Ruck calls them “floating” countertops because they connect to a countertop that is a work area. There are many different types of materials that can be used for countertops in your new kitchen. A stainless steel countertop is the easiest to clean and would be installed with a stainless steel sink. Usually an instant hot water faucet is installed as well for tea or water. These countertops look great with a modern kitchen design.

For years, homeowners have been installing laminated materials, Formica being the best known. Today’s countertops don’t look like your mother’s countertops because they are manufactured now in many patterns and designs. Some cooks, too, are deciding to use wood cabinets. Although wood adds warmth to a room, it can stain and collect food odors. Granite, marble, or stone can be elegant choices. When redoing a kitchen, go to the place where these are cut and select the slab you want for your kitchen, because grain and color varies. Some people remodeling their kitchens also prefer ceramic tile, which can be custom-made.

Additional tips to keep in mind
The National Kitchen & Bath Association suggests these additional guidelines for homeowners planning to remodel their kitchens.

Additional guidelines:
A clear doorway should be at least 32 inches wide.
A full-height, full-depth, tall obstacle (like a pantry or refrigerator) shouldn’t separate two primary work centers.
When a kitchen only has one sink, locate it adjacent to or across from the cooking surface and refrigerator.
Make sure you have enough countertop frontage. At least three inches should be provided on one side of the auxiliary sink, and 18 inches of countertop frontage on the other side. Be sure they are the same height as the sink.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association offers consumers a free kitchen and bath workbook if they visit the association’s Web site. In the workbook are tips to consider when planning to redesigning your kitchen and bath. On the Web site, you also have the option of clicking on the “design your kitchen” link for an online, interactive design program to layout and create your dream kitchen.