Renovating Your Kitchen? Create A Temporary Kitchen
There is nothing quite like the feeling of standing in your newly renovated kitchen, looking around at the fabulous new cabinets, the gleaming benchtops and splashbacks, the latest tap ware and the clean lines of the newest appliances. It has been quite a journey, but worth it on every level. Now you can’t imagine why you put it off for so long!
This is a comment we often hear from our clients after we finish their new, custom designed kitchen. When our Craftbuilt Kitchens team starts a renovation, they know it is disruptive for the occupants, so we offer suggestions for a smooth transition from an old, tired kitchen to a dazzling new one.
Set Up A Temporary Kitchen Space
The first thing to do is to set up a small kitchen area away from the old one, so as not to disrupt the work being done. Only a small space will be needed, as there is no need to take every item in the existing kitchen with you. Remember, this is only temporary, so creating a kitchen nook in the corner of the dining room or some other area will suffice.
Don’t spend a lot of money on this as it will be dismantled when you move back into your new kitchen. A cheap microwave cabinet, some portable shelving and space on the end of the dining room table for a couple of plastic containers to hold cutlery and pantry items will be adequate. You will still need a refrigerator, but don’t stress over where in the house it is situated. Borrow what you need from others if necessary. Remember this is temporary while your kitchen renovation is ongoing.
Keep Only Essentials – Use The Barbeque
Pack up the rest of the kitchen ready for storage. Only keep the bare essentials in the interim as you should have already decided to keep meal preparation as quick and simple as possible. Keep fussy, fancy items off the menu and you will not need the gadgets. A microwave, kettle, toaster and maybe one or two other appliances will keep everyone comfortably fed. In our climate, the barbeque will also make an excellent cooktop.
If you have appliances and other items you wish to throw away, we have a few suggestions that can add more cash to your pocket!
Breeze Through The Washing Up
Nowhere to wash the dishes? A plastic bowl in the bath will do a fine job and the water is there ready, both hot and cold. Without all the preparation bowls, nifty little utensils and gadgets to wash, there won’t be as much to do. Use disposables as much as possible to limit the inconvenience.
Of course, you will also bring takeaways home, just like you did when you had a full, functioning kitchen, and treat yourself to a restaurant meal every now and then. For something to look forward to, plan a celebration with guests after our Craftbuilt Kitchens team have completed your beautiful new kitchen. Their complimentary comments will make the inconvenience all worthwhile.
Beautiful Kitchen Finishes
Once you have your temporary kitchen set up, it is time to get things started. Choosing the right cabinet and drawer finishes is an important task when you are having your kitchen done. There is a massive range of finishes, styles and hardware available to choose from and it can be overwhelming if you don’t know which the best choice is for you. The type of material you end up choosing for your finishes can be governed by the style of kitchen you have selected in the beginning. Naturally what will be high on your list when choosing is your budget. The most important factors are efficiency and functionality of the finish you choose, and of course you want it to be aesthetically appealing.
The Basic Finishes – The Pros
Laminate is probably the most budget friendly option available for kitchens in Brisbane. Laminate comes in a good range of colours, textures and patterns and even gloss finishes. If you like the look of single solid colours then the choice for you may be painted 2pac polyurethane. The front and 4 sides are painted using automotive grade paint and it’s available in just about any colour you can imagine. You can choose from either gloss, satin or textured finish and all are easy finishes to clean. For a good hard wearing, hygienic and easy to clean option, vinyl wrap is fairly low cost. The PVC foil is vacuum bonded onto high moisture resilient substrate. Timber veneer finishes come in natural, gloss, sandblasted or grain. Options available are reconstituted or natural. Solid timber offers the feel of character and warmth to your kitchen. It is easily repaired by re-sanding and it look is easily maintained by re-oiling.
The Basic Finishes – The Cons
Nothing in this world is perfect and there are things you should know about these products and their potential downfalls. This does not mean the products are not worthy or useful in the kitchen, simply there are facets about each that will help you decide which is right for your needs. For example, laminate can be hard to repair so you should take appropriate steps to avoid damage. High gloss finishes in 2pac can show marks and scratches easily whilst a vinyl wrap finish cannot be repaired but needs to be completely replaced and may yellow with age. For timber veneer finishes you are limited to only square profile edges and solid timber is more expensive and can be affected by humidity and moisture.
Discussing your kitchen design options in Brisbane in depth with qualified staff will ensure you choose the right finish for your kitchen. Eye catching beautiful drawers and cabinets will soon be yours, ready to enjoy. Sit down with our Craftbuilt Kitchens designers today so you can start building your dream kitchen. Call us at (07) 3341 9166 today!
