So, you want a new Kitchen. Maybe you’ve seen something in a magazine or on Pinterest that grabs your attention?
It’s very easy to come up with a wish-list when it comes to creating a new kitchen, but there are a few things to keep in mind. is it the type of kitchen that works for you and, if not more importantly, does it fit your budget?
Let’s dive in
Why I love my kitchen
My own kitchen, which received numerous architecture awards, certainly grabs one’s attention. It was designed by leading architect Robert Simeoni – it is ideal for a couple who doesn’t like cooking and regularly eat out.
So, the brief given to Simeoni was for a ‘non-kitchen’, more akin to an art gallery rather than one where chefs like to cook up a storm or even those who simply love cooking for themselves or families. My kitchen doesn’t have a flue over the kitchen bench and the concrete island bench is relatively narrow.
For me, this is the perfect kitchen. But I can think of several hundred other people in my life who would disagree.
Does your kitchen work for you?
Imagine a family of 5 needing quick, home-cooked meals daily—my kitchen would be a nightmare for them, yet it’s perfect for me. That’s a top consideration for kitchen renovations.
When planning a kitchen makeover, giving a clear brief to your designers and builders is crucial.
Liz Staynor, founder of Simply Bathroom Solutions, advises, “While magazines and Pinterest offer great inspiration, the real question is whether those ideas fit your needs and budget.” It’s essential to ensure the designs you’re drawn to are practical for your home.
Budget is key, yet a minimal makeover might not suffice
The cost of renovating one’s kitchen needs to be addressed from the outset, irrespective of whether it’s a traditional or more contemporary style of kitchen.
Many think that a ‘light makeover’ will save a considerable amount of money – reworking cupboards and surfaces. However, there’s not actually a lot to be saved going down this path.
How much does a new kitchen cost?
A new kitchen, for example, may be upwards of $50,000 with a light makeover saving around $5,000. The cost of a kitchen ‘carcass’ (structure such as joinery) is not the main cost; it’s the labour required to make the adjustments and then the cost of the new doors, draws and panels required to make the kitchen feel as though it’s new.
However, there are those who are happy to fork out $120,000 for a new kitchen – complete with a generous butler’s pantry and all the latest fixtures and fittings. Marble island benches feature extensively.
While this kitchen may be appropriate for a large house in a salubrious suburb, the same kitchen may be ill-warranted in a more modest house somewhere else. And for that house, it may be more appropriate to work with a budget of closer to $50K. A small walk-in pantry or an appliance cupboard will likely suffice – and perhaps laminate or reconstituted stone benches instead of marble.
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Kitchen materials
Although materials can be used in different ways and priced according to the level of difficulty to achieve the finish warranted, Simply Bathroom Solutions generally divides kitchen materials into three broad categories:
- Laminate for benches is often the most economical.
- Caesar Stone, Quantum Quartz and Smart Stone tend to be popular materials in the middle tier of finishes.
- Marble, quartz and granite occupy the ‘top shelf’.
Although marble in a kitchen is great ‘eye candy’, exposing the natural vein that can’t be achieved with manmade stones, it does require fairly ‘deep pockets’, particularly if it’s used for splashbacks. For those thinking of spending approximately $50K on their kitchen, using marble will leave major shortfalls elsewhere.
Joinery
Other costs, such as the type of joinery, also need to be factored in: providing kitchen drawers rather than cupboards can add an additional 10 percent to the cost as well as the desire to have an adjoining butler’s kitchen.
But for those mindful of their budget, the option could easily be extending the length of the benches in the kitchen and including a generous pantry with a combination of draws and shelving.
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Learning first – building second
It’s easy for Simply Bathroom Solutions to fulfil a client’s wish list. It works across a number of budgets and styles. However, what is important for them is to learn from the first meeting how their clients work in the kitchen – i.e. on their own or with a partner or family members assisting?
If it’s a greater number of people working in the kitchen, are the spaces large enough to comfortably walk around the island bench? And although everyone may enjoy looking at a ‘state-of-the-art kitchen’, is it meant for someone who really loves to prepare meals or just a showcase to display a few cups of coffee?
In essence, what someone needs in a kitchen is as fundamental as their budget. It requires some serious thinking before your designer can even start preparing concepts. One of the many questions that we pose in our initial meetings is ‘what don’t you like about your current kitchen?’ – it could be the lack of storage or the arrangement of the fridge in relation to the stove or to the island bench.
Any designer can whip up some great images of what could be achieved in a new kitchen – with a collage of images that tug at one’s heartstrings as much as the purse strings! But at Simply Bathroom Solutions, it’s about matching expectations with reality, both in terms of what is actually needed rather than perceived and, as importantly, what can be realistically achieved with the designated budget.
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Renovating kitchens and bathrooms – is it worth it?
Renovating is a common homeowner dilemma, with many preferring to update older homes. Statistics reveal that properties with new kitchens and bathrooms often sell for much more. A quality kitchen or bathroom significantly increases sale prices, surpassing renovation costs.
Our $160K renovation of a three-bedroom unit, which included updates to the kitchen, bathroom,
, flooring, and paint, sold for $2.4 million—$800K above expectations. This investment clearly paid off, highlighting the value of well-planned renovations.
