When remodeling your kitchen, you may have to decide between two competing things even if you want them both. It could be because of budget, or just because those competing things you want can’t coexist.

Here are 5 common trade-offs people sometimes make when doing a kitchen remodel.

Kitchen Usage - Daily Use Vs. Special Events

When designing your kitchen, your design choices will be different depending on which one of these principles you are designing for. If you’re designing for special events you might have more room and features for multiple cooks, more seating, larger refrigerator space, more entertaining options, etc.

If you’re designing for your family’s daily use, your design choices will be built around how your family functions in the kitchen on a daily basis. The difference here comes down to mainly to how your family functions in the kitchen, and the number of people being accommodated and served at one time.

To get as close to the best of both worlds as possible, design for your chosen priority, but account for the maximum capacity needs you anticipate to have.

Cost Vs. Value

This choice is prevalent in just about everything you do in your remodel. Everything has different features and price points. How do you decide when it’s worth it to splurge for higher quality items or when it’s best to save your money for something else? Ask yourself these questions

• Will the investment improve your everyday life?
• Will the product solve a pet peeve?
• Will the addition of this element make your house feel like a home?
• Will the purchase increase the value of your home?

When considering your experiences in your new kitchen, as well as resale value, frame your choices as cost vs. value and get the right bang for your buck.

Function Vs. Aesthetics

Ideally, a kitchen remodel has both beauty and function improvements. Unfortunately, sometimes budget make us choose between the little options that make our kitchens function better and the aesthetic options that makes our kitchens look beautiful and high end.

This is a purely personal decision that depends on where your priorities are.

Speed Vs. Patience

You may be remodeling for a special event or occasion. If so, you could be pressured to make decisions that may not be your favorites, but will be done sooner. When your kitchen is torn apart sometimes you want to just get it done fast and get back in.

Keep in mind that not everything has to be done at the same time. Some things can be done well at a later date. See this article to see what order aspects of a remodel are done.

The Ideal Me Vs. The Real Me

Don’t design for an ideal you that you think you might be with a remodel designed for that fictional you. Design and plan your kitchen for the person you ARE. For example, don’t plan your kitchen design hoping you’ll become a perfectly organized, clean cook. When the reality is you are a completely messy cook. A new kitchen likely won’t change that. Embrace it and build the perfect kitchen for the messy cook to help you do better.

To see more details of all these choices, see the article here.

At Brakur Custom Cabinetry we are experts in everything kitchens. If it’s time for you to discuss any of these things with designers contact an expert here.

Don't forget to download our FREE Design Guide for your kitchen: