A kitchen remodel is an exciting opportunity to tailor your culinary space to your preferences. The Quartersawn team has extensive experience in transforming kitchens and we’ve gathered their top recommendations to help you take the first step toward remodeling your kitchen.
Perfecting Your Kitchen Layout
Before diving into paint colors and finishes, start with the essentials: a well-thought-out kitchen layout. Our design team meticulously plans every detail, including work zones, strategically placed appliances, adequate storage, and more.
Todd Hansen, Director of Experiences:
“My favorite feature in our kitchen is that the dishwasher is right below the cabinets where the dishes go. It is so easy, efficient, and convenient.”
Kristin Tollison, Office Manager:
“Ample space! Whether the kitchen is a place for snacks and homework or a foodie’s favorite spot, lack of countertop space and bumping into family members takes away the joy.”
Maximize Your Storage
A beautiful kitchen is a joy, but a functional kitchen that eases your dinner-time stress is essential. The Quartersawn team offers invaluable advice for prioritizing storage in your kitchen remodel.
Kayla Vig, Designer:
“Cabinet inserts! Making a kitchen beautiful is important but if it’s not functional it’s useless. I always recommend a garbage pullout, flatware divider, utensil divider, knife divider, and spice rack. These things keep the kitchen organized and countertops clean.”
Jennifer Burton, Designer:
“I believe an appliance garage is a must-have for a clean and organized kitchen, the biggest game changer!”
Peter Anderson, Project Manager:
“I think it’s important to have a mix of drawers, shelves, and rollouts to give yourself storage flexibility. There are so many different dishes, utensils, and appliances that it’s good to have options. I like a single bowl sink that can do double duty for dishes and dog washing and, of course, my most important kitchen component is a dachshund to keep the floor free of crumbs.”
Enhance Your Kitchen’s Functionality
Before you browse Pinterest for inspiration, consider how you will use your kitchen. Do you need a gourmet setup for culinary expertise? Do you host family and friends? Or do you need a kitchen to display your family China?
Leslie Nicholson, Director of Finance:
“A place for everything you already own. I recommend working with your designer to make sure you map out where you want things in your kitchen to make sure everything has a spot. Also, a door or cabinet for your coffee. It’s easy to use, but also easy to hide.”
Adam Back, Director of Construction:
“Build a happy home for your good knives. I like a dedicated in-drawer block, but magnetic options are popular with some home cooks.”
Jesse Walczak, Designer:
“An appliance garage is always a great option to have so appliances are easily accessible but removes the countertop clutter look. With undermount sinks, the countertop cut-out should be slightly smaller than the sink bowls to avoid an extra ledge that collects water and crumbs and gives it a cleaner look.”
Jordan Galleberg, Designer:
“Under cabinet lighting for sure! Must have good task lighting.”
Personalize Your Kitchen
Most importantly, the team advised making your kitchen work for you. Everyone has different goals during a kitchen remodel. With your input, your design and build team can craft a kitchen to your exact preferences.
Austin Kratochwill, Designer:
“I’d start by telling them a must-have will be unique for every person! But if I had to boil it down, I’d tell them to pick finishes they’ll enjoy looking at AND cooking on. Easy to clean is great, but so is a beautiful patina that tells your story. Another must-have I’d share is creating an accessible home for your special items and heirlooms to be stored – don’t let these be relegated to a hard-to-reach area and forgotten.”
Chauncey Keepers, Field Superintendent:
“I would say the best thing to install in a new kitchen is the biggest pantry you can fit into your space. The storage is amazing! To be honest though, whatever you do to make your kitchen your kitchen, is the key. Design your kitchen to meet your family’s needs. This is your home, whatever works for you, is the right decision.”
Ali Awad, Director of Design:
“You must have a kitchen that works for you. In our design process, we want to know your preferences for so many things. Do you prefer the dishwasher to the right or left of the sink? Do you want to store dishes in upper cabinets or lower drawers?
You must have durable finishes- which cost more. Natural or man-made stone countertops are ideal. Site-applied cabinet finishes have improved greatly and are starting to approach the durability of shop finishes.
Induction stovetop cooking has become very popular but some people still prefer gas. All appliance manufacturers now have induction options and this will continue as home electrification becomes more standard. (Gas burning appliances, especially ones with an open flame, in our newer tighter homes can cause concerns about indoor air quality)”
In summary, take it from Erik Jorgensen, our Senior Project Manager. “Everything AND the kitchen sink.” When you’re ready to begin remodeling your kitchen, schedule a time to speak with one of our project advisors.