Home \
Home & Garden
Who Wants a New Kitchen for Christmas?
(ARA) - The countertops look like someone staged World War III on them, the floor is permanently dirt-colored and the knife drawer has been stuck closed for months. By any standards, this kitchen isn't ready for the holiday entertaining season. If this kitchen sounds likes yours, all you'll probably want for Christmas is a brand new kitchen.
Do you want to know the secret to getting a new kitchen for Christmas? It has nothing to do with being naughty or nice, and everything to do with timing. You may not realize it, but just before the holidays can be a perfect time to start your kitchen renovation. That's because business for contractors and builders slows down between December and February. Not only are most contractors eager for work, they have more time to invest in helping customers create the kitchen of their dreams.
Starting your pre-holiday kitchen renovation will need to start with choosing a contractor for the job. Choosing the right quality contractor will mean the difference between ending up with a beautiful, functional kitchen that was completed on time or living with a disastrous kitchen, only to watch the project stretch until spring. To help you with the process, ReliableRemodeler.com can help match you with quality local contractors and provide you with the right resources for checking license and bonding.
Once you've found the contractor who will transform your drab kitchen, it's time to start the most fun part of the project: planning your dream kitchen. New ways of rethinking your kitchen design may focus on an open floor plan that lends itself to entertaining. You can create more space in your kitchen by building a half wall, installing a center island and adding more counters. Don't forget the all-important work "triangle" that is the heart of every kitchen. For this triangle the oven, refrigerator and sink should form the points of a triangle with an open flow for foot traffic between each point.
To facilitate holiday entertaining, be sure to include prep areas that will make it easier for guests to lend a helping hand in preparation of the meal. These areas could include a center island with a vegetable sink, where a helper can peel and chop while you work in the main sink area.
And what would the holidays be without some season-appropriate beverages? Consider having your contractor draw up a plan to include a wine chilling drawer in your kitchen island. A refrigerator drawer, mounted under the counter and complete with an ice maker, can provide storage for your mixers, beers and soft drinks. Built-in coffee makers put hot java at your fingertips and save counter space as well.
Your food won't cook itself, but you can find a range or cook top that will make cooking seem almost that easy. Modern ovens offer steaming and convection capabilities to help make healthful cooking easier than ever. Warming drawers can keep foods warm while others finish cooking.
If your kitchen is already dimming your holiday spirit, knowing you'll start the New Year fresh with a brand new one may just make the holidays a bit brighter for you this year. For help finding a reliable contractor and other remodeling ideas, go to www.reliableremodeler.com.
Copyright © 2007, ARAnet, inc.
|
|
Previous Story: Don't Flush Bathroom Renovation Dollars Down the Drain
|