A kitchen renovation of any size can be intimidating, but taking on a project can also be immensely rewarding, positively impacting how you and your family live. According to Architectural Digest, a kitchen renovation can add up to 7% to the value of your home!
If you're embarking on a new kitchen project, it's easy to get overwhelmed with processes, planning and trades. This guide covers key steps, from setting your project off on the right foot to executing the kitchen of your dreams. Bank handy tips and gather advice from experienced Tom Howley designers, leading property experts, architects and interior designers.
Whether you’re planning to make structural changes, dig new footings or simply renovate an existing space, it’s always a good idea to research and build your team first, especially if you’re not DIY confident. You may need tradespeople other than a kitchen designer, such as an architect, build company, electricians and plumbers.
Take time to research relevant professional bodies, gather quotes and make it clear from the outset what you want to achieve. Project managers can be instructed, if required; this not only frees up your time and minimises stress, but creates a flow of communication between teams and streamlines the process from start to finish.
When planning work for a kitchen renovation, you first need to establish exactly what it is you want to change. Is there something about your existing kitchen that you dislike? Are you looking to create a larger footprint with an extension, or knock down internal walls for a new layout? Maybe you want to add more light with floor-to-ceiling doors, or simply create space for the pantry you’ve always dreamed of.
Tom Ralls, General Manager at R&M Lines, home refurbishment specialists, offers advice on ways to prepare and things to consider before embarking on a project.
As mentioned previously in this guide, having your kitchen designed on paper before you start building means you have some flexibility when it comes to changing your mind about certain structural design elements and layouts. You can also have a say in where you want electricity and water supplies to be, tailoring the space to your individual needs. Having a plan ready before approaching a builder makes you a serious customer too, and the plus side is that the quotes you’ll obtain will be very realistic.
From the beginning of your kitchen renovation journey, our talented designers will work closely with you to understand your needs and lifestyle. This is imperative to creating a successful design that is both functional and beautiful.
The more information we have at the start of your journey, the better. Here are a few tasks you can complete to help get your project off on the right foot.
Budgets are project-specific and partially dictated by the size of the space and client requirements. If hiring trades, you’ll need to factor in a budget for building work, painting, tiling, flooring, plumbing, electrics and any extra fixtures on your wish list. During the design process, we will give you a breakdown of the kitchen costs allowing you to feel comfortable and in control, every step of the way.
The Tom Howley design philosophy is to create beautifully proportioned spaces designed for how you want to live. This core value is shared by each of our designers, all of whom work to the same exacting principles, ensuring no kitchen that is ever created is anything short of exceptional.
Once we have an idea of your lifestyle and the space you want to create, we can build on this brief. With lots to consider, open communication is key. We start with your priorities and then delve deeper into the design, looking at the elements listed below.
We always give considerable thought to the kitchen layout, achieving optimum functionality and flow. Factors such as how you use your kitchen daily, where appliances are positioned, lighting, and walkways are all assessed when deciding on a layout that works for your household.
Smart kitchen storage solutions are high on every designer’s agenda, whether you have a compact galley kitchen or open plan living space. Along with storage features on your wish list, we can help you to make the best use of architectural quirks, create bespoke storage where everything is accessible, and ensure there’s plenty of it so that your kitchen has longevity.
When deciding on your appliances, we assess what you may need now and in the future, be it a bigger hob with your growing family needs, or sizeable fridge storage.
If you’re struggling to decide on a bespoke kitchen style, our designers can advise which Tom Howley kitchen collection will better suit you and your property. Kitchen style is mainly a personal choice; however, influencing factors may be the era of your home, the architectural style of the property, or the overall interior styling elsewhere in the home.
During the design process, you’ll have the chance to experiment with worktop samples, hardware and our beautiful selection of exclusive paint colours until you find a perfect scheme.
We always give considerable thought to the kitchen layout, achieving optimum functionality and flow. Factors such as how you use your kitchen daily, where appliances are positioned, lighting, and walkways are all assessed when deciding on a layout that works for your household.
Smart kitchen storage solutions are high on every designer’s agenda, whether you have a compact galley kitchen or open plan living space. Along with storage features on your wish list, we can help you to make the best use of architectural quirks, create bespoke storage where everything is accessible, and ensure there’s plenty of it so that your kitchen has longevity.
When deciding on your appliances, we assess what you may need now and in the future, be it a bigger hob with your growing family needs, or sizeable fridge storage.
If you’re struggling to decide on a bespoke kitchen style, our designers can advise which Tom Howley kitchen collection will better suit you and your property. Kitchen style is mainly a personal choice; however, influencing factors may be the era of your home, the architectural style of the property, or the overall interior styling elsewhere in the home.
During the design process, you’ll have the chance to experiment with worktop samples, hardware and our beautiful selection of exclusive paint colours until you find a perfect scheme.
Designing a new kitchen doesn’t have to be complicated. Tom Howley offers a complimentary kitchen design service aimed at bringing your vision to life. Each kitchen is unique, so the timeline of your project may vary, especially when other trades are involved. Here is a simple project timeline shared by our designer, Priti, to give you an idea.
Visiting a Tom Howley showroom is a fantastic place to start. We are proud of our furniture and the quality and service we provide, and there is no better way to experience that than first-hand in one of our showrooms. Our designers will be happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have.
If you feel comfortable, the next stage would be to book an appointment with us to discuss your project in detail. We can arrange this at your home or showroom. If it’s a refurbishment project, we prefer to see the space and get a feel of how you use your kitchen. We will also measure the room and work with accurate measurements. If it’s an extension or a newly built project, we are equally happy to work with architects’ plans. At this meeting, we will be able to discuss some guide prices and have an open discussion about budgets, in order for us to design an affordable kitchen that’s tailored to your needs.
We’ll invite you back to the showroom to have a look at our design in the form of scaled plans, elevations and 3Ds with accurate costings.
After our initial speculative process, if you feel comfortable with the design, service and quotes, we ask you to come on board with us with a small initial deposit. We will then work together to make any changes you may want and fine-tune the design to your satisfaction.
This crucial stage in your project is when you and your designer complete the final ‘sign-off’ of your design and specification. We will liaise with you and your builder to ensure we can measure the final site and discuss timescales. Once the designer has completed the site survey, your ‘sign-off pack’ will be prepared. The sign-off pack will include drawings to assist other contractors involved in your project during the ‘first fix’ stage. We will arrange a final sign-off meeting where they will take you through each document and ask you to approve the final design.
Once we receive confirmation that the site is ready, we will schedule a visit to complete a final survey and establish that the site is (or will be) ready for installation.
Our fantastic team of fitters, together with an installation manager, will ensure that your kitchen is installed smoothly, in a timely manner and to the same standard as our beautiful showrooms, where you started your journey with us.
Along with architects and trades such as electricians, plumbers and flooring specialists, we often join forces with talented interior designers. After renovating a space from the ground up, it deserves to look its best, and getting expert help with this can pay dividends. How does the process work when embarking on a project with an interior designer? Here’s advice from our favourite experts.
We have been creating beautiful, functional kitchens designed around individual lifestyles for years. From the British cabinet-making methods to the understanding of how to combine different timber finishes with paint colours – you can be confident that the Tom Howley team knows everything about designing and creating a luxury, bespoke kitchen.
If you’re starting your kitchen renovation journey, then our designers are here to help bring your kitchen design ideas to life. You’ll be able to find our experts in our showrooms throughout the UK.
The journey to your own luxury bespoke kitchen begins with a visit to a Tom Howley showroom. See for yourself the exquisite quality of our kitchens, discover our range of finishing touches and discuss your ideas with one of our experienced designers.
Useful Links
With thanks to the experts who contributed to this helpful Kitchen Renovation Guide, including:
Priti Singhai, Tom Howley
Sophie Franks, Sophie Franks Designs
Gemma Hill, Bayswater Interiors
Tom Ralls, R&M Lines