The problem with one-of-a-kind kitchen remodels is that people often forget to ask themselves: who is the ‘one'? And while the obvious answer is yourself, you'd do yourself a huge favour by peering into an imaginary crystal ball and thinking further down the line…

So the whole purpose of a kitchen remodel is to fulfil your dreams and get the equipment, appliances and overall look that you're going for, right? But when you're spending large amounts of your income (or eating into your credit card allowances!), wise investments need to be made to ensure your dream kitchen will still be your dream kitchen ten years from now.

There are other considerations too of course – ask yourself if this is your forever home – and if it's not then at some point down the line you'll be selling it and moving somewhere else.

Reasons might include a job relocation, an expanding family, a shrinking family – or any number of other real life events. So bear this in mind as you'll want to recoup as much of your investment as possible. According to national data, you can recoup between 68-75% of what you spend on a wisely designed kitchen remodel.

The flip side of that coin is what you’ll get when it comes time to sell. Real estate professionals all agree that the kitchen can be the deal maker or deal breaker for any potential buyer.

The last thing you want is a dated kitchen that screams its age. Remember, there’s a big difference between a trend and a fad. A trend can have staying power; a fad never does.

Cabinets, Drawers and Counter Tops

No matter how beautiful a cabinet looks, it’s worthless if it doesn’t adhere to the classic rule of form following function. What does that even mean? Well, the function of cabinets is to store things as diverse as nonperishable food, china, glassware, pots and pans, small appliances, linens, cleaning products, and everything else that needs to be stored so as not to clutter up your kitchen surfaces.

Since function is all important, the forms your cabinets take to perform their functions must be accessible, convenient and of course, aesthetically pleasing.

Things like plain handleless doors give your kitchen a sleek, modern look while also providing easier cleaning. Most doors and drawers also have self-closing features that give you the convenience of securely shutting them with a touch of your elbow or knee when your hands are full. And of course the soft-close feature is a popular choice too!

I'm pleased to say that granite is out and quartz is in for counter tops. Why? Because I chose quartz for my own work surfaces when designing my kitchen; being doing so, I did some thorough research online and discovered a few things…

Firstly, with the advent of composite surfaces, quartz is no longer a luxury stone. Crushed quartz mixed with resin produces tough counter tops – and that basically means that it's resistant to scratches, chips and burns and doesn't require the annual sealing granite does to prevent staining.

Quartz counter tops can be a solid colour or look like real granite. I chose black for mine with speckled glass pieces in it. When they catch the sun's rays they sparkle and bounce unique shapes around the kitchen – it's lovely to see.

So when you build a kitchen or bathroom that’s truly one-of-a-kind, remember that you have over 50 colours to choose from – the hardest part of course is choosing which you'd like!

My kitchen!

Major Appliances

The good news about appliances is that they've come on in leaps and bounds over the last ten or so years, meaning that you can expect to buy the exact appliance to meet all your needs; whether that's a washing machine with a 10kg load, so you need to put on fewer washes, or a oven that turns itself off after a set time – there literally is something out there for everyone.

Refrigerators have seen huge changes, with ice machines and distilled water dispensers becoming a popular choice. They no longer need to be single units either; smaller point of use refrigerators bring the cooling right where you need it.

A counter-height produce fridge can be next to or under your food prep area. Low profile wine coolers and kid-friendly juice, milk, and soda fridges can be positioned virtually wherever you want and need them. There's no doubt about it; modern-day appliances are jumping on the bandwagon and catering to every whim.

Interestingly, one of the most important features of any range or cook top is its venting system, and most city codes require that the hood be vented to the outdoors. This means you need a ducted model hood that’s vented through a wall or through your roof. It's never a good idea to end the duct in your attic or some other enclosed space for example!

By building your one-of-a-kind dream kitchen so that it serves not only you, the ‘one' of the present, but also the future ‘one' who buys your house, you will fulfil the dreams of both. Neither of you need be sacrificed – and everyone wins!

Looking to create a luxury kitchen on a budget? Here's how!

A pin for your interiors board

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