Many tips on how to set up the kitchen, which kitchen sink and which kitchen tap to choose, how to design a small and how a big kitchen and which colors to choose can be found on our blog.
In the present article, you will find some of the best tips on how to save up time and money, as well as some functional ideas for the best kitchen renovation.
Renovation: partially or completely?
You can renovate your kitchen from the floor up to the ceiling, thus completely. This means most probably that you want to modernize your kitchen in the existing apartment or you have moved and/or built a new house.
A complete renovation, we suggest that:
- the kitchen matches with the remaining part of living space
- the kitchen receives enough natural light
- there is enough working surface provided in the kitchen
- the attention is paid to setting up, which means that three the most important elements of the kitchen should be in a so-called working triangle: kitchen sink - cooker - refrigerator
No matter which kind of kitchen you choose, you should never forget that the kitchen is called the »heart of the home«.
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, meeting with family and friends and preparing meals for them.
That is a good reason why we should feel good in our kitchen – please keep this in mind all the time during your renovation.
If your kitchen is still functional and usable and it just needs some refreshment, you can decide to renovate it only partially and thus refresh it with just a few minor changes.
Here are some ideas:
- Repaint the kitchen cabinets with a new color. If you want a more vivid kitchen, you shall choose light colors. If you want to be in trend, you shall choose modern dark matte colors.
- Classical white kitchen cabinets will get an entirely new look if you just replace the existing handles with more modern, straight ones.
- You can stick the interesting and modern stickers with the pattern on the boring wall tiles. The area above the desk will thus immediately become more interesting and modernized. The repainted walls or perhaps just one wall with interesting wallpaper will have a similar effect. And besides that, it will still be reasonably priced.
- Perhaps you will just replace your cooker with a modern glass-ceramic or induction plate or replace your old and stained cooker and oven with a new, shiny gas cooker.
- You will achieve the greatest effect at your partial kitchen renovation if you make a change in the wet part of your kitchen: with new, shiny kitchen tap and new kitchen sink all the views will be directed into this part of the kitchen.
- On www.alveus.si you can choose from a wide range of quality kitchen sinks made in Slovenia, most of which are immediately available.
- You can choose an eternally classic kitchen sink made of stainless steel or an almost indestructible kitchen sink made of granite composite in interesting soil colors. Enrich the space with an elegant combination of glass and stainless steel or choose the touch of prestige with special stainless steel Monarch in modern colors. And all of sudden, it will not be so noticeable that the kitchen cabinets are a little bit older.
Where can we save up money and where does »making compromises« not payout?
When renovating a kitchen, people often pay attention to where they could save up some money.
We should be aware that the kitchen is daily in use and that cheap materials are worn out and destroyed faster, which means higher costs for repairs or repeated renovation in long term compared to a little higher investment in certain products at the primary renovation.
Where we should not »make compromises«:
- Choose a high-quality refrigerator:
As you store the foodstuffs, the door of your refrigerator is constantly opening and closing.
When choosing your refrigerator, you should decide for such one that prevents freezing of the rear wall, ionizes the air and keeps the foodstuffs fresh for a long time and refrigerates evenly throughout the entire depth.
If your refrigerator is combined with the freezer and if this breaks down, you may lose the entire winter stock.
Make good use of the space under the ceiling in your kitchen and choose the refrigerator that is as high as possible.
- Kitchen desk that is able to withstand your culinary adventures:
The kitchen desk is daily in contact with water and foodstuff rests, with slicing, beating, etc., thus it should be high-quality, resistant to impacts and above all, it should be easy to clean in order to ensure hygiene.
Such desk may cost a little bit more, but it is worth to pay for it.
- High-quality oven for baking enthusiasts:
Do you like to spend your time in the kitchen and prepare many of your meals and desserts in the oven?
If so, your oven should be adapted to frequent use, therefore it should have enough different programs for baking, it should not warm through (keep in mind that curious children could touch the glass door with their fingers when admiring pastry in the oven) and it should be easy to clean.
Modern ovens are available with an integrated function of self-cleaning, which costs some additional money, but if you bake frequently and you dislike cleaning so often, it is certainly worth to pay a little more.<
- High- quality kitchen sink and kitchen tap:
The wet part of the kitchen is in use even when we do not cook.
Every time when we pour a glass of water, wash the fruit or put dirty kitchenware into the sink …
- Thus it is of key importance that the wet part of the kitchen is of good quality and reliable.
The kitchen sink should meet your needs – it should be deep enough for washing the large pieces of kitchenware and it should ensure a quick water release.
The kitchen tap should be in the right place so that it is always at hand. And, of course, it should be easy to clean every day.
The tap should also have a long lifespan which means no need for additional renovation costs for a while.
And finally, when the kitchen tap is made of the quality and non-sensitive materials, we already have a winning combination.
Alveus can offer you all this.
How long does it take from an idea up to the kitchen renovation?
If you decide for the partial kitchen renovation, you will need a relatively short time to realize it - most often it will last just a week longer than waiting time for ordered product which you intend to replace.
At Alveus kitchen sinks there is almost no waiting time, as the majority of products are in stock.
It takes only a few days more to replace the selected part by yourself or with the help of a specialist and enjoy in your refreshed kitchen.
If you decide for a complete kitchen renovation, it will last several weeks or even a couple of months to complete the renovation and fully enjoy your new kitchen.
- The designer or architect will suggest you the most optimal and creative options for your room, but it will certainly take a few extra weeks to adjust your wishes with him and to wait for the drawing of your new kitchen to be made.
- In case of order, the majority of furniture or kitchen sellers will make you a kitchen drawing free of charge and give you good advice, but the advice is likely to be more »classic« and less creative compared to advice from the designer.
- The waiting period for a wooden part at furniture or kitchen sellers and at private joiners is usually two months as a minimum.
Please bear this in mind, so that your timeline for moving and/or using your new kitchen will be adjusted with estimated waiting periods.
When the last screw in your kitchen is tightened and the last hose connected, your new kitchen will be ready to simply enjoy it!