The kitchen is not just a workspace, but also a place where the whole family gathers, where guests are welcomed or where they spend secluded evenings over a cup of tea. Therefore, the atmosphere of the kitchen, its appearance and functionality should be carefully designed and competently implemented, and renovation can help with this. Many people prefer to renovate the kitchen themselves – it is for them that we have prepared our material, in which we talked about the main stages of the work and important details.
Where to start when renovating a kitchen?
When starting renovation work, it is important to pay special attention to the analysis of the premises and planning the stages. It is necessary to decide on the arrangement of furniture and equipment, provide for proper lighting and convenient communications, and imagine the interior design in general terms. It would not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the trends in DIY kitchen renovation:
- Minimalism and functionality. Clean lines, simple shapes and the absence of excessive decorative elements create visual calm in the kitchen.Please note! The rule of minimalism also applies to communication elements, be it gas and water pipes – they should be “hidden” in walls and boxes using hidden inspection hatches “Praktika”.
- Use of natural materials, natural patterns and textures. Wood, stone, marble, glass – all these materials give the kitchen a special harmony, emphasize the originality of the space. Both real natural materials and products imitating them, such as large-format ceramic tiles for a stone-like apron, are suitable.
- Lighting as a design element. Pendant lights above the island or dining table, separate lighting of work surfaces and display cases, LED lighting under wall cabinets – all this gives the kitchen not only functionality, but also coziness.
Basic preparatory work:
- Assessing the scale
Conduct a detailed inspection of the kitchen space. Determine what work is required, whether it will be cosmetic changes or a major overhaul. It is a thorough analysis that allows you to at least roughly understand how much a kitchen renovation will cost and how long it will take.
- Development of a design project.
First, choose the style of the kitchen design, and based on the concept you like, consider options for colors, finishing materials, furniture and equipment. In the project, be sure to determine the shape and location of the kitchen set, designate the arrangement of the dining group furniture, provide for the connection of not only stationary equipment, but also portable devices in order to correctly calculate the number of sockets, select several lighting scenarios.
- Selection of finishing materials
Choose high-quality and practical materials for the ceiling, walls and floor, taking into account their resistance to moisture and ease of maintenance. Finishing within the work areas should be as practical as possible – not easily soiled, resistant to liquids and grease, suitable for frequent washing, etc.
- Selection of furniture, equipment, plumbing and accessories
Choose functional and stylish furniture, modern appliances, and high-quality plumbing equipment.
Advice from our expert
Even if the utilities are not worn out yet, consider replacing them – after all, both expensive and cheap DIY kitchen renovations are designed for more than a decade of operation. It is better to do everything qualitatively and aesthetically right away than to dismantle half the kitchen in a couple of years to replace a pipe or install a water meter.
Sequence of repairs:
- Dismantling and removal of construction waste
Protect the surfaces of passageways and adjacent rooms from dust and dirt. Start by dismantling old furniture, removing wallpaper, tiles and other coverings. If necessary, dismantle walls and partitions. Remove all interfering objects from the room, including small construction debris.
- Rough work and pre-finishing
Carry out redevelopment, if it is provided for by the project, install windows, replace wiring and communications, install a plumbing box for the sewer riser, level the floors and walls, take care of waterproofing, make embedded parts for lamps.
- Finishing work
Lay the flooring, paint the walls or hang wallpaper, make the lining of the inspection hatch, install a suspended ceiling and lighting fixtures.
Advice from our expert
Ceramic tiles, mosaics and porcelain tiles can be laid on the apron either before or after the kitchen set is installed – it all depends on your preferences and possibilities. Kerlite and laminated slabs are recommended to be laid only after the kitchen has been installed.
- Installation of kitchen furniture and equipment
Assemble and arrange the kitchen set according to the project. Connect and install household appliances – refrigerator, oven, hob, etc. If the apron was laid in advance, install the wall plinth. Or lay the apron, not forgetting to subsequently seal the place where the tiles adjoin the countertop. Place accessories, check the operation of equipment and lighting fixtures, make sure that the kitchen renovation in the Khrushchevka is carried out according to all the requirements of aesthetics and functionality.
What comes first: a ceramic tile backsplash or a kitchen set?
Example of a ceramic tile apron
Let’s note right away that there is no clear answer to this question. Each method has its pros and cons. If the apron is laid out first, then:
- it is important to know the location and dimensions of all cabinets, cabinets, countertops and hoods down to the millimetre, so that there are no gaps or, conversely, excess tiles that go behind the furniture and prevent it from being placed correctly;
- In most cases, it will be necessary to install a wall skirting board; in less common cases, it will be possible to get by with a thin silicone seam at the junction.
This method allows you to finish all the dirty work before installing the furniture, which means that the furniture will definitely not be damaged or dirty.
If you are laying an apron over an already installed kitchen unit, then:
- it will be possible to avoid errors associated with incorrect calculations;
- the gap between the tile and the countertop is minimal and will be easy to seal;
- it is necessary to carefully protect furniture from dirt, impacts, etc.;
- It will be more difficult to work with tiles, since you will be separated from the wall by a distance equal to the depth of the countertop.
Please note! In addition to the apron, you can also tile the plumbing box that hides the pipes and risers. Then the inspection hatch in it will be as invisible as possible.
Why hide gas and water pipes, sewer risers, valves and meters?
Installing hidden inspection hatches is an aesthetic and practical solution for disguising communications in the kitchen. The advantages of this approach:
- visual cleanliness – due to the presence of a hidden hatch, the kitchen looks neat and clean, without conspicuous pipes and counters;
- ease of maintenance – if inspection or maintenance is required, access to communications is easily achieved through the hatch door;
- safety – boxes with hatches protect pipes from contamination and damage, and also make the kitchen space safer.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself kitchen renovation is a complex but interesting process that requires attention to detail. Knowing how to do a kitchen renovation yourself, you can create not just a beautiful, but also a comfortable space. Following modern trends and practical solutions, you will create a cozy and functional space that will please you and your family for many years.