Kitchen & Bath - Kitchen

Top 10 kitchen renovation tips

By: Karen Cole Banack and Melody Duron

From the cabinets to the appliances, find out how to ensure
a successful renovation.

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7 Avoid maintenance nightmares.

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Natural surfaces with inherent texture -- slate, terra-cotta, brick and tumbled marble -- are more difficult to clean but camouflage the odd crumb. Smooth surfaces in light colours, such as white laminate counters or ceramic floors, are easy to clean but show everything. And as much as we love stainless steel, it's not easy to keep smudge-free.

8 Stick to basic appliances.
Instead of lots of appliances and gadgets, consider selecting a few reliable basics. For example, a commercial-quality stainless-steel range makes an interesting focal point and takes up less space than separate wall ovens and a cooktop.

9 Incorporate an adjacent dining room.
A clever design, plus the appropriate lighting and furniture, will let you adapt the room's atmosphere to suit any occasion. Consider a banquette design combined with slipcovered chairs for an efficient use of space.

10 Add interest.
Your kitchen should reflect you, not look like a showroom. Before designing the space, search for a piece of unique furniture and use it in your design -- a room full of floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall kitchen cabinets looks boring and uninspired.

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