You’ve been dreaming of your ideal kitchen. Hopefully, by now you have even created a Pinterest board or have saved clippings from magazines that have inspired your new look. What you need to choose for your new kitchen starts with an organized shopping list that makes sense. These are the ingredients for your new kitchen.

I often find that when I work with a new client on a kitchen design that they are overwhelmed & often not aware of all the components & details that need to be decided on and certainly not the ideal order to select them.

As an Interior Designer, it’s easy to punch out this list for you, however, most of you will want to be an integral part of the selection process. WHY? Because the kitchen is where you make magic happen.

It’s where you turn eggs into a Souffle’ and flour into bread.

Every little detail down to the knobs your hand comes in contact with countless times a day needs to feel right to you.

No decision should be rushed.

So what am I saying? If you want to make the best selections for your kitchen, you have to start early…before the mess starts. Why? Because once construction starts you will want to put all your energy into making sure the details are implemented the way you want. Even the best contractors & designers can’t read minds… so you need to be available to fine-tune when needed.

This is YOUR kitchen & will be for years to come. It will likely be the single most expensive improvement you make to your home. Let me help you off to a great start.

Here’s your essential list of what to choose for your new kitchen…

I have listed them in the order I suggest you select them in.

Here it goes!

1.Appliances

Your appliances will be the engine that drives your kitchen. Always start with these first. If you like to shop online I recommend that you step out of your comfort zone & visit a local appliance showroom.

You want to try out the feel of the doors as they open. Ask for a demonstration if they have an operable stove on display. Consider induction burners instead of gas or electric or a steam oven. Know your options before making your final selections.

Appliance prices are driven by the manufacturers so you’ll find that they a pretty much the same down to the penny. The best deal is to look for a showroom that gives an incentive for choosing all your appliances from the same manufacturer. For instance, when I designed my kitchen with Viking appliances they offered a free outdoor gas grill because I went with the whole appliance package from them.

become an expert on your new kitchen appliances.

you’ll be living with them for a long time.

2. Cabinetry

Cabinetry will have the biggest impact on the look of your kitchen. There are a lot of details that go into making up a cabinet. Start with the color then move to the door style. Once you have that down then you need to decide how you want the door to lay. Do you want a full overlay, partial overlay, or an inset door? See my earlier blogpost, The Complete Kitchen Design for more details on this subject.

The most economical style doors will be a flat slab style which works best in a contemporary design or the Shaker style door as we used in the kitchen photographed the photographs shown here. The Shaker style is timeless & works well for transitional, farmhouse & traditional design. Raised panel & recessed panel doors will start adding more to the cost of your cabinetry but can be beautiful and formal.

Painted cabinets will be less than stained cabinets because the wood quality required to use for the stain version will be a better grade. Glazing also drives the price up on painted cabinets.

3. Faucet & Sink

Now that you have the major ingredients checked off it’s time to focus on the details. Unless you have a faucet already in mind, I suggest you start with the sink. First, decide on if you want a divided sink or a single large sink such as a farmhouse sink. This style can be really fun & add fun detail to your kitchen. The divided sink is generally more typical & functional. But face it, when you’re washing the dishes after a meal that might be the more desirable choice. Only you can decide what’s best for you.

I recommend that you try them out. Whether it’s a local showroom or a friend or family member’s home both are good ways to get the feel. Imagine the pots & pans that you will be washing. Get a feel for the depth…is it deep enough? Some divided sinks have the option for a deeper side and shallower side, or a larger and smaller width & depth. It’s your sink for a long time. Choose wisely.

When Mike & I were doing our renovation I really, really wanted a farm style sink. When it came down to the configuration of our smallish farmhouse kitchen it was not going to be the best fit. In the end, we went with a Blanco Stainless Sink with 2 depths. My brother & his partner were renovating their home at the same time we were. They did go with a soapstone farmhouse sink. One holiday when we were at their home, both my husband & I were helping with dishes. At that moment we realized that the farmhouse sink was not as desirable for us to work with based on how we wash our dishes. Yet my brother & his partner still love it.

Then you have the choice of material. Stainless, Porcelain, Silgranite are the most popular.

Stainless is more forgiving as far as if you drop a dish or glass in your sink. Chances are it won’t break. However, it might just dent like a car. I happen to love the look & function of stainless but both Mike & I are meticulous with wiping our sink dry with a microfiber towel after we use it so it sparkles & has worn well over the last 18 years. That’s a long time. Yes, we do have some scratches but overall it looks great.

Porcelain is less forgiving as far as if you drop a dish or glass in your sink. In fact, you might as well say goodbye. However, it will not dent or ding like stainless but it does scratch and can chip over time. Porcelain can be a great option for durability & longevity.

Silgranite or Swanstone or any other engineered stone sink is a popular option. Both are fairly forgiving if you drop a dish or glass in them. Both are impossible to dent, ding but can scratch, although, not easily.

I am reluctant to tell this story but it is a strong endorsement for Swanstone. Many years ago when I was married to my first husband & my children were small, we had just built a custom home. We had moved in the day after Thanksgiving & now it was the day after Christmas. I had chosen a Swanstone sink in ivory for our kitchen. I was in the midst of frying breaded shrimp while Ashley & Bradley were watching Home Alone (the first one) in our adjacent great room. My husband was not home from work yet.

In an effort to keep the oil from splattering on my new stove, I covered the pan. NOT A GOOD IDEA! When I lifted the pan, Voila! The flames rose with the lid. YIKES! I lifted the pan & walked it over to my brand new Swanstone sink & dropped it in & commenced to fill it with water. WORSE IDEA EVER! I won’t even tell you what happened next except that I screamed for my kids to run outside & called 911. Yes, there was damage done but miraculously, not to me or my Swanstone sink. That, my friend, speaks volumes for this type of sink.

The only downside I can think of is on the darker colors like black or graphite they can show soap scum unless you wipe them down on a regular basis.

Now that you have your sink selected, the next thing to do is pick your faucet.

Start with the style. Do you want a pull-out gooseneck like this or a traditional style like this?

Is your priority function or style? Again, I recommend that you try them out. Get a feel for how it fits in your hands and functions. Although manufacturers go to great lengths to test their products out this is a personal preference. You will get very familiar with your faucet as time goes on, make sure you pick one you can love & live with.

4. Countertop

Next on your checklist is countertops. Clients often wonder why this isn’t further up on the checklist. The reason why is that in most cases you’ll find what you want in a local warehouse. Once you select & purchase your countertop material it won’t be measured until your cabinets are installed. The turn around time for fabrication at that point is generally 2-2 1/2 weeks.

The most popular choices are Quartz (engineered stone) & natural stones like Granite & Quartzite (the most expensive.) This will be your second largest expense. You can select Quartz (engineered stone) by looking at samples. However, take it a step further and ask the fabricator to show you photos of projects they have used that particular stone before. Sometimes you’ll see some nice veining on the sample yet be surprised that there are some areas that have none. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it’s nice to know what to expect ahead of time.

When it comes to natural stone you definitely want to take it a step further and select your own slabs. From there you’ll want to have them tape off the sections to show you how the cuts will layout. If there is an area of the stone you really don’t like ask them to work around it. Some fabricators will provide you with a computer rendering on how the stone will line up on your counters. It’s important to find a quality fabricator that will provide you with the best tools to understand how the end results will look. Don’t try to cut corners by trying to make 2 slabs work when they advise 3. It’s too large of an investment not to do it right. You should be thrilled with the end results.

If a stone isn’t in your budget, then laminate is affordable and can pull off a great look. When we were doubling the size of our 1893 Farmhouse back in 2002, as you might imagine we had exceeded our budget. At the last minute, I chose to do laminate kitchen countertops instead of granite. I had the intention of replacing the counters in the future. 18 years later, I still have the original laminate counters. I just haven’t been able to justify replacing them because they still look good. My base cabinets are black to match my Viking 48”, black range. The counters are Wilsonart Blackstar Granite in the shiny finish. I can’t begin to tell you how many people, including appraisers, have mistaken them for the real thing. I know it’s crazy. My point is, that if the solid stone is not in your budget, then consider laminate. There are some surprisingly beautiful options for a quarter of the price.

5. Flooring

While your cabinets are on order this is a good time to decide on your flooring. Will you refinish existing wood floors? Will you replace them with new wood or tile? Whatever you decide, be sure you have the flooring on location before any demolition is started. You want a smooth transition from start to finish with as little downtime as possible.

Maybe your outdated golden oak floors can be revived by having them sanded and stained a darker tone. This article has some great inspiration photos of how your outdated oak floor can look. A sample board is helpful in selecting a stain color, however, wood varies & has a mind of its own. Have your flooring expert show you a few options on your floor once they have been sanded down. Recheck it before they apply the finish coat so you can decide if the color is rich enough or whether it needs an additional coat of stain.

Another option would be to remove & replace your existing golden oak with a prefinished engineered wood floor. There are a variety of species and stain colors to choose from. Some of the benefits to this are that you know exactly what you’re getting and it has a factory finish that will wear longer than a finish done on-site.

Some of you might prefer the look and functionality of porcelain or vinyl tile. Make sure you do your research to be confident with your selection. Put it through the test by borrowing multiple samples to try. This might not be your most expensive selection but it is one of the hardest to replace if you grow tired of it. You want something that will wear well.

The best way to weigh out your decision is to bring out a flooring expert that will educate & guide you on your final decision.

6. Backsplash

Your backsplash is next on your checklist, You can expect tile to have a 2-4 week lead time, but sometimes longer.

There was a time when a backsplash was simply a practical & functional element in the kitchen. Protection to keep spaghetti sauce from splattering & staining your walls. BUT NOW….although it still does exactly that, it’s a statement piece. This is a place to show your creative side or your organized side. Whatever it is, have fun adding something new.

If your brain functions better on the Left Side, opt for a simple, clean geometric. You can achieve great results with a classic subway or an updated look like this from The Tile Shop. Glass, Stone, Porcelain are all great choices. Be sure that you ask questions about clean-ability and maintenance. Glass & Porcelain will be easier to maintain and clean than Natural Stone because they are less porous.

7. Lighting

Lighting is next on your checklist for what you need to choose for your kitchen renovation. Lighting is so important for all the functions that take place for the many ways you use your kitchen. Your lead time for lighting is generally 2-4 weeks if in stock.

The key is layers of light. My earlier post, Home Lighting for Your Health & Well-Being will help guide you on what is appropriate for your kitchen.

Whether you decide to purchase LED fixtures or fixtures that accept incandescent lighting be sure to stay consistent within your kitchen. This will give you a cohesive illumination throughout. Refer to my earlier blogpost Healthy Home Lighting for more in-depth information on LED vs Incandescent.

A few tips before you start shopping…

Know what finish you would like to accent with. Brushed Nickel, Polished Nickel, Satin Brass, Oil Rubbed Bronze. This is the jewelry to dress up your look. Make it your statement piece.
If you currently have kitchen fixtures take note of what you do & don’t like about them. Do they provide the right amount of light? Is the size appropriate for the area? It’s a starting point to work with. Sometimes knowing what you don’t like is a good place to start.

8. Cabinet Hardware

Before your cabinets arrive be sure to select & order your cabinet hardware. You’ll want to install them right after the countertops are installed.

This is another place to express yourself. Select a finish that coordinates with your lighting. I like to use knobs on doors & handles on drawers. You want to pick something that works with your style but also that functions well. Something that feels good to your hands. Be careful to avoid handles that go beyond the posts. This type tends to catch the loops on your jeans.

It’s the finishing touch on your fixed components to your kitchen. Choose something that fits the feel of the space whether it’s simple, quirky, and fun or elegant and detailed. It’s the jewelry to finish off the look. Signature Hardware has an excellent selection no matter what your style is.

Now that you know what you need to choose for your new kitchen make your plan to get started. Your goal is to see as many of these items in person as possible to see, feel & get a sense of how they will work in your dream kitchen. Remember to start with your Appliances, move on to the Cabinetry, then the Sink & Faucet, next the Countertop, Flooring, Backsplash, Lighting & finally Cabinet Hardware.

Along the way, if you find the perfect whatever that might not be on your punch-list for the day go ahead and knock that off your list. As long as you have your Appliances & Cabinets checked off the rest can be moved around a bit.

I promise you if you have your selections made ahead of hiring your contractor you will be in far better shape than if you don’t. This will significantly help the renovation process go MUCH smoother. You might have to make some reselections along the way but by that point, you will be much more familiar with the options available. Don’t let that throw you off.

Have fun & enjoy the process. The dream of renovating a kitchen is a huge accomplishment. Enjoy!

I Look Forward To Your Questions & Comments Below & Hope You “Like” This Blogpost.

If you need more direction on getting started consider my Local or Online Design Services! I’m here to guide you! My Finish Selection package might be a perfect place to start.