Open Concept

Converting Your Kitchen

The biggest buzz in modern home design is the open concept space – designs that abandon the dining room and the living room in favour of a big living area, blurring the boundaries between spaces. The kitchen, perhaps more than any other part of the home, is a driving force behind this trend. More and more homes are being built with open concept kitchens that incorporate new features and innovative layouts – so much so that those with traditional kitchens might start to feel left out.

But creating an open concept living space in your home might be easier than you think. In fact, many contractors and design and build teams have become experts in doing just that, and your next kitchen renovation could actually be a total lifestyle transformation. An open concept design changes the way you live, spend time with your family and entertain your friends, injecting new excitement into your home.

The key to a major home renovation like this one is personal service from skilled professionals. When you work with the right people, you don't have to worry about the quality of the final product, because they will instill you with confidence every step of the way. It all starts with an in-home consultation, allowing the designer to see your décor and visualize your ideas about the final layout. They also know all the right questions about your routine and the way you function when you're at home, and your answers will help guide you both in the right direction.

Next comes the fun part: wants and needs. There are countless features that can be worked into an open concept kitchen, and unfortunately you probably don't have room for all of them. What sort of appliances will there be? How many islands, and what purposes will they serve? Will they have stovetops? Sinks? What about a bar counter with stools, a sunlit breakfast nook, or a walk-out to the deck? It's all desirable, and the designer will help you figure out what's possible, and eventually hammer out a plan that satisfies your tastes and your budget.

Of course, even as the blueprints are drafted and finalized, the execution of the task can seem daunting: there are walls to be removed, materials to be obtained, wiring and plumbing to be done – in short, your new kitchen still seems a long way away. This is where professionalism and collaboration from your builder become central. A good team can do absolutely everything you want, and they can make that promise comfortably because they know that even if they have limitations, there are other skilled tradespeople out there to help bridge the gap. From start to finish they can coordinate all the subcontractors from their list of trusted colleagues, and will never leave you to solve problems that arise in their plans.

This sort of attitude represents commitment and care, which are two things you should demand from  a home contractor. True professionals will be honest with their time estimates, and will stay with a job until it is done, never letting a three week project drag out over three months. They'll also do everything they can to minimize the disruption to your life, leaving sinks and appliances in working order whenever possible and cleaning up carefully after all their work. Most of all, they will display personal concern and offer great customer service.

Finding the right builder might seem like quite the task, but you owe yourself and your house no less. Converting a traditional kitchen into part of a big living space is a major project no matter how you do it, and it's not a project you should undertake with doubt and hesitation. But done correctly and confidently, with skilled and committed professionals, you can bring the wide and welcoming flavour of modern open concept designs into your own home.

Resource materials, article and photos provided by Heirloom Kitchens