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A Guide to the Busiest Room in Your Home
By Jessica Tolliver
For most of us, one of the most eagerly anticipated rooms in a new home is the kitchen.  Regardless of our current kitchens' amenities, we all want more counter space, extra storage for utensils or better lighting in key work areas. That makes sense. After all, the kitchen serves as the hub of family activities, day in and day out.  Besides cooking here, we eat, pay bills, work on crafts, plan the week's menus, visit with friends and catch up after a day at work or school.
Building a new home gives you the opportunity to get exactly what you need and want out of this important area, with none of
the limitations of remodeling an existing kitchen.
So what do you do with this blank slate? First, you ask yourself a lot of questions. Take a look at your current kitchen and the way your family uses it.
Do one or more people cook at one time?
How many join in cleanup?
Do you have enough counter space?
Are the countertops too high or too low?
Is the work triangle - made up of the sink, stove and refrigerator - outside the flow of traffic?
Do you need more storage space?
Do you use the kitchen for other activities?
Do you need an informal eating area?
How many small appliances do you use daily?
How do you handle recycling?
In addition to considering the nuts and bolts of a kitchen, look around for as many ideas as possible. Leaf through shelter magazines and product literature, visit showrooms and check out friends' kitchens. Keep a file of all the good ideas you find.
Don't pass by anything at this point because of cost. Right now you want ideas and inspiration. Later on, take those ideas and adapt them to your specific needs and budget.
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Also, when looking at kitchen layouts in home plans, don't rule out a design you otherwise like just because the kitchen needs tweaking. Maybe you want a vegetable sink in the island or storage for dishes and flatware closer to the dishwasher. With the help of a professional designer, you can probably incorporate these details into the design.
Before you make your kitchen a reality, settle on a budget. Most often, the price tag for the kitchen runs higher than any other room in the home, so careful attention to the bottom line is crucial. When most of us undertake an expensive project like building a home, we start with a dream and then scale back to meet a realistic budget. To do this, make lists of what you need and what you want out of a kitchen and prioritize them. Use those lists to decide what you will go without or what you will add later on down the road.
When choosing appliances and products, weigh bargains against quality. High-quality appliances save money on maintenance and utility bills, so a cheap price tag up front could end up costing more money in the long run. If you find a bargain, make sure you are getting a product that will stand the tests of time and family use - or abuse. Once you have a framework for your kitchen in mind, go out and make it happen. Remember that your family will probably be spending a significant amount of time in this space. Take the time now to make sure you end up with a kitchen that reflects and meets your family's lifestyle.
Jessica Tolliver, an experienced home remodeling columnist, has written many articles for publications such as House Beautiful Kitchens/Baths and HomeStyles.com.
Monthly Home Maintenance Chores to Keep Your House in Good Working Order
Provided by Hometime
Test garage opener, GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) receptacles and breakers, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Check plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances for leaks.
Clean faucet aerators and showerheads.
Clean pop-up sink and tub strainers.
Clean refrigerator drain pan, vacuum condenser coil.
Check furnace filter; replace if necessary.
Drain a few gallons of water from water heater.
Pour water down seldom-used drains.
Reprinted with permission of Hometime®, a do-it-yourself, home-improvement TV series. For further information about home maintenance and common home repairs, tune in to Hometime on public television or The Learning Channel or visit www.hometime.com. ©Hometime, all rights reserved.
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