The House Whisperer's number one radical rule for the least expensive, longest lasting, best looking kitchen:
Before you remodel your kitchen ... decide if you're gong to LEARN HOW TO COOK!
Why? Because cooks use kitchens differently than non-cooks. The kitchen is a task driven space. Generic kitchens can squander your precious budget, but focusing on designing it according to the tasks that will truly be demanded of it will also focus your budget.
If you don't cook, and aren't going to ever cook ... there are cheap ways to get your kitchen looking decent. Then go spend your remodeling money elsewhere.
If you think you want to use the kitchen more then try this ... set the remodel money aside, and take a cooking class. You'll learn two things:
1. Whether or not you really like cooking and are ready to make it a part of your life.
2. You'll learn how to use a kitchen, which will help you design a kitchen, will give you the greatest return on your remodel budget.
If you do cook, then LEAN IN on your kitchen remodel.
Don't build a dream kitchen. Build YOUR DREAM KITCHEN.
- Dean Sharp