We have decided to renovate the kitchen, which means we have entered the research spiral: three quotes that differ by a factor of two, a Pinterest board with two hundred pins and no decisions, and strong family opinions about the tall unit. This diary will record the whole journey — mistakes included.
Where we are so far
- Budget: we have set a number and been told by everyone who has renovated to quietly add thirty per cent. We have added twenty and are pretending we didn't hear the rest.
- Layout: the eternal L-versus-parallel debate. Our kitchen is 8x10; the parallel layout wins on workflow but loses the breakfast counter dream.
- The hob decision: built-in hob versus the trusty freestanding stove. The heart says built-in; the deep-cleaning instinct says the stove you can lift and clean under has never once betrayed us.
Open questions for part two
Granite versus quartz countertop, the great chimney suction debate, and whether the corner carousel unit is genius or an expensive way to lose tupperware in the dark. If you have renovated recently and have scars to share, write to us — part two will collect reader wisdom.
[Draft note: add the final layout sketch and the three-quote comparison table before publishing.]
