Do you have to move the coffee maker every time you need room to chop vegetables? Or do worry about where everyone will sit for holiday meals? If you need your kitchen to function better, a luxury remodel can help. Many people hear the word "luxury" and think of opulent materials and sparkling finishes, but luxury is about more than mere aesthetics. A premium renovation gives you the opportunity to choose high-quality materials that suit your home and hold up to daily use.
Inside this article, we'll cover the investment and timeline, along with the design decisions you'll make before construction begins.
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A luxury kitchen remodel lets you make room for what you enjoy doing at home. If friends tend to gather in the kitchen when you host, an island with seating could give them somewhere to settle in while you finish dinner.
For someone who loves to bake, the design might include a generous stretch of counter with storage for baking pans underneath. A heavy mixer needs a place where you can comfortably take it out and put it away. Custom cabinetry lets you work through those details, including the dimensions of the equipment you already own. You can also include storage for the serving pieces you bring out at holidays, with openings wide enough to lift them out easily.
Depending on the available space, you could explore:
Opening the kitchen to the living room may be part of the renovation, too. Before that change becomes part of the design, the team will need to assess the wall and any support the house would need after its removal.
The layout needs to suit your household on an ordinary weeknight as well as when you're hosting. You may want company close enough to chat while you cook, with a clear route to the refrigerator for someone getting a drink.
An island can provide a generous work surface and a place for family to sit. Its size needs to allow for people using the seats, including room to pull out a stool and walk behind it. Nearby drawers and appliance doors also need space to open. On the plans, your designer can show how those openings fit around the island so you can see where people will pass.
If you're having trouble picturing the dimensions, marking the island on the floor can help. Leave room for the stools as you do this, then walk around the arrangement. If you want a sink, keep in mind it will take up some of that work surface. You'll want enough counter beside it for preparing meals and a place for dishes waiting to be washed.
Keeping pots and pans close to the range makes them easy to reach when you're cooking. Your designer can plan drawers around the pieces you use regularly, including space for their lids. Everyday dishes can go near the dishwasher so they're convenient to put away. If children help with that job, plates stored in drawers they can reach may work well for your family. Measurements of larger items will help the designer make room for them in the cabinet plans.
The photos you've saved can be a useful starting point for selections. Explain what caught your eye to your designer, which could include a wood finish on the cabinets or a stone backsplash behind the range. Your designer can help you find materials for those details and show you samples together. You'll be able to see how the colors work with one another before making your choices.
With custom cabinetry, you can choose the dimensions and interiors along with the style. That includes the depth of drawers and the arrangement of shelves, so there's room for what you want to store.
If you want a pantry, make sure you plan for it in the layout. Its shelves need to accommodate the items you keep on hand, with enough space to reach what's at the back. For a coffee maker, you'll need a work surface with suitable electrical access and the clearances specified by its manufacturer. If you want the pantry entrance concealed behind matching cabinet fronts, the designer can incorporate that opening into the surrounding cabinetry.
Appliance choices need to be made while the cabinet plans are being developed. The team uses each model's installation requirements to determine its opening and connections, including space around the doors. That applies to appliances you're keeping as well. Manufacturers such as Sub-Zero and Wolf provide model specifications and installation guides for this work, and the range needs to be coordinated with its ventilation.
For stone countertops, viewing the slab lets you examine the pattern across the surface you'll use in your kitchen. Your designer can explain where seams and sink cutouts would fall. Care requirements are part of the choice, too, particularly if you cook often and expect spills while preparing meals. Find out what cleaning and maintenance the specific material requires before approving it.
Lighting should reach the counters where you'll chop vegetables or read a recipe. Under-cabinet fixtures can illuminate those surfaces, while pendants need to be positioned around the island's work area and seating. Switch locations can be included in the electrical plans so you can turn on the lights as you enter the room.
Luxury kitchen remodeling typically ranges from $100,000 to $300,000. Your estimate will reflect the work planned for your home and the products you choose.
Opening the kitchen to another room can add work beyond the area you're renovating. A wall may need structural support before it can be removed, and utilities running through it may need to be relocated. The proposal should also include floor and ceiling repairs where the wall stood.
As you plan your budget, these are some of the items to look for in the estimate:
| Part of the Budget | What to Discuss |
|---|---|
| Cabinetry | The proposed cabinet design and installation costs |
| Layout changes | Work required to remove walls or relocate utilities |
| Appliances | The selected models and their installation requirements |
| Countertops | Material costs and fabrication, including installation |
| Adjoining rooms | Repairs and finish work outside the original kitchen |
You may see allowances in an early proposal for items you haven't chosen yet. An allowance is an amount included in the budget for a particular item; if your selection costs more, the total will increase. Ask what each allowance covers, including whether installation is included.
You'll also want to discuss a reserve for unexpected repairs. Damage behind the existing cabinets may become visible when they're removed, and the team should explain how repair costs will be presented for your approval.
You can start the design conversation with what you'd like to change and an investment range you're comfortable with. Your designer will develop a layout for you to review, then work with you on the details as you choose products and finishes. If something in the drawings is hard to picture, ask about it. The designer can show how a cabinet opens or explain the space around the island. This is also the time to mention a table or other furniture you'd like to keep so it can be included in the layout.
Once the plans are approved, construction generally follows these stages:
Your project manager should keep you informed about upcoming work. Before construction begins, find out how you'll receive updates and whom to contact with questions.
A luxury kitchen remodel usually takes 4 to 6 months, but it can vary depending on material selections and the scope of work. When you discuss your own renovation, ask the team to explain what the schedule includes and how much time is expected for design and construction.
You'll also need to know how long you'll be without a working kitchen so you can make arrangements for your family. Custom cabinetry takes time to fabricate, and countertop measurements may happen after the cabinets are installed. Those steps need to be included in the schedule. A change to an appliance after the cabinet order has been placed may require revisions, so ask about timing before approving a substitution.
If you're hoping to host a holiday meal in your new kitchen, mention that at the first consultation. The team can assess your preferred completion date against the work you want to do.
A kitchen remodel may require permits if you're removing a wall or making changes to plumbing and electrical systems. The requirements depend on the planned work and the jurisdiction responsible for your property. Within Atlanta city limits, you'll use the city's permitting process. Elsewhere in the metro area, another city or county may handle the applications. Atlanta lists exemptions for certain repairs and replacements in its permitting guidance, so your team will need to check the project against the applicable requirements. During planning, ask who will handle the permits and arrange inspections for your home.
If you plan to stay home during construction, think about where you'll make breakfast once the kitchen is removed. You may be able to keep the refrigerator accessible in another room and set up a counter for simple meals. Discuss the location with your team before moving equipment, since the space needs suitable electrical access for anything you'll use.
Other arrangements to discuss with your project manager include:
If you work from home, you may want to schedule calls elsewhere during demolition. Your project manager can discuss those dates as the construction schedule develops.
A luxury kitchen remodel can give you more room for family meals and materials you'll enjoy using every day. The design should account for how you cook and where people gather, with enough space to move comfortably through the room.
As you prepare to move forward:
Bring your ideas to a qualified design-build team, along with a budget you're comfortable discussing. You can begin exploring a layout for your home and decide which features you'd like to include.
At Exodus Design Build, we'd love to hear about the kitchen you have in mind. We work with homeowners across Greater Atlanta and North Georgia. Our team will take time to learn how you use the room and what you'd like to change. Through our design-build process, you'll work with our in-house designers on the layout and selections at our Lawrenceville design center. A project manager will oversee construction and keep you updated as the renovation progresses.
Explore the kitchens in our gallery as you gather ideas for your own home.
If you're ready to move forward with your project, connect with our team to start a conversation.