The Kitchen Renovation: Part 2 -- The Purchase

When embarking on a kitchen renovation, the rule of thirds guides spending: one third on cabinets, one third on appliances, hardware, and lighting, and one third on installation. Knowing we'd handle the installation ourselves, we found relief in cutting around one-third of the projected costs.

The decision to purchase cabinets from Home Depot might seem impulsive, driven mainly by a sale. Initially drawn by a 30% discount, plus an extra 5% off countertops, we compared options but found Home Depot's offer hard to beat once fully discounted.

Working with our Home Depot Kitchen Designer for weeks, we refined our design. Austin's SolidWorks model (see our last blog post for more details!) proved invaluable, providing a clear vision to the designer. Opting for KraftMaid's highest-end cabinets was a given, considering the customization needs. The quality, including soft-close doors and drawers, aligned with our vision.

Additionally, we confronted the task of settling on color, cabinet style, and cabinet material. Opting for plywood emerged as a cost-saving measure for the majority of our cabinetry. Considering that the faces of these cabinets would remain concealed, there seemed little justification for a pricier material. However, for our island, intended to exude a more natural and rustic aesthetic, we chose a distinct material for the faces. The crucial decision-making process extended to our countertops, where we ultimately favored quartz as a more budget-friendly alternative to marble.

Island Design Choices

Standard Cabinetry Design Choices

After reaching the final design decision, our responsibility as "installers" included obtaining precise measurements. The stressful moment of hitting the purchase button at Home Depot marked the official start of our kitchen renovation. With about a six-week wait for the cabinets, we spent that time preparing our kitchen for delivery and installation.

Over the next six weeks, we sourced everything else needed—appliances, lighting, and hardware. Capitalizing on 4th of July sales and Amazon Prime Day, we secured some bargains for both our appliance family and faucet. In the upcoming blog post, I'll delve into the steps we took to demo our kitchen, paving the way for the installation.