Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Kitchen

Having made the previous decisions you can now make your decision about the hard surfaces in the kitchen. They would include the flooring, countertops and back splash. There are flooring tiles in ceramic, porcelain and stone or you can select a hardwood, cork or bamboo flooring. That decision depends on the look you are striving for. Whatever you decide you are going to want to be sure there is stock of that product available in the next four weeks depending on when the cabinets are completed. You will also want to select the counter top. There is a variety of stones including granite and marble, manmade stones like Caesar stone, Cambria, flex stone and Corian or laminates. Aside from the laminate, the others will need to be template to be sure that they fit perfectly into your space, around sinks and faucets, and appliances. The template generally doesn’t take place until the cabinets are in your home. It can take a couple of weeks from the template to the installation of your new counter top. Based on your counter top, you will select your backsplash which can be anything from stainless steel to glass or a mosaic blend of all of the above. You will just want to make sure that what you select is available within a week of your order.

Time frame: 1 to 3 weeks

Source: Glen Peloso's Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Kitchen, Fall 2011 issue of Canadian Home Trends Magazine