In my opinion, there are three keys to success:

a) Budget considerations

Know what you can afford overall and where you’re willing to spend money and/or save money. Also decide what’s important to you and how you envision your kitchen functioning. Is an island important? If so, how big?

b) Enlist the help of a kitchen or interior designer

Most, if not all, kitchen cabinet suppliers offer basic design services at no charge, but beware: ‘you get what you pay for.’ Design is critical in the overall flow of the kitchen, placement of appliances and ergonomic considerations.

c) Hire the right contractor

The right contractor is also someone who has done this type of work many times before, not just once. You wouldn’t trust your car to an amateur mechanic, so you shouldn’t open up your walls to an inexperienced contractor.