If you spend much of your time researching islands and peninsulas and you aren’t preparing for your next vacation, you must be planning something that you can enjoy even longer — your newly renovated dream kitchen.

One day you might decide your kitchen is drab and dull and you really need to liven it up for both practicality and looks. But going from there to the finished project can be a daunting task. It doesn’t need to be an overwhelming proposition, however, with some careful consideration and planning on your part plus the expert Fahy Kitchens advice that dream kitchen is closer than you think.

You don’t need to be an architect or an artist to come up with your basic floor plan of what you want the finished project to look like. Consider the wall space and come up with a rough sketch showing where you would like big items like the cabinets, sink, refrigerator, stove, and counters to be. Don’t worry about your artistic talents — this is only a rough draft and won’t be the actual schematic used by the installer who renovates your kitchen. Unless you are a professional kitchen designer, of course.

Break your kitchen into zones — you need an area for cooking, of course, and with cooking you’re going to later want space for cleaning pots, pans and dishes. You’ll need work space and storage space. And don’t cram 1,000 square feet of dream kitchen into a 300 square foot actual room size! Get out that tape measure, learn how to read it if you have to, and plan the layout within the confines of the room. At the same time, don’t worry too much about making a booboo, because your Fahy Kitchens expert will iron out any of those little glitches.

Be realistic in your expectations. Work within your budget, and keep in mind that chances are pretty good that what you invest in your kitchen remodel will pay off if you ever decide to sell your home.

For more expert remodeling advice, call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.