When it comes time to remodel your kitchen, you should have some idea of what you’d like to accomplish and what your budget is before seeking the assistance of a professional, according to Mark Price, a certified kitchen designer with Ben’s Flooring Kitchen and Bath Design Center in Biddeford.

“Too often people come in with no clear ideas. In order to get the best out of your designer, it’s best if you do some homework first and have some idea of what you want to do and how much you can spend,” Price said.

He said people should plan on a full kitchen remodel costing at least $20,000, depending on what homeowners want to accomplish. Price said homeowners who can do the work themselves can knock a lot off the bottom line.

In terms of what’s new and trendy in kitchen design, Price said painted cabinets, instead of bare wood, are becoming popular. Generally the cabinets are painted all one color – usually with a cream-based paint, he said.

In terms of countertops, Price said granite still seems to be the most popular choice, but quartz countertops are also becoming more popular. “Hard, resilient countertops in dark colors seems to be the trend,” he said.

For those who are choosing wood and not painted cabinets, Price said people seem to be drawn to the darker hardwoods, such as cherry and dark maple. “That’s somewhat surprising and not really my taste, but it seems to be a developing trend,” he added.

Open-concept kitchens – kitchens that open into other rooms of the house, are also popular, according to Price. He said knocking out a wall or two to create an open-concept kitchen, though, could add significantly to the cost of a kitchen remodel.

“Generally speaking we try to work with what a homeowner already has for space, unless it’s really small and there’s not much that can be done,” Price said.

Although a homeowner can also save some money by not purchasing new appliances, Price said it makes much more sense to get all new appliances when remodeling a kitchen.

Price said double ovens are also a popular feature, which makes sense for any good-sized kitchen. He also said a double oven can help out in the resale price of a home. He said islands are more distinctive, contemporary and popular then peninsulas, but peninsulas, or counter extensions are still requested too.

Stainless steel is by far the most popular choice in terms of appliances, Price said, but that could also be because appliance companies, in general, don’t offer a lot of choice in terms of color. He said most companies are still making appliances in black, white or bisque.

In terms of flooring, Price said there are many options, from new types of linoleum to tiles to hardwood. He said a lot of people prefer tile in the kitchen area and then some type of hardwood flooring in the dining room or common areas.

He said the upper end market in tiles is ceramic, but there are all types of choices in color, design and price when it comes to tile floors, Price said.

He said the best thing about Ben’s Flooring is that the company offers it all, including installation, except for appliances, which allows a homeowner to do practically one-stop shopping.

Call Ben’s Flooring Kitchen and Bath Design Center at 284-8833, or stop by the store at 574 Elm St. in Biddeford to find out what’s available for your next home remodeling project.