No matter how well you plan for the disruption of a major kitchen renovation, there's nothing that quite prepares you for the inconvenience of preparing meals and doing dishes in a temporary kitchen. As the heart of our home, the kitchen is more than the place we eat our meals, it's the central gathering point for most families.
You Can Eat Outside
Polish up the patio set, turn on the portable CD player, set the table and VOILA! You've got yourself a temporary kitchen away from the dust and mess of your kitchen renovation.
You Can BBQ
Eating at restaurants and bringing take-out food home is not only expensive, it can be tiresome as well. With the Internet at your disposal, you can discover numerous creative ways to use your barbecue to grill meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables.
You Can Grab a Breath of Fresh Air
With any renovation, there will be dust. You can close off rooms, shut doors...but the dust will follow you--except outside. Grab a book, your laptop or a deck of cards and head outside for a breath of fresh air. (Opening your windows to let a fresh breeze in also works better in the warmer months!)
You Can Hit the Road
Why not plan a summer road trip or vacation to coincide with your kitchen renovation? You may not be able to avoid living at home during the entire period of upheaval, but you can reduce the amount of stress your family feels by planning to be away during some of the "messier" periods of your renovation.