I'm already enjoying the kitchen renovation I'm planning for two years from now

I'm going to renovate my kitchen in two years.
Two years from now? You might think that's still a long way off.
But just like the preparation for a trip is fun, the time before a renovation takes shape is also enjoyable.
Every time I stand in the kitchen, I find myself daydreaming about what I want to fix or how I could make it even better.
When I look at Instagram, I take screenshots of kitchens I like and collect them.

Why I want to do it around age 60

The reason I want to do it in two years is that I'd like to get it done around the time I turn 60.
When I was in my early 50s, I renovated parts of the house other than the kitchen.
Perhaps because the construction was done while we were living there, I realized that renovation takes more mental and physical energy than I had imagined.
I wouldn't go so far as to say my 60s will be my last chance, but I feel it's a realistic timing.

The idea that you lose the energy for it once you're in your 70s

The other day, I had the opportunity to talk with someone who is both an organizing consultant and an interior coordinator.
They mentioned that they often deal with elderly clients, and that once people pass 70, many lose the energy to organize or renovate, even if they have the money.
Hearing that, I thought, yes, that must be true.
Organizing and renovating aren't things that just end once you pay for them.
There are many things to judge and decide, and you have to shift your daily life itself a little.

There are parts of my parents' kitchen I want to fix, but I can't seem to get it done.
I regret a little that I didn't encourage them to renovate while they were younger.

I don't have any major complaints about my current kitchen, but...

My current kitchen was designed 20 years ago.
I think it was standard back then, but as I use it every day, little things start to bother me.
They aren't major complaints, just small hitches.
Since I'm used to it, I don't find it that inconvenient, but there are times when I think something is a bit too far, or a space isn't being used effectively, or I wish something were a little different.
If I'm going to renovate, there are several places I want to fix.

I'm thinking of changing my L-shaped kitchen to an I-shaped one

The biggest thing is that I want to change my current L-shaped kitchen to an I-shaped one.
An L-shape might look like it offers more space, but in reality, I find the corner part a bit difficult to handle.
It's hard to use as storage, and it tends to become an awkward place to put things.
Actually, my husband cooks more than I do, and he also agrees with the I-shape.
Of course, changing to an I-shape won't solve everything.
I'll need to be creative about storage and where to put appliances, and I'm currently thinking about those aspects as well.

Storage and openings are also things I want to think about from now on

It's not just the shape of the kitchen that I want to rethink.
I'm also concerned about the storage and how it connects to the living room.
The opening of our kitchen counter is a bit small.
Maybe this shape was common 20 years ago, but looking at it now, it feels a bit closed off.
Recently, I often see types that open up widely, almost to the ceiling.
But it's also unsettling if the inside of the kitchen is too visible.
Finding the balance here is difficult.
Also, I'd like to be able to store serving plates, tea, teacups, and mugs in a way that's easy to access from the living room side, rather than deep inside the kitchen.
If I can reorganize where I cook and where I keep the things I use in daily life, it seems like it will be easier to move around than it is now.

First, I tried making a floor plan

When I think about it only in my head, I inevitably go around in circles.
So, I made a simple floor plan of the current state of the kitchen and the ideas I'm considering.
Writing down the current situation makes it easier to see where I feel the inconvenience.
Furthermore, when I line them up like Plan A and Plan B, what I want to prioritize becomes a bit clearer.
It's not a final decision yet.
In fact, by drawing it out, I've only increased the number of things I need to think about.
But by putting it into shape like this, my vague hopes feel a little closer to reality.

Next is a three-dimensional study

Once I drew the floor plan, things started moving in my head in three dimensions, like wanting drawers under the counter here, or maybe I don't need hanging cabinets because I can't reach them, or where would be the best place to put the trash can.
If I make the kitchen counter opening larger than it is now, the view from the living room will also change.
It's not just about ease of use; how it looks is also important.
It's still a story for the future, but by putting it into a diagram like this, the renovation has moved a little closer to reality.
From here on, I want to think about it including the three-dimensional layout and how it looks from the living room.