Remodeling your kitchen sounds exciting, but a whole kitchen overhaul comes with headaches. Save yourself time, money, and stress on the kitchen of your dreams with these remodeling tips:
Keep Wood Cabinets
Before you tear your cabinets off the wall and start from scratch, take a good look at them. If you have wooden cabinets, try and keep the frames. Usually the wood is of high quality and incredibly expensive to replace. With doors on, the frame of the cabinet is largely hidden.
To update your cabinets, remove the doors and sand them down. Stain or paint the doors to match whatever aesthetic you’re going for in your kitchen. Some homeowners might even use tools to create new designs on the wood. Or, for a cheaper option, just replace the hardware.
Observe the Neighborhood
Adding high-end features, such as granite countertops, to a home is a dream for many owners. Before that dream becomes a reality, however, be aware of your neighborhood’s personality.
Homes in your area might be considered entry-level properties. If first-time homebuyers or low-income families are going to be the ones purchasing your house in the future, adding too many high-end items won’t improve your home’s value.
The property’s price has a ceiling that’s based on the sellers’ habits, neighborhood amenities and economic times. If your home is an entry-level property, consider a more conservative material your kitchen’s overhaul.
Maintain Design Consistency
Every homeowner has a passion for certain household décor options – from flowery draperies to white walls. As you build your dream kitchen design, keep in mind the rest of your house. If your aesthetic is mostly cozy log cabin, a sleek, minimalist kitchen isn’t going to flow well.
Try to pick a kitchen that looks updated without taking away from the overall appearance of your entire house. An interior designer can help you with this renovation concept before any materials are purchased. Future buyers will notice differences between room decors as they survey the home.
Professional Painters
Don’t skimp on the paint job within your kitchen. This room is the busiest one in your house, and stains will be obvious as they appear on walls and ceilings. Pick a paint color that will hide a lot of the grease and grime through the years. Beige, white and other light colors are smart choices.
To take it a step further, use spray-on paint applied by professionals. These spray-on colors will look uniform across the walls and cabinets. Spray-on paint will always have a professional appearance after curing.
Add a Nook
If you have a lot of members in your family, the kitchen could be one of the most hectic rooms, with too much traffic. Preparing dinner is difficult while family members roam around, searching for something to nibble on. As you create a new design, consider a side nook.
This small area can have a microwave and countertop. Kids and guests can create a snack in this area while freeing up the space in the main kitchen for your cooking. Altering the traffic flow through the kitchen is part of a smart remodeling plan that works for nearly any family.
Pay Attention to Dimensions
Most homeowners know that measuring a space is just as critical as deciding on its ultimate decor. Countertop square footage is a common dimension to consider, for example. Something else that should be at the top of your list to consider is walkway sizes.
Think about the habits in your kitchen, including the number of chefs moving through the space at a given time. You’ll want larger walkways if several chefs work at once. In contrast, narrow down the walkways when one chef is common so that you can maximize extra counter space.
Don’t Alter the Plumbing
You may want to have a dishwasher in an island or move the sink across the room, but be realistic about the logistics. Altering any plumbing pipes is a difficult job, and professionals are necessary for the work.
In fact, some design ideas may not be possible when changing the plumbing to certain areas. Design the kitchen around the plumbing so that you can benefit from an established line without exorbitant costs added to the bill. Use the rest of the space to challenge yourself with the design of shelves, counters and other features.
Make Corners Functional
A drawback to many kitchens is the cabinet corners. These corners can be as deep as three feet, which makes them veritable black holes. You can’t easily access the items although there is adequate space for them.
Try to incorporate shelving within these corners. The shelves place any products upright and in a certain order. Items don’t become lost behind the shelves so they’re more functional as a result. You might want to design a pullout shelf feature that further enhances the cabinet corner. Instead of leaning in to the corner cabinet, you can simply pull the shelves out so you can easily access your kitchen storage.
Incorporate Recycling Cabinets
Most homeowners are aware today that recycling is crucial. Recycling bins, however, aren’t conducive to an attractive kitchen. As an alternative, add recycling cabinets to your kitchen remodel.
Each cabinet can house a different item, such as paper or aluminum. As they fill up, remove and recycle them as necessary. Your entire family will be encouraged to keep up with recycling while keeping the containers hidden from view. A beautiful kitchen can be functional with a few hidden cabinet drawers.
Replace Appliances
Take a close look at your appliances. In many cases, appliances are mismatched over the years because they’re purchased at different times. Remodeling the kitchen gives you a chance at replacing these appliances with matching sets.
In most cases, you’ll need a dishwasher, oven, refrigerator and microwave. There are other appliances that can be added too. Dual ovens and electric stovetops are popular selections. Buy the items at one store so that you can receive possible discounts on bulk purchases.
Splurge on Functional Accessories
Remodeling a kitchen always hinges on the budget at hand. Splurging in certain areas, such as functional accessories, are usually worthwhile. Think about the things that would make your life easier in the kitchen.
Pick a facet fixture that has a pullout hose for easier rinsing in the sink. Select cabinet hardware that’s easy to clean while remaining timeless on the wood’s surface. A trash compactor integrated into the cabinets is another smart choice so that your household only discards small volumes of waste. Functional accessories make life easier for you while creating a selling piece when you decide to sell.
Be realistic about the project’s time frame. If the contractor estimates two weeks for the project, plan for extra time just in case. Plan meals and other critical household activities so that the kitchen’s remodel doesn’t become a major challenge during everyday life. In the end, you’ll have a beautiful kitchen that’s ready for another 10 or 15 years of use.
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