Top Strategies For Your Upcoming Kitchen Makeover
When it comes to investing into your home, most people spend more on a kitchen remodel than on any other home improvement project. There is a good reason for this, however, as kitchens are a great source of pride, and they are the hub of life in the home. The price for a kitchen remodel ranges from a couple of thousand dollars to more than $100,000. However, in most cases, the more you put into your kitchen remodel, the more you will recoup from it in value for your home.
To get even more out of your kitchen makeover, consider the following tips:
Plan Your Kitchen Makeover Before You Start
Planning the kitchen makeover will likely take longer to do than the actual construction. This helps you to minimize the construction time and stay on budget. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends you spend around six months on the planning process. The first thing to do is to study the layout of your existing kitchen. From measuring the door to ensure new appliances will fit to thinking about traffic patterns in the kitchen. All of this should be planned out before you begin your remodel.
Other things that you might want to consider include ergonomics, such as counter height, and choosing all of your materials and fixtures before the project begins. This helps to ensure you won’t have to wait for back-ordered items, and it will help to get a more accurate bid. Working with a designer is also something you should consider, as they can help to make style decisions, work to remain on budget and foresee any potential problems.
Keep the Same Main Design
Though this is not a total necessity, you will save thousands of dollars on your kitchen remodel by sticking with the same main design. Moving electrical outlets, changing the location of plumbing and knocking down walls can all add extra time and cost to the remodel. This will also help to cut down on the dust, debris and kitchen downtime.
Put Some Focus on Your Appliances
Part of any kitchen remodel is choosing and installing new appliances, and it can be easy to get carried away during the planning process. For example, a luxury-brand refrigerator or a six-burner commercial range may be an excellent centerpiece for the kitchen, but if you don’t necessarily need top-of-the-line appliances, you are just spending money you don’t have to spend and wasting time and space.
Appliances are used to cook and store food, and you should match those appliances to your personal needs. If you are not a professional chef with your own catering company, a middle-of-the-road oven and stove top will certainly suit your needs, and you will get a lot more value by putting your money into cabinets, countertops and flooring.
Consider Your Lighting Options
Lighting is one element of the kitchen that is often overlooked. It can make a huge difference in the kitchen. Lighting will make a kitchen look brighter and larger, and it will help you work efficiently and safely. There are two main types of lighting in the kitchen, task lighting and ambient lighting. Task lighting is installed underneath the cabinets and helps to illuminate these dark work areas. If you have an island or a countertop without low cabinets, you might want to consider pendant lights. Recessed or track lighting works well in general prep areas of the kitchen. Ambient lighting is also important. This type of lighting helps to create the overall look and feel of the room. Lights that fit into this category include wall sconces, track lights and ceiling fixtures. To create mood in the kitchen, also consider adding dimmer switches.
Think About Quality
Quality consciousness is also important when it comes to a kitchen remodel, durability and functionality go hand in hand with quality. Resist buying a low-quality bargain when it comes to the features of your kitchen, and instead choose items that have a long warranty period, such as high-quality countertops and flooring. This also helps to add more value to the home.
Add More Storage
Finally, as you plan for your kitchen remodel, instead of adding more space to the kitchen, add more storage. Storage is the one thing that homeowners wish they had more of, and when it comes to the kitchen, you can never have too much. Add a pantry, more cabinet space, an island or even a peninsula for more space. It is worth it to take up a little bit of floor space to gain more storage in the home.
These are just a few of the many strategies that you can employ as you are planning your kitchen renovation. As you work towards your kitchen makeover, it is always a good idea to work with a designer.
