If you’ve ever dreamt about doing something extraordinary to your kitchen, like building a wood-fire pizza oven or covering the backsplash with custom mosaic tiles, think twice. Interior designers agree that investing in upgrades that reflect an overly personal lifestyle and aesthetics perhaps provide a temporary sense of joy but do little to increase the home value. Don’t splurge on kitchen upgrades you’ll only live to regret, but focus on improvements that truly bring value to your way of life.
High-end appliances
The right choice of appliances can make your kitchen feel more finished and expensive. Besides this upgrade requires almost no construction, while the functionality and your quality of life change 100-fold. Ranges, refrigerators, cooktops, and other appliances can be found in stainless steel finishes. Interior designers advise that the entire suite is replaced simultaneously for achieving a more cohesive look. However, if you have to settle on one only, pick the dishwasher, as it’s often the most overlooked but highly valuable appliance in the kitchen.
Neutral colours
Introducing a neutral colour gamut for main surfaces like countertops and flooring might have the biggest ROI. It might sound boring to you now, but tastes change and over the years you’ll probably be happy for choosing a more neutral colour that lends itself well for later style changes. You can always transform the general mood through accessories on the countertop, glassware, dishware, and other things that can be swapped easily.
Chef’s kitchen
With the popularity of TV cooking shows, many a homeowner and amateur chef dreams of having a kitchen that mimics the kitchens that those celebrity maestros of gastronomy use. With the increase of foodie culture, more enthusiasts are looking to move from an electric to a gas stove, with an upgrade to a double oven. LG Studio’s Stainless Steel Built-In Double Wall oven is a perfect example of an appliance for modern home-based gourmand chefs. Combining modern form and function with four convection modes, this oven has a smudge-proof finish that will instantly professionalize the look of any kitchen.
Small scale projects
While the term remodel typically inspires images of extensive projects that take months to complete, cost a fortune, and change the face of your kitchen entirely. However, to add value to your kitchen, you can just make a few simpler upgrades and positively impact the value for a fraction of the cost. Even just changing the door handles for aged brass or polished chrome varieties, repainting the kitchen cabinets, or installing a new vinyl backsplash can bring on a refreshing transformation.
Stick with a theme
Knowing the general theme and style of your home will help you choose the direction for your renovation. With a specific design theme, your updated kitchen will keep the entire feel of your home inform and memorable. On the other hand, you should stay away from de-luxe upgrades, no matter how tempting they might be. Consider the rest of your home, so you get the idea of how much the kitchen renovation should cost you. Splurging on an expensive and cutting-edge kitchen that doesn’t fit the general theme of the house not only makes the kitchen dissonant with the rest of the space but potentially makes it harder to sell down the road.
Expand the space
A larger kitchen is always a bonus, especially for those looking to buy a house. However, even if you’re not considering that option at all, a more spacious kitchen that includes the dining room and possibly even a family gathering spot can give you a ton of second-kind value. If possible, knock down a wall that separates an adjoining room, or at least create the illusion of spaciousness by adding a window. Don`t forget to protect your furniture and move all your household goods in a safe self storage unit during the renovation process.
Nowadays, people have different needs than how people lived when the majority of homes standing today were built. The kitchen is becoming a gathering space where kids can play or do their homework while parents are preparing dinner.
Unexpected flooring
If you’re looking to upgrade from battered or discoloured tiles, there are many flooring options with their perks and advantage. Linoleum is becoming a highly popular material nowadays, especially due to its sustainability, hypoallergenic properties, and ease of maintenance. If you want to style up a notch, consider cork which is both durable and resilient, comfortable to feet and adds a sense of the exotic to the home.
If you consider how much time you spend in the kitchen, making it look and feel modern only makes sense if you maintain the cosy and comfortable atmosphere, with every little renovating project adding immense value.
