Without a doubt, a kitchen has the best return on a remodeling project. The kitchen is the most important space in a home today, so when you are looking to remodel, it’s super important that you get it right. It seems that the way people live today, more time is spent in the kitchen than any other room in the house. So, it’s important that it we designed for how people want to live.
Here are some guidelines to follow when remodeling your kitchen (brought to you by NAR’s Styled Staged Sold BLOG)
- Since functionally kitchens are multi-dimensional social environments in addition to cooking space a good kitchen today accommodates many people and tasks. “Open concept kitchen” is the hot new term since it expands the kitchen into the family room and allows for social interaction with everyone in the family room.
- Perhaps the biggest design feature of today’s kitchen is the center island. Peninsulas of the 1980’s and 90’s are yesterday’s news. One side of the island should have plenty of casual seating while the production side of the island can feature everything from sinks to a plain countertop work area.
- Clean, sleek modern styling is the pulse of the day. Ornate, dark wood cabinets are passé. Simple painted white wood, light maple and, for eco-minded home owners, bamboo cabinets are all the rage.
- Spend a good portion of your budget on appliances. Gone are the days when a plain refrigerator and basic stove will suffice. The fancier, the better — including even high-end “toys” like wine units, if the budget allows.
- Today’s wide range of materials and price points for countertops and backsplashes make these two areas the fashion statement in the kitchen. Give yourself permission to choose something unusual, dramatic or colorful. Mix materials even. When it is time to “freshen up” your kitchen in 5-7 years – yes, you read correctly! — change these two elements and you’ll be able to create a whole new look.
They go on to say that if you are working with a tight budget, perhaps you can figure out a way to build a small kitchen island. If the current cabinet layout is OK, install new doors. Change up the look of your kitchen with a new backsplash, or new hardware.