The Most Beneficial Upgrades You Can Make to Your Kitchen
If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen, you might be wondering what the big must-haves are in terms of materials and features. If you’re working on a tight budget and know you can’t touch everything, there are a few things you should make a priority that will really make a huge impact and make you feel like you’ve remodeled the entire kitchen from floor to ceiling. Or maybe you’re going to sell your house but know that the kitchen won’t stand a chance against other houses on the market. What are the most beneficial upgrades you can make to your kitchen?
1. Countertops
Old and scratched countertops not only bring down the appearance of your kitchen, but they can be harder to keep clean. In terms of the most beneficial kitchen upgrades for you to enjoy, countertops are at the top of the list. Sure, you can go with a new laminate countertop that will provide a good look, but consider what will really last and hold up to the wear and tear that every kitchen endures.
In terms of the most beneficial kitchen upgrades when considering resale value and what will attract buyers, countertops also make the top of the list. Seeing dated, discolored countertops upon walking into a kitchen will give prospective buyers the impression that the house is dated and not well kept. While you shouldn’t completely splurge on the most exquisite granite or marble out there, you should choose something that’s quality, neutral, and ultimately looks good in the kitchen.
See how new granite countertops made a world of difference in this traditional kitchen.
2. Cabinetry
Cabinetry, like countertops, can either make or break a room. Walking in and seeing dated oak cabinets with doors and drawer fronts in an older style makes a big impression on the overall kitchen. Some negatives of older cabinets may include hinges that gap open, drawers that don’t operate smoothly, or sagging shelves. No matter how contemporary your decor is, the cabinets really set the stage for the entire kitchen design.
If you’re thinking about renovating to increase the value of your home and make it more appealing to buyers, the cabinetry is a great place to invest some time and money. But be careful not to spend too much on cabinetry! Buyers won’t know the difference between refaced or refinished cabinets and brand new cabinets, they’ll just appreciate the updated style and sturdy construction. Cabinet refacing is a great way to completely transform your well-constructed but outdated cabinets into ones that look and feel high end.
Take a look at how our team took this kitchen from drab to fab with cabinet refacing.
3. Appliances
As a general rule, if your appliances are over 10 years old, it’s time to start thinking about buying new ones. With new appliances comes new technology, functionality, and features that you can enjoy. Maybe your old white refrigerator didn’t have an ice and water feature or your sink never had an integrated spray hose. Appliances are another great feature to invest in when your current appliances are no longer cutting it.
In terms of resale value, new appliances are only necessary when the existing ones are over 10 years old and not in the best condition. Sure, a brand new stove might look a little better than the one you have now, but the existing appliance still functions and can be easily changed by the new homeowner.
See how we completely reconfigured this kitchen with new, upgraded appliances.
4. Lighting
Lighting isn’t something that every homeowner cares about—or at least they think they don’t! But the difference between a generic, harsh fluorescent fixture and a couple of pendant lights is huge. Lighting can easily make your space go from generic and dim to warm and inviting.
Lighting is something that’s fairly easy to change and makes a huge difference. If you’re trying to sell your home, your dollars may not be best spent on expensive light fixtures that you love, but on moderately-priced, updated fixtures that will give the space a more customized, contemporary look compared to the existing generic can or fluorescent lights.
See how we transformed this traditional kitchen with the addition of three new pendant lights along with refaced cabinets, new granite countertops, and a new backsplash.
5. Flooring
Like cabinetry and countertops, the flooring in your kitchen covers a lot of ground and makes a huge impact on the overall look of the space. Scratched, damaged, or stained flooring can really take away from any good aspects you have going in your kitchen.
New flooring in any room of the house will give the whole room a new and fresh feeling. Just be sure that if you’re changing the flooring in your kitchen, you’re changing it in the other places where it matters as well. One of the quickest ways to scare potential buyers away is having mismatched flooring all over the house—one type of carpet downstairs, tile in the bathroom, wood floors in the kitchen, and another type of carpet upstairs.
Homeowners opted for new wood floors to complete their upscale and modern kitchen, as the old white tile just didn’t fit their style. Take a look!
6. Floor Plan
If you’re going for a simple kitchen remodel that doesn’t take over your life and wipe out your savings, it’s safe to say that you may not want to consider making changes to the footprint of your kitchen. But if you’re working with an extremely small or closed-off kitchen and your walls and budget allow for it, consider taking the plunge and opening up the space. The kitchen and living room are the rooms people tend to spend the most time in, so having yours opened up to one another could change the whole feeling of your home. Renovating the kitchen in its current imperfect floor plan and simply changing the decor may be missing an opportunity to create a knockout space that increases the appeal and value of your home substantially.
Buyers today are looking for very specific things in a kitchen: updated countertops, updated floors, attractive cabinets, a large island, and an open layout. Few buyers are able to walk into an outdated kitchen and imagine what it could be like with some upgrades, but even fewer are able to imagine the kitchen with a wall knocked down. What they can’t imagine, a smart seller will give to them! Otherwise all buyers will see is a small, closed-off kitchen that they can’t work with.
Take a look at this small kitchen that we turned into an open and airy space.
Figure Out What Upgrades You Should Make
Are you having trouble deciding what upgrades you can make to your kitchen or what to include in your remodeling budget? Our team would be happy to talk through your options. Request a free, in-home consultation today!
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