They say home is where the heart is, but the kitchen represents the soul of the home. Consequently, when homeowners seek to upgrade their homes, the kitchen becomes their first stop. Considered by many as the most important room in the house, a remodeled kitchen will have numerous benefits. These include the added home value as well as greater comforts and convenience in the kitchen while cooking. With nearly all kitchen remodels today, the most common upgrades comprise the floor, counter and storage upgrades including the fitting of new custom cabinets. When remodeling your kitchen, here are the first four things to consider.
The trendiest kitchen flooring options at the moment include tiles, laminate, and hardwood. Tiles provide elegance and are quickly sealed to combat moisture. Laminates, on the other hand, offer variety in the various shapes, sizes, and colors they come in. Additionally, they provide a good water seal and come at a low cost plus are easy to install. Hardwood is another popular choice because they provide elegance even with open floor plans that extend living and dining areas with the kitchen.
With a kitchen remodel, there are a variety of options available for your counters. On the pricier end, quartz and granite countertops are available and would add class and elegance to the kitchen.
Lower down the price scale, laminate and ceramic tiles would also be great choices for any remodeling. Both can be waterproofed and are durable for many years. Some laminate products also come with Anti-Microbial surfaces. Such surfaces offer improved sanitary conditions and are safer for handling food.
Some storage units sometimes represent the greatest cost driver to a kitchen remodel costs. New kitchen cabinets will require significant cash with custom cabinets being the most expensive. Nonetheless, going custom allows for specific, built-in cabinets that make maximum use of available space. The budget can also be managed by substituting exotic woods, finer details with less pricey options. If the budget is still restrictive, semi-custom, ready-to-assemble cabinets are an excellent alternative. Depending on the material, design, and installation costs, they can reduce the cost outlay on cabinets by up to 50%.
Kitchen remodels are increasingly incorporating built-in appliances in their design. This makes the kitchen more aesthetically appealing to the eye as the appliances blend with the floor layout and everything in the kitchen is in its rightful place. Fridges, ovens, and microwaves are all being made part of the design, giving rise to kitchens that are seamless with no protruding appliances. Therefore, this aspect should not be overlooked while designing a kitchen remodel.
Although the choices are endless, you need not be overwhelmed when planning a kitchen upgrade. Adequately planning and budgeting will ensure that you make the right choice with each step and aspect of your kitchen upgrade.