ln addition to upgrading your major appliances, consider adding some of the many useful small appliances that are available, such as trash compactors, warming drawers, instant hot-water taps, cabinet-mounted can openers and built-in stereo and television units.
Floors, Walls & Ceilings
Your kitchen floor, walls and ceiling provide the back- drop for all the other elements of the room and if you plan to add beautiful new appliances, counters or cabinets, it’s almost always worthwhile to make sure the old surfaces won’t suffer in comparison. You may want to replace the old surface coverings or simply renew them a relatively easy and inexpensive option. Either way, you’re sure to feel that the investment was well worth it when you see the impact the change has on the room. Installing new flooring is an excellent way to transform a kitchen since it’s usually the largest surface in the room.
Redoing the wall surfaces typically involves repainting or hanging new wallpaper. However, if you’re adding or moving walls, you’ll have additional decisions to make in order to match existing walls. Kitchen ceilings are generally given a fresh coat of paint whenever the walls are refinished, but you can also consider a beadboard panelled ceiling, a tin ceiling or a bold texture.
Planning to Sell
lf your remodelling goal is simply to improve the value of your home in preparation for selling it, consider the following advice from real estate agents. In general, it isn’t a good idea to put in a luxury kitchen if you plan to sell the house in the near future; it will be difficult to recoup your investment in top-of-the-line appliances, cabinets and countertops.
Instead, make sure your kitchen layout is sound, and replace any ageing materials with good-quality, medium-priced products in a neutral, light colour scheme. For example, rather than installing an integral solid-surface sink and countertop, select a stainless steel sink and a laminate countertop. instead of a tile or solid wood floor, select good-quality vinyl sheet flooring.
Although a wisely planned kitchen remodels can pay for itself in home equity, real estate values vary widely and are affected by many factors. If you plan to sell your home, consult an experienced real estate agent before starting your project, to find out how much a modelled kitchen would actually be worth in your case.