Vicky Sanderson When was the last time you took a cold, hard look at your kitchen? Do it now, and be honest. Are work surfaces worn and tired? Do cabinets reflect the wear and tear of family life? Are the flooring, faucets, and light fixtures showing their age? Then it’s time for a revamp, which can increase both personal happiness and home equity. Here are some not-so-secret tips to get you through the process:
Trend tracking
Search out inspiration in online resources and magazines that specialize in kitchen design. Have fun while you look at what’s trending, but in the end, opt for timeless foundational elements—flooring, cabinetry, and backsplashes. The refreshed look should fit in with the rest of your home—straying too far from your general style will be jarring. Think about flow. That doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up a bit—modern faucets and lighting fixtures can, for example, be interesting counterpoints to the rough-hewn woods of a rustic kitchen.
Hire help
Because kitchen renovation includes so many elements, it’s almost always worthwhile to hire a kitchen design firm. Working with professionals will more than likely save you time, complications, and expense—and help you avoid rookie mistakes that will affect the way the kitchen looks and functions.
Invest in the best
Quality is definitely important in the kitchen, especially when it comes to air and water systems For design elements, think about areas where you can save: could you, for example, live with a more affordable backsplash, door hardware, or floor tile, if it meant you could splurge on appliances or custom cabinetry?
Smarten up
Any renovation done nowadays is an opportunity to add smart features to your home. Whether it’s a touch-free, voice-controlled faucet, or an oven with induction, convention and sous-vide features that can be controlled remotely, the new generation of smart appliances can elevate the kitchen to new levels of performance.
The featured picture shows a pull-down, touchless faucet from Perrin & Rowe, a British maker of kitchen and bath faucets that combine old-school craftsmanship and modern technology, and is sold under the House of Rohl.
This is a collaborative post. It was not reviewed prior to publication.
