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From cooking to food storage to washing and cleaning and even entertaining, the kitchen is where you and your family spend a lot of time. With all this traffic, this means your kitchen will see more wear and tear than any other part of your home. A worn and dated kitchen not only looks bad but can also affect how well you work in it, it’s going to need your attention. After all, the longer you leave it as is, it’s condition will not get any better. If you’re thinking kitchen remodeling is a big undertaking, you’re right. However, that doesn’t mean that it should overwhelm. This three-part series will guide you through the basics, pointing you in the right direction to ensure you make the most of every dollar you invest in your kitchen remodeling project.
PART 1: ADVANTAGES OF KITCHEN REMODELING
While remodeling a kitchen is indeed important, not many people know how exactly they can benefit from it. Because a remodel largely changes a kitchen’s appearance, it’s not unusual for homeowners to think that its benefits are simply cosmetic. However, remodeling brings much more than simply making a kitchen look like new. The advantages of kitchen remodeling include: Improved Value Kitchen remodeling can increase the value of your home, regardless of how extensive the project is. This can give you a sense of achievement as you’ll be having something that’s worth more than it was before, even when you’re not planning on selling your home. Bigger Energy Savings A big part of kitchen remodeling is replacing old components with more energy-efficient ones. These include better fridges, lighting systems, and other appliances. These improvements may cost a lot upfront but as they are more energy-efficient, they’ll be helping you more wisely use energy in your home, allowing you to reduce your energy expenses over the long-term. Updated Look One of the best reasons to do a remodel is to update your kitchen’s look. If you put a premium on how your home looks, giving your kitchen a makeover will certainly provide a high level of satisfaction.
PART 1: ADVANTAGES OF KITCHEN REMODELING
Improved Functionality Do you notice how many “adjustments” you have to make when working with an old kitchen? You have sinks that are too high, refrigerators too far away, storage spaces out of reach, to name a few of the problems that older kitchens have. Instead of going straight to the task at hand, you find yourself executing extra steps to work around problem spots. Give your kitchen an upgrade and you can customize it to fit you and how you work in the kitchen, letting you say goodbye to those extra steps and hello to seamless kitchen use.
Incentives Depending on local rules and regulations, you may be able to enjoy some financial incentives and rebates when you do a kitchen remodel since it will go toward making your home more energy-efficient. This will help offset some of the costs of the more functional additions to your kitchen. ooooo
You’re not starting from scratch so it’s good to know where to focus with your kitchen remodel. To learn more about the right kitchen design, head on over to Part 2.
PART 2: FINDING THE RIGHT KITCHEN DESIGN
Because homes can have different available areas and orientations, there’s no such thing as the ultimate kitchen design. However, that doesn’t mean any kitchen design will work for your home as long as it’s different from the old one. Here are a few tips on getting the most efficient kitchen design for your remodel: Orientation Ideally, it’s good to have the kitchen facing east, where the morning sun will fill it with light without warming it too much. If creating a new opening is out of the question, that’s okay. If your kitchen is facing west and receiving a lot of heat from the sun, don’t forget to include the use of blinds, shades, and the like in your remodel. Window treatments can also benefit from receiving upgrades. The Kitchen Triangle An efficient kitchen design has a fine balance between keeping everything within reach and still having enough room to move around. A simple way to achieve this is by considering the “kitchen triangle,” where the sink, the stovetop, and the fridge make up the points of the triangle.
PART 2: FINDING THE RIGHT KITCHEN DESIGN
All three “legs” of the triangle should have a total of around 12-26 feet of room, and no foot traffic should pass through it to avoid distracting kitchen activities. To keep access open to the fridge, have it placed at the outer corner of the triangle to minimize disruption. Storage Your kitchen is home to many items, from all things edible to heavy duty equipment. A remodel makes your kitchen more functional and that means finding a place for everything. While this may also mean taking stock of what you truly need, a kitchen remodel always make room for ample storage. There are more than a handful of storage solutions though and what you should get should depend on what will best address, like easy access to the items you most frequently use.
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After covering some design foundations, it’s time to move on to more specific kitchen additions. Head on over to Part 3 of this ebook series to learn more!
PART 3: UPDATING KITCHEN FEATURES - SOME TIPS
Having a general idea of how your new kitchen will turn out is just the start of your remodeling project. It’s when you get down to the room’s specific features that things get tricky. Here are a few reminders to help you along the way: Sink Location The sink frequently gets wet, so it could be a target for mold, mildew, and rust. To help avoid this, situate your sink beneath a window. Not only will this provide ample ventilation to help the sink area dry faster, but the illumination provided by the window will also make sink use more pleasant.
Counters and Surfaces Kitchen counters and other surfaces have a great impact on the efficiency of your new kitchen. Make sure there’s plenty of area around the sink where you can place dirty dishes and next to the range where you can prepare ingredients. In most cases, you’ll also want to leave enough counter space for quick snacks and frequently used small appliances like a microwave or coffeemaker. Make sure these spaces can be accessed without having to get in the way of whoever’s working in the kitchen.
PART 3: UPDATING KITCHEN FEATURES - SOME TIPS
Flooring Flooring has to be waterproof because of all the possible spills that could happen in your kitchen, which is why tile is a common choice. You can also opt for other materials but you have to choose one that can withstand constant foot traffic, spills and moisture, yet still easy to clean. This is why flooring with smooth, non-porous surfaces are ideal. Of course, looking good goes a long way, so make sure your flooring choice complements your kitchen.
Lighting There are many lighting options today that address various needs you might have, like LED bulbs for better energy efficiency. Lighting primarily supports a well-functioning kitchen but you can also use the remodeling as an opportunity to upgrade the lighting you currently have and make it accentuate the room as well, much like how you would use it in other parts of your home. Using different light sources is advised to not only evenly illuminate your kitchen but to also make it look warmer and more welcoming. ooooo
Remodeling your kitchen is an important investment but it also comes with big rewards. To ensure the success of your kitchen remodel, make sure you only work with a reputable home improvement expert in your area.
Nuss Construction 119 Church Road, Marlton, NJ 08053 (856) 452-0551 (856) 988-9982 NussConstruction.com