How many times when company comes over, does it seem that everyone tends to gravitate toward the kitchen? It’s the one room in the house that brings together things we all enjoy—food, family and friends. What’s not to love?
It’s no surprise then, that those in the market for a new home, always pay close attention to the layout of the kitchen. On the other hand, if you’re considering selling a home, or even doing some renovating, it may be a good idea to make your kitchen the star of the show.
Try a Fresh Coat of Paint
It’s amazing what experimenting with a color you’ve never had in your kitchen can do to improve and modernize it. If you have older, dark cabinets, it can help to brighten and rejuvenate the room by keeping everything around it light and airy.
You can create an illusion of having more space or making a kitchen cozier just by the colors you choose. For instance, when trying to maximize space in a small kitchen, go for cooler, light colors. Warmer, darker shades will minimize the space and bring down a high ceiling.
Don’t be afraid to add a splash of color to your kitchen. If bright red or cobalt blue is your favorite color, find a place to make it work in your space, such as in a backsplash.
If you’re still a little shy about trying something new, opt to keep neutrals in your kitchen. This allows you to personalize your kitchen to your style. You can choose to bring in some modern colors such as lavender or mauve though wall decorations and accessories. This is a small way to add some color.
Cabinet Considerations
These can cost a pretty penny to completely replace, so if that’s not in your budget, consider painting them as well. Home improvement industry pros say gray as a color for the cabinets could soon beat white as the next big thing.
You can also add a quick update to your cabinets simply by replacing the hardware. This is an easy do-it-yourself project since most home improvement stores have a wide variety of affordable cabinet and drawer handles to match the look you want.
Countertop Trends
Like cabinet replacement, this can be another major expense, particularly if you have your heart set on one of the very popular granite or stone counter tops. You can still achieve that look on a more modest budget with the newer, look-alike laminates which are both beautiful and functional.
Lighting
One thing that can date your kitchen to a prospective buyer old-style lighting. Modern kitchens provide both a place to work and a place to entertain, so task lighting and accent lighting are two things to keep in mind.
Task lighting makes your work easier in the places where work is done: over the sink, the cooking area and the countertops.
Accent lighting helps create ambiance in your kitchen and sets a welcoming mood for your guests. This is generally used for bringing the focus on a particular feature such as glassware, wall art…or that red backsplash mentioned earlier.
Whatever you choose for your kitchen updates—major renovations or minor improvements—it’s important to remember that it should flow with the rest of your house because the kitchen sets the mood for the rest of the home.
