When it comes to selling your house we all know that first impressions count, that old patch of damp in the corner or the crumbs under the toaster are subconsciously going to give the potential buyer an idea that you haven’t looked after the place, whether you have or not. People want to buy into a lifestyle, why narrow your market to the home improvement crowd only? This is most true when it comes to the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of your home so any money invested will have a positive effect on your house’s value. But where do you start?
Visit Show Home
If you’re a little unsure of what style of kitchen you like, is in vogue, or would suit your home then visiting a show home can be a fantastic way of seeing what styles work. The problem with showrooms in stores is that you cannot get a feel for how the kitchen works with the whole house. Do some research; visit a variety of places from modern city apartments to converted farmhouses.
Home Improvement Show
Home improvement shows (as opposed to TV shows) have been a secret of the property development industry for years. It’s a fantastic place to see what new products are coming out and get a bargain fast. You can do a massive amount of research from all the leading manufacturers all in one day, compare prices, etc. You also know the products you are looking at are going to be very in fashion at the moment. I don’t expect you to wait a year for a show to come around, or travel hundreds of miles but it’s worth looking just to make sure one doesn’t coincide.
Kitchen Remodeling Magazines
Remodeling magazines are fantastic. Everything in them is perfectly in fashion at the moment and although that initially may not sound too appealing, if you are selling your home it is a big plus. We all love having a good trawl through a magazine. Pick up as many as you can, get out a highlighter and start circling the ones you like.
Create A Budget
Creating a budget is an aspect of kitchen improvement that is sometimes overlooked. As we mentioned before adding to your kitchen is going to improve your house’s value however you need to be careful about this. Calculate exactly how much you can spend and how many needs to be spent. Invite an estate agent around and have a chat about how each of your ideas will affect the value of your home.
What Type Of Work Surface?
The kitchen work surface is probably the most critical choice you have to make as it is the thing that has the most impact when someone enters the room. With such a wide variety available from granite to oak, brushed steel to tough plastic compounds you need to choose what is going to work for you and your home. Brushed steel for example, although it looks modern is an absolute nightmare to keep clean so would definitely not be recommended for people with kids or anything other than a modern minimalist flat. Other materials such as granite and oak may have problems if you put very hot saucepans on them. All of this needs to be considered and asked when you are purchasing.
New Units
Other than the work surface the kitchen units are without a doubt the main impact factor when somebody sees your kitchen. This is what makes people stand back in awe. Visit a kitchen specialist with photos of your current kitchen and all of its current measurements and they will be able to create a computer-generated image of how their units would look in your exact kitchen. This can help you visualize exactly what it would look like and makes answering questions such as “does this make it look dark?” or “do you think this is too modern?” much easier. Remember to use all the research you have used in tips 1 to 3 here so you can see exactly how each of your ideas looks.
Get A Backsplash
Not only is a backsplash going to help you keep your kitchen clean but it can also add to your chosen look and make it look more complete. If you haven’t had a backsplash previously and your wall is looking a bit grimy a backsplash can be the perfect answer. Alternatively, if you have had a backsplash previously and it is looking a bit tired then you may simply need to replace this instead of buying a whole new set of units and saving you money. If you have a tight budget learn how to tile or mosaic and create a backsplash like this. Etched glass backsplashes can also look very modern.
New Flooring
Flooring in kitchens is very important. The first interaction you have with your kitchen is in the early hours of the morning when you’re making that first cup of coffee, with your eyes pressed closed before you turn the lights on, and it’s exactly the same for everyone. Remember the feel of the cold tiles under your feet? Changing your kitchens floor may be necessary to update the whole kitchens’ look with the rest of your changes. If you know how to tile you could do that. If you live in an older building you may even have some nice floorboards under there which can be sanded and varnished. It is now possible to get very nice plastic vinyl floorings that can enhance the look of your kitchen if you have a very tight budget.
Lightning
Lighting is perhaps not the first thing you think of when it comes to updating your kitchen but it should be considered. One of the main problems with lighting is how difficult it is to change. It is possible to add downlights to the underside of wall-mounted units to create a more modern look; you can also buy stick on led spotlights that require no wiring what so ever. All you may need is a new lampshade.
New Appliances
The whole point of a kitchen is to cook and funnily enough new appliances are the only tip I’ve given that may actually help that. If you are completely redoing everything, from work surface to units then-new appliances should definitely be considered. Taps are also a great way of adding uniqueness to your kitchen with such a wide variety available and can be made a feature of. If your oven doesn’t work properly or you wish you had an integrated microwave now is the time to find the money.
All those tips can be broke down into two different categories, research and development. If you have done your research then your development should be great.
