The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home for a variety of reasons. It’s where practicality is at its most important, alongside the bathroom, and just like the bathroom, it’s also one of the rooms most important for adding resale value to the home. However, if you want to make the kitchen actually function better, you need to cut through the upgrades that are only value-adding and instead look at where you can more effectively invest your renovation and refurbishment budget.
The counter is key
If you’re trying to renovate on a budget and you can’t make too many replacements, then there are two that are going to have the biggest impact on the practical realities of the kitchen. A good granite or marble countertop can help you create a waterproof and stainproof workstation to do all your cooking on. If they’re well-sealed (as they should be), natural material countertops are also some of the easiest to clean and wipe down, meaning you don’t have to spend all day tidying the kitchen.
The fault in your floors
If your kitchen floors aren’t built to be easy to clean, to be scratch-resistant, and to be able to resist sun damage, then they’re not suitable for the kitchen. Not only is the kitchen a wetroom, but it’s also prone to foodstuff spills as well as a ton of traffic. As such, an easy-to-add value and ease to the room is to choose the right flooring, like a waterproof luxury vinyl tile. Just like the countertop, this is one of the most important surfaces in the whole kitchen, so it’s worth investing in it.
Shine a light on it
Lighting in the kitchen is vital for a variety of reasons. You want it to be well and evenly lit so that it can be inviting and warm, but also because heavy shadows and dark areas can make an area look dirty, which is not the vibe you want in the kitchen. What’s more, the visibility of workstations, such as the food prep area, is vital for both safety and hygiene reasons. To that end, adding extra light fixtures like the under-cupboard recessed light can help you really improve those areas.
Making room
This can be one of the most expensive renovations, so it will take considerable planning, but adding real space to the kitchen is always one of the most valuable improvements because big kitchens are most in demand. There are plenty of ways to do it, too, with a kitchen expansion being the most expensive. However, if it’s an option, you may also want to consider knocking down a wall between the kitchen and dining room, or even to the living room to create an open plan family space. Even installing wide patio-style doors between the rooms can make them both feel more spacious.
One of the big benefits of the investments above is that they’re not just practical. They can add value to the kitchen just as much as any style-focused redecoration.
