It may not always be obvious when you really should think about upgrading your kitchen. As a frequently used and lived in room, sometimes the bustle of quickly preparing snacks and meals takes your attention away from the living space itself. Here are the top ways to spot if it’s time to take the plunge and upgrade this most important room in your house.
The design and layout is outdated
A key clue to the age of your kitchen can be its general layout and design. Older kitchens were designed to be functional and little else. Today the ongoing trend is for kitchens to be more open plan rather than closed off spaces. Kitchen islands have also been exceptionally popular improvements in recent years and continue to be loved by a large number of home owners. If your kitchen is closed space you should investigate whether the walls surrounding it are load bearing structures. If they are not there is prime opportunity to take them out and unlock the true potential of this space. An open plan layout gives you absolute freedom to reposition key units and work areas whilst still ensuring that the kitchen obeys the rules of the working triangle philosophy to kitchen design.
Your house is on the market but won’t sell
It may sound counterproductive but spending money to improve your house before selling it is an effective way to increase its value and recoup your investment costs. An outdated and tired looking kitchen will put off potential buyers quickly. This does not necessarily mean that a complete renovation is required; as a starting point you could give the kitchen units a new lease of life with few upgrades such as the installation of an hotte cuisine silencieuse, which will not only be an important component of your kitchen but will also enhance the appearance of your home. Special consideration should also be given to your kitchen worksurfaces. Granite based or solid surface worktops are the norm now in beautifully finished modern houses. Their durability and good looks provide a great incentive for any buyer.
If your worksurfaces are old and worn, it makes great sense to consider upgrading them before putting your home on the market. Skilled kitchen fitting experts such as granitetransformations.co.uk will be able to upgrade these surfaces and immediately the look of your kitchen will be significantly improved.
The functionality of the space is failing
The next time you are in your kitchen check your cupboards and drawers. Do they open and close fully and smoothly? When these units are past their best, they may not close properly and the hinges may be badly worn or even broken. At this point it is time to consider refitting the kitchen, especially if multiple units are showing serious wear and tear.
It is also worth checking your main kitchen appliances such as your cooking units and refrigerator. Old refrigerators can be extremely poor in terms of energy efficiency and a modern unit may help to keep your utility bills down. Old cookers will tend to perform less well than their modern counterparts and a new cooker as part of kitchen improvements can be a centerpiece of design.
