Kitchen Renovation Tips

People tend to get excited and carried away with possibilities for upgrading their kitchens. It’s important to consider the type of home you’re selling, the type of buyer you’re most likely to attract and your price point. You don’t want to spend money on pricey upgrades that potential buyers will not be anticipating. Here are some affordable kitchen renovation tips:

1. If you have solid hardwood cabinets, don’t replace them. Apply a coat of fresh paint, reface or replace the doors and change the hardware.

2. Upgrade your lighting with fixtures that will blend in with your cabinet hardware.

3. If you want to replace your countertops, choose solid surface Corian countertops with a build-in sink instead of granite. DuPont Corian is easy to clean and is resistant to stains, bacteria, mildew and mold. Drop-in sinks can be recycled.

4. Get new matching appliances and recycle your old appliances.

5. Liven up your kitchen by painting the walls with a bright accent color.

6. Install do-it-yourself type flooring. Laminate is a popular choice that comes in patterns that resemble slate or natural wood.

If you are planning a more extensive kitchen remodel, you can stay within your budget by following these initial steps:

1. Choose a style. Get ideas by looking through magazines or going online.

2. Look at appliances and make a list of your wants and needs. Do you want a large oven? Double ovens? Cooktops?

3. Work with a kitchen designer to create a space plan. Determine where your storage and work areas will be located.

4. Get prices and refine your plan as needed.

Another approach you can take is to do your kitchen renovation in stages. For example, you can upgrade your cabinets and countertops and get new appliances first, and then follow up with structural changes such as removing cabinets and extending the backsplash into the adjacent space.