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How Kitchen Remodels Can Improve Your Home’s Value

Are you thinking about remodeling your kitchen and wondering if it’s worth the investment? It is! The exact amount varies based on your unique home and the renovations you choose. But kitchen remodels are typically very sound investments. Here’s how kitchen remodels can improve your home’s value.

Kitchen Remodels Increase Your Home’s Appeal

Think back to when you bought your home. Did the kitchen influence your decision? We thought so. It does for most people. That’s because a beautiful, functional kitchen with plenty of storage space is a huge selling point for a home.

Kitchens are called the heart of the home for good reason. It’s where you cook and share meals with your family, grab a quick breakfast, entertain guests, and maybe even catch a Zoom meeting now and then. You have many conversations and make many memories in the kitchen. So a warm, inviting kitchen adds to your home’s appeal.

It follows, then, that increasing your home’s appeal through a kitchen remodel also adds to your home’s value. When prospective buyers tour your home, they imagine themselves in the kitchen. So you’re more likely to get a great offer if your kitchen is updated, beautiful, and contains plenty of storage space.

A Luxe Remodel Won’t Give You the Best ROI

For many homeowners, a luxury kitchen full of high-end appliances and fixtures is a dream come true. But it won’t give you a huge return on your investment. In fact, a full upscale kitchen remodel only returns about 31.7% of your investment. That’s because all those luxury upgrades come with a higher pricetag than a more modest remodel.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do a luxe remodel. If you don’t plan to sell your home soon, it makes sense to remodel your kitchen in a way you love. After all, it’s still a worthwhile investment if your new kitchen brings you greater joy and ease of use. You deserve it!

Adding a Kitchen Island Improves Your Home’s Value

Adding a new kitchen island is one of the simplest ways to improve your home’s value. And it’s more affordable than doing a full remodel. Plus, kitchen islands come in a range of options. So you have the freedom to choose exactly which features you would like to include. Hello, new home bar!

Remember, though, that while kitchen islands are available at big box stores, they don’t add much value to your home. So it’s worth investing in a custom kitchen island, especially if that’s the only upgrade you’re making. That way, your new kitchen island will match the rest of your kitchen. And that’s crucial for improving your home’s value.

It’s also worth noting that kitchen islands are a great selling point for your home because they’re always in demand. So whether you choose a simple island for extra storage or a fully equipped island with a cooktop, you’re sure to improve your home’s value.

Improve Your Home’s Value With New Cabinets

When it comes to remodeling your kitchen, investing in new cabinets is one of the best ways to improve your home’s value.  Cabinets don’t cost as much as a full remodel. So you enjoy a much higher return on your investment, around 85.7%. And because installing new cabinets doesn’t take as much time as a full remodel, you also enjoy your improvements sooner. Win!

So what type of cabinets should you choose? Custom kitchen cabinets offer significant advantages over stock cabinets from big box stores. They’re more durable, are customized to match your kitchen’s size and decor, and include as many features as you like. For instance, choose the type of wood you like. Select the size of your cabinets. And decide whether to include accessories like spice racks, drawer organizers, and pull-outs.

Remember, buyers place a lot of value on cabinet space. And custom cabinets help you maximize your kitchen space. Indeed, many homeowners are pleasantly surprised at how much more usable space custom cabinets create. So it’s always a worthwhile investment.

Ready to improve your home’s value with a kitchen remodel? Great! We’re happy to talk through your ideas and give you a quote. Contact us today to get started!

 

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7 Tips For A Better Kitchen Island

7 Tips For A Better Kitchen Island

A kitchen island gives you extra space for cooking, prep, storage and more. However, all islands aren’t created the same.

Much like your kitchen, the best kitchen island is completely unique to you. There isn’t just one design to pick from.

Boost your island to the next level and make it even more useful and amazing. All it takes is a few tweaks to make it exactly what you need.

1. Decide Why You Want A Kitchen Island

The first step is to decide why you want a kitchen island. Most kitchens, even small ones, are able to accommodate an island. However, before you add one, you need to decide what you’ll use it for. For instance, if you’ll use it for cooking, you’ll want to add a stove, vent hood and maybe even a sink. If you’re using it mainly for prep, you probably just need a sink. However, if it’s mainly for extra storage and more general prep, you might just need a countertop and no sink.

Picking the right purpose helps you make the most of your space. For instance, if you don’t need a sink in your island, you’ll have more counter space for other things. HGTV and The Trending House both have incredible island ideas to show you just how unique these can be.

2. Consider A Duel-Height Island

You’ve probably seem most kitchen islands have a single height. There’s nothing wrong with it, but you may want to consider a duel-height island. This gives you a handy nook for hiding smaller items and can even help prevent items from falling off the back while you’re prepping food. It’s also a nice way to provide a separate area just for eating or as a small bar.

3. Optimize Storage Space

No matter what your kitchen island is for, the best way to make it better is to optimize the storage space. Back to back cabinets are always a great option. In the work side, you’ll store more commonly used items. These will vary based on your island’s purpose, but pots, pans and countertop appliances are great things to store on this side.

On the opposite side, cabinets are often shallower. This gives you space for storing smaller items. Of course, you can get as creative as you want with storage options. If you don’t have a sink or oven, you may choose to have drawers at the top and open space at the bottom with shelves or baskets. You can have shelves or bins on each end to store random items, such as frequently used cookbooks or even kids’ toys.

4. Create A Small Eating Area

A kitchen island often replaces a dining area in smaller kitchens. This is also where a duel-height island works well to separate the eating area and the prep area. However, this isn’t necessary. To make it more comfortable to sit at the island, add an indented area for your stools or chairs to slide under. For stools, you may also consider adding a bar near the bottom as a foot rest. Carefully measure your island to ensure you get the right height chairs to work for your island.

5. Make It Functional

Sometimes, it’s easy to get so excited about a kitchen island that you forget to make it functional. Yes, they look great, but if it doesn’t make your kitchen more useful, it’s not helping you. Place your island to give you ample space to move around while still making it easy to jump between your island and your main kitchen cabinets, oven, refrigerator and so on.

Store items in the island that you would actually use on the island. If your oven’s in the island, store your most frequently used pots and pans just to the side of the oven inside deep cabinets. Your island should be functional and make using your kitchen much easier.

6. Add Ample Lighting

Since your island is supposed to be functional, you’ll need to be able to see what you’re doing. Typically, kitchen lighting is focused around your cabinets. This may mean your kitchen island isn’t lit as well as it should be. Add lighting directly over the island. A single bright light may be all you need or two smaller lights.

7. Expand The Island

Finally, consider ways to expand your island, especially in smaller kitchens. For instance, you might have a few feet of extra counter that slides out to add extra prep space or even an eating area. Legs on either corner can fold out to stabilize it. This can be added to both sides. You may even have a panel that looks like a flat panel covering shelves on either end that lifts up to create extra space.

Want to design a better kitchen island for your kitchen? Contact Edgewood Cabinetry today to discuss your plans.

Image: Jason Pofahl

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Edgewood Cabinetry kitchen cabinets Raleigh NC
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Big Considerations for Kitchen Remodeling

Like all home projects, a kitchen remodel can get out of hand without careful planning. According to data from the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence, 47% of homeowners who have undergone kitchen remodeling wished they could have done something different given a second chance.

The good news is such a scenario is entirely preventable. It just takes some careful considerations and forethought to make sure the process goes smoothly from start to finish. Though there are numerous factors to consider, the most important one is getting your hands on quality products that maximize functionality and provide lasting comfort. Regardless, failure to consider other factors will surely put your project at risk, so before you start tearing down those old kitchen walls, here are some considerations.

Consider a Flexible Budget

Edgewood Cabinetry kitchen cabinets Raleigh NCWeighing the costs of a kitchen remodel is one of the most challenging and essential tasks. Since a budget creates constraints, big decisions such as design changes, which appliances to be used, or type of lighting are influenced by it. If the budget doesn’t permit a specific desire, you will be forced to cut out other items to accommodate the change.

With a flexible budget, you are giving yourself more leeway to accommodate changes. This flexibility means that you are opening yourself up to more options and opportunities to weed out bad decisions, whether it be a more lavish design, brighter kitchen space, or updated cabinetry.

Since a kitchen remodel is a lifetime investment, you might pour in reasonable sums of money to your budget to make sure that you get your hands on your dream kitchen.

Stick to the Current Kitchen Layout

Basing the new kitchen design to the current kitchen layout will help you save you more money. In particular, significant parts of the kitchen, such as plumbing, electric circuits, or gas lines, shouldn’t be touched to avoid unnecessary expensive re-works.

Consequently, some design aspects will have to be based on the current kitchen layout meaning the fridge, outlets, fixtures, and sink will have to stay in place. However, this approach is not written in stone provided that you are willing to spend more. If your design preferences require a complete overhaul of the kitchen, including major re-routing works, then, by all means, do it.

Consider New Appliances

Edgewood Cabinetry home tips kitchen cabinetsSince you are remodeling for a better kitchen space, new appliances should be on your item list. The only downside of it is its high upfront cost. If your budget allows it, then, by all means, purchase the newest appliance in the market.

On the other hand, you can always opt for a downgraded version provided that it meets your expectations in terms of quality and energy-efficient features. The appliance is guaranteed to realize returns throughout its lifetime in the form of fewer utility bills, longevity, and convenience.

The placement of new appliances such as dishwashers or microwaves may require additional wiring or plumbing.

Seek Professional Help from Designers

No one knows better than you how you want your kitchen to look, but seeking professional help from designers can enhance your plans smoothly from start to finish. They are aware of the most common kitchen remodeling mistakes and will guide you accordingly. Since they are professionals, have the technical expertise to execute what you are envisioning. Years of experience under their belts make them the ultimate guide for your project, whether it be which products to purchase, how to reconfigure walls and ceilings, or what type of appliance to choose. The designer can offer fantastic advice based on your specific needs.

Kitchen remodels can be expensive, so let us make it unique with custom kitchen cabinets in Raleigh NC at an affordable price. Call Edgewood Cabinetry at 919-339-7300 to set up an appointment to help you with your dream kitchen plans.

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Kitchen Triangle-Edgewood Cabinetry

Kitchen space design: Three major problems you may need to fix

With the holiday season comes a flood of magazine articles and blog posts on cooking meals for large numbers of guests and trying out new recipes for winter treats. It’s also a good time of year to step back and take a hard look at your kitchen. What needs improvement? What plans should you make for the fast-approaching new year to optimize your kitchen space design for cooking and spending time with loved ones?

The following are three important problems to consider:

1) Your kitchen triangle is suboptimal.

Kitchens are generally designed around the idea of the “kitchen triangle,” which involves three key points in your kitchen: fridge, sink, and cooking area (basically, the stove and oven). You should be able to move between these locations easily, without worrying about crossing too long a distance or stumbling against cabinetry when you have a delicate jar or full boiling pot in hand.
Another problem is when people use one of the paths in your kitchen triangle to just walk across the kitchen, possibly blocking you in the middle of cooking; anyone just cutting across the kitchen should be able to go through an alternate route, and not through the area where you’re working.

2) You don’t have enough counter space

For many people, this is a major problem. Lack of counter space impedes food preparation and other aspects of cooking. You may also have trouble washing dishes at the sink or using your stove if there isn’t enough adjacent space to place pots, pans and other dishes.

3) You don’t have sufficient or efficient cabinet space

Either you don’t have enough cabinetry or your cabinetry isn’t efficient, resulting in wasted space. Cabinetry is an essential part of the kitchen, both for practical and aesthetic purposes.
You need to evaluate your cabinets to see if you’re making good use of their interiors and if they’re designed in such a way that you’re maximizing the amount of space in your kitchen. You can also use cabinets creatively – for example, installing some your appliances behind cabinets where they don’t have to take up space when they’re not in use. Well-designed cabinetry results in a kitchen that’s more beautiful, less cluttered, and better organized.
To discuss optimal kitchen space design, please contact us. The solutions you come up with need to be tailored to the space you’re working with and to your needs and tastes. We can help you come up with a beautifully designed kitchen that you’ll love.

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