5 Budget Friendly Ideas to Renovate and Refresh your Kitchen

Barcelona real estate Blog

Tuesday, 08 February 2011 10:24

Whether you're preparing your home for today's demanding real estate market, or simply feel your kitchen deserves a make-over, it's time to renovate your kitchen. Congratulations! Kitchen renovations, when done properly, can yield you massive ROI (return on investment.) In fact, you can expect a ROI of 70-80% in most areas of the country.

Let's learn about five kitchen renovations that will not only spruce up the all important hub of your home, but also reward you with loads of ROI for a job well done.

1. Fresh Countertops

There's absolutely no doubt; nothing screams "worn-out" louder than out of date countertops. When you consider the sizable surface area your counters cover, it's clear that they're a powerful renovation player. New countertops will freshen, modernize and possibly reinvent your kitchen- giving it an entirely new look. Even if your budget is limited, there are a few ways to freshen up your counter tops.

• Strip off your worn, aged or damaged laminate countertop, and install a more modern laminate choice.
• Upgrade your old laminate countertops with clean, crisp ceramic tile. Or, if you already have tile countertops, give the grout an intense cleaning. You'll be surprised at the dramatic results a little elbow grease can yield.
• Is your stone or solid surface countertop looking run-down? Return it to glory by having it professionally polished.

When deciding how to freshen the look of your countertops, be cautious to stay within the framework of the home and its potential value. A granite countertop is not appropriate for every home. If installed where unnecessary, you won't recoup your cost at the time of sale, and the money spent could have been better used to improve another area of the kitchen. Likewise, if a buyer would expect to see granite or another high-end solid surface product in a home similar to yours, don't cheap out.

2. Make a statement with a backsplash

Even if you decide against a new countertop, changing or adding a backsplash will make an impressive improvement to your kitchen. Some popular, yet unique choices for kitchen backsplash renovations:

• Glass tile. While glass tile is often a bit pricier than other backsplash choices, it looks fantastic! From cottage style kitchens to contemporary cooking places, glass tile will work. That's because these days you can find glass tile in a wide variety of sizes and in a rainbow of colors.
• Subway tile. Subway tile is hot, hot, hot and ultra versatile. Subway tile comes in natural stone, ceramic, glass, and porcelain. From traditional to trendy, retro to contemporary, there's a subway tile style and color just right for your kitchen.
• Beadboard. If you need to keep a budget in mind, beadboard (also known as wainscoting) might be the way to go. Easy to install, paintable to any color you choose, and budget-priced, beadboard offers you lots of coverage for your kitchen renovation dollar.

3. Look Up, Down and All Around

Take a really good look at your kitchen, or better yet grab a friend or professional to evaluate your kitchen's needs. We often focus on the obvious kitchen renovation items (appliances, countertop, sink) and neglect other areas of our kitchen that need updating. Consider some of these very easy kitchen freshening ideas:

• Paint! Give your kitchen's ceiling a fresh coat of paint. Ceilings are notoriously neglected. A fresh coat of paint on the ceiling of your kitchen will brighten it instantly. Changing the wall color, or simply refreshing it will a new coat of paint the same color offers loads of enhancement. Paint can also be used as an accent in the kitchen. Consider painting the cabinet doors or an island for a punch of unexpected color.
• Lighting. Outdated kitchen light fixtures are a hallmark of a kitchen in need of some TLC. While new lighting can require a hefty investment, there are lots of classy and affordable fixtures on the market these days (many of which copy-cat expensive fixtures.) If a new fixture isn't in your budget, then if possible, update the glass globe of the fixture. This is especially effective when updating an out-of-date ceiling fan. New lighting will also brighten your work space, making even the most dreaded kitchen tasks a joyful occurrence.
• Crown molding. Add crown molding to your kitchen and make your kitchen classier in an instant! The stronger the crown molding (the wider and more intricate the piece) the more sophisticated the look. Simple, yet attractive crown molding may be more suitable for a country, contemporary or beach style kitchen.
• Floor. If you're not 100% satisfied with your kitchen's floor, but you're not ready to invest in installing a new floor, consider an area rug. The right rug will help your kitchen feel warm, compliment your kitchen's new colors, and even lend a hand achieving the "look" you're going for. Choose a rug for under a kitchen table, for a breakfast nook, or for a spot that needs hiding (cracked tile, scratched wood, etc.) Be sure that the rug's style mirrors the style of your kitchen (contemporary rug for a contemporary kitchen, etc.)

4. Sinks: more than functional pieces

You can spend a small fortune on a new kitchen sink and faucet. But there are thousands of incredible moderately priced sinks and faucets to choose from too. Selecting a kitchen sink is not a decision that should be taken lightly because these days, the kitchen sink is not only expected to be a super functional component of your kitchen, it's expected to be a decorate accent as well. There's no doubt that installing a new sink will make an impressive impact on your kitchen, but simply replacing the faucet will also spruce up your kitchen, and likely make your sink more efficient as well.

5. Cabinets offer massive wow

Undoubtedly, installing brand new cabinets can enhance your kitchen in a massive way. But new cabinets also come with a fairly hefty price tag. Refinishing or refacing the cabinets is an excellent alternative if the cabinets are in good condition. If you choose to reface your cabinets, you'll be replacing the actual front of the cabinet or drawer with a new face. Refinishing the cabinet consists of stripping off the old finish, and then staining or painting the original cabinet face. If refacing or refinishing your kitchen cabinets is out of the question, consider changing the cabinet hardware. The price of hardware varies, but for roughly $2-$8 per piece, you'll drastically change the look of your old cabinets.

Kitchen renovations get a bad rap as a very costly home improvement. Nationally, a major kitchen renovation averages 58,000, and a minor kitchen renovation comes in around $21,000. But don't let the numbers scare you into forfeiting your kitchen renovation dream. It is possible to achieve superior kitchen renovation results without begging your banker for a line of credit.

Courtesy of Show Appeal Realty, an Arizona real estate brokerage selling Scottsdale Homes and Phoenix real estate.

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