Have you been considering selling your home? Are you worried that your house or apartment is not selling for more than what you originally paid? Now is the perfect time to assess your home, inside and out, to determine if there are any areas that may need updating, tweaking, or complete replacement. When considering putting your home on the market, you need to think like a potential buyer: will the home withstand any adverse and unexpected weather, are there any major repairs needed, and is there scope to expand the home if necessary? Stay ahead of the housing market by undertaking some DIY home projects to make your property shine. One of the easiest and most profitable projects is a kitchen remodel.
excuse me, excuse me
Unless you’re an experienced carpenter or home improvement expert, restoring your kitchen can seem like a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be! You might think that only individual homeowners or small families can complete this project. Wrong again! With proper planning, a kitchen makeover can start and end in a timely and hassle-free manner.
Where do I start?
The first and most crucial step for this project is to have the proper planning in advance. Create a hand drawn floor plan of your existing kitchen. Cut out simulated furniture units on separate paper so you can move freely around the furniture before testing your strength. Next, you need to consider the finances for the home makeover. How much can you spend? Where are some areas where you can reduce the budget for the project a bit? Finally, create a makeshift kitchen in case this remodel takes longer than anticipated. This way, you won’t feel crowded or rushed and you’ll still be able to eat proper meals.
start small
One of the easiest ways to completely revamp your outdated kitchen is to replace your cabinet hardware. Over time and with extensive use, cabinet knobs and pulls often look tarnished or downright ugly, especially if you have nice decorations and cabinet material installed. By adding attractive cabinet door handles, you’ll instantly enhance the design and value of your kitchen. Classic knobs are available in bronze, nickel, chrome, brass, pewter, stainless steel, and even colored glass. The real challenge is selecting a suitable material (mentioned above) with an elegant and refined finish. Typical finishes for these fixtures include oiled, satin, polished, distressed, iron, matte, antique, and burnished.
think in layers
Recent style changes show that the layered look is back in style. What does that mean for your kitchen cabinet hardware? Starting with the lowest cabinets and working your way up to the ceiling, each ‘tier’ should have a designated material. Renovation professionals recommend starting with darker colors at waist height and below, allowing brighter finishes and materials to shine through near armature and ceiling-level light fixtures.
Cool and Contemporary
Other stylists suggest that the cool, polished look of stainless steel is a must. If your appliances are already stainless steel, why not complete the look with matching cabinet pulls? These accessories are easy to clean and disinfect, which is ideal for busy households with children and pets. Best of all, stainless steel goes with any pattern; so if you change your mind about striped wallpaper in a week, you won’t have to run out and replace these fixtures again.
Purchase and Assembly
The easiest step in this kitchen makeover process is the purchase and assembly of these hardware materials. When you’re ready to make your purchase, make sure you’ve counted and recounted the number of knobs you’ll need. Finally, you will also need additional mounting hardware accessories including screws and hinges. Be sure to purchase both the mounting hardware and knobs at the same time so that the material and finishes are a perfect match. Viola! Your kitchen renovation project is complete and you are ready to put your home on the market!
