Jordan
Remodeling your kitchen is often one of the biggest home improvement projects that you can take on, both in terms of the amount of money you invest in the project and the disruption to your home life while it’s going on. So, it’s no surprise that the majority of homeowners want to put off renovating their kitchen for as long as possible – after all, it’s a lot of work, expense and hassle for something that doesn’t really need doing.
However, that being said, the kitchen is the heart of your home and a huge kitchen remodel can seriously change your home life for the better. There are several potential reasons why you might be considering upgrading your kitchen – here are some sure signs that you should take the plunge.
You’re Running Out of Space
Even if you don’t cook a three-course meal for your family every evening, you still need to have enough space to store your food and prepare your meals. Sadly, many kitchens are lacking when it comes to cabinet and counter space, and trying to get everything done and store everything neatly when you’re working with very little room can be a massive source of frustration. Even if you’ve got heaps of cabinets, perhaps they’re just all really small and not all that fit for purpose. Maybe there’s not enough storage space to fit a dishwasher in along with your other appliances, or perhaps you have had to improvise by adding extra shelving or free-standing storage cabinets in order to make room to store your stuff. It’s certainly not the best solution, so if this sounds like your kitchen, it’s definitely worth considering a remodel.
You Have Different Needs
Families evolve and change over time, and with that, the needs for your kitchen might also change. Perhaps you have a growing family and have found that with the addition of an extra child or two since you first moved into your home, you no longer have enough kitchen space for all of you. Perhaps the kitchen that worked fine for you as a child-free couple is now somewhere you dread going into. Or, perhaps your children have grown up and flown the nest and you’ve found that the large kitchen that served you so well when they were all small is now far too big for you, and you’d like a smaller kitchen so that you can utilize the rest of the space as a living or dining area instead.
Cleaning is a Nightmare
Kitchens need to be kept clean and hygienic, but if you have found yourself dreading your daily clean of the kitchen simply because it’s so difficult to do, it might be time to consider treating yourself to a new one. Finding the time in the day to clean your kitchen can be difficult enough when you have a busy lifestyle, and it’s even worse if you’re dealing with surfaces that are poorly designed or so worn that they’re difficult to fully clean and never look clean no matter how much you wipe them. If you’re dealing with grout lines so stained that no amount of scrubbing will do the trick, smudgy grime around cabinet handles that won’t come off and abraded countertops, it’s no surprise if cleaning feels like a losing battle – and it’s a sign that you could benefit from upgrading your kitchen.
You’ve Got Bad Lighting
Lighting design is sadly often an afterthought when it comes to kitchens, but the truth is that it can make a huge difference when it comes to how well you can both use and enjoy the space in your home. Good lighting is more important in your kitchen than anywhere else in your home, but all too often, homeowners have to deal with inadequate lighting fixtures that are placed rather poorly. Updating your kitchen means that you can take advantage of a well-thought-out kitchen lighting plan that really brings the room to life. Statement pendants, under-cabinet lights, and in-ceiling spotlights can make a huge difference to the look and feel of your kitchen – and make it much easier to see what you’re doing.
You Need New Appliances
Most kitchen appliances are designed to last for a long time but like anything, they eventually reach the end of their lifespan. Gas ranges, for example, typically last for around 15 years while your fridge can be expected to last you around 13 years. Dishwashers tend to need replacing more frequently with around nine years of use in them. If you last remodeled your kitchen over a decade ago and still have all the same appliances, chances are that they are not going to last you much longer.
You might have already experienced some problems with them or have had to call out somebody to repair issues with them. While older appliances might still function adequately enough, there are some downsides of continuing to use them including poor energy efficiency compared to newer models. While replacing your appliances doesn’t always mean getting a new kitchen, many homeowners choose to do it all together since when you remodel your kitchen, you can also update all your appliances with brand new ones to keep that consistent look.
There’s a Lack of Flow
A kitchen that’s well-designed is meant to be a workspace that’s both easy to use and pleasant to be in. Everything that you need while preparing and cooking meals should be close by and you should be able to move around freely and efficiently no matter what tasks you are carrying out. However, many older kitchens are not designed for this. While all the elements might be there, they might be too close together or the things you need might be just out of reach of your workstation, which can be hugely frustrating. A good kitchen designer will ask questions to determine how you use your kitchen, what you like and dislike about your existing layout, and any other requirements you have to ensure that your final kitchen works well for you. Kitchen Capital provides modern kitchen renovations designed to make using this important room in your home as easy and as enjoyable as possible. If you are looking for kitchens in Perth, consider a professional fitting from Kitchen Capital.
You Hate Your Kitchen
Last but not least, simply being no longer able to stand spending time in your kitchen is definitely a valid reason to consider remodelling it. If you’ve gotten to a point where you’ve started ordering more food in just so you can avoid going into the kitchen to cook, and are embarrassed about it to the point where you try and avoid allowing guests into your kitchen, this is definitely a sure sign that you will benefit from having a new one fitted. If your kitchen is old, dated, poorly laid out and simply doesn’t appeal to your taste or sense of style, it makes sense that you’d want to rip it out and put a new one in that’s more ‘you’. After all, your kitchen is the most important room in the home where friends and family gather, so why not have a space that you can show off?
Kitchens have certainly evolved a lot over the years. And while your kitchen might have been functional and acceptable for a while, there are many reasons to consider going for that upgrade.
Additional resources:
- How to have a stress free remodeling.
- The hidden ways that architecture affects how you feel.
- Are indoor shutters the newest trend?
