The kitchen is the source of life of a house. It is therefore natural that, as a major hub, this is where a renovation can have the greatest impact. In terms of renovation, a kitchen is also the only area that can handle your budget quickly!
Jane Slack-Smith's Ultimate Guide of Renovation explains that the key to a successful and profitable kitchen renovation is to look on the street.
"Before you start ripping off your existing kitchen, you have to look at what is happening in the suburbs around you because you do not want to be overcapitalizing in a property and renovating to the taste of the bad people," he says.
"You have to go and see how the other houses in the area have been renovated. For example, if most homes have a glass splashback instead of tiles in the kitchen, you should also use a glass credenza – it's about meeting the criteria, instead of exceeding it. "
Renovating a kitchen means understanding who it is for and creating a functional, comfortable and timeless space. Jane's secret weapon is the kitchen working triangle, which defines the amount of space to be allocated between the three main areas of the kitchen: stove, sink and refrigerator. In the following pages, Slack-Smith shares his best tips for cooking with maximum impact and minimal investment.
First step: redefining your space
It is difficult to work with small spaces, but it can also be difficult to fill them. You want to maximize the available space without making it too cluttered.
If your kitchen is large enough, you may want to consider installing a pantry. This extra hidden area not only helps to create additional storage and preparation space, but also adds to the perceived overall value of the kitchen. A modern pantry serves as a bridge between the kitchen and the dining room and usually has countertops and storage spaces for tableware.
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You can also use a cupboard as a decorative element. Elegantly store your best dishes and linens in the cabinet, behind a protective glass door or clear windows.
Second stage: stretching the bench
Going fat can improve your ability to entertain in the kitchen. The kitchen island is the gathering point in the room, so it will be more useful to oversize it to enhance functionality and aesthetics.
You can consider using the entire sheet of stone for your benchtop, rather than reducing it to the desired size. Do not reduce it can save on costs!
Although expensive, stone worktops are perfect for kitchens, given their remarkable durability and beautiful, elegant look. If you have a budget, however, there are laminate worktops that mimic the appearance of the stone. They may not last as long as stone, but they are also reasonably durable.
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Branded products often seem more reliable at first glance, but generic brands can be as good as well-known brands such as Caesarstone – and you can get them for two-thirds of the price.
Step Three: Make the Faucets Shine
Tapware adds a crucial appeal, not only from a functional point of view, but also in terms of design.
Shiny is sold, the taps with a beautiful chrome finish is an excellent choice because it is modern and does not date too fast.
Chrome faucets are easy to polish – you can use a microfiber cloth and water to clean the faucet every day and prevent build up of dirt. Even if your style is more vintage, there are chrome faucets designed in a vintage style that would suit this aesthetic.
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If many deposits have accumulated on a chrome surface and you prefer to refrain from using chemicals, lemon juice is a great alternative: just place it on the area and let it work for an hour before you disappear.
Fourth step: maximizing storage
The value of a kitchen increases with the amount of storage space that it offers, which is why drawers are often a better choice than cabinets.
Modern kitchens have a lot of drawers because they optimize the use of space and are easier to access than the cabinets. Drawers are ideally placed low so you can organize heavier items such as pots and pans in an organized manner.
Use drawers at the base and keep cabinets for your overhead storage space. Consider not using a handle and opt for a high-gloss white finish for easy cleaning.
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Oil and dust residue can ruin the brightest finish. Keep the drawers clean by dusting and wiping them regularly to remove any sticky grease that may collect dirt.
Fifth stage: judiciously choosing cabinet-makers
In addition to providing additional storage space, the cabinets allow you to enhance the look of your kitchen. Showcases allow you to showcase your good porcelain and crockery, and cabinet doors painted in contrasting colors can add depth to the room.
You also do not have to strain your budget to install good cabinets in your kitchen. The use of prefabricated cabinets rather than custom-made will save on costs. There are fewer options to choose from, but you can imagine the rest of the space with other design elements.
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The wall cabinets give you a larger work surface without sacrificing storage space. You can spice up a showcase by adding patterned meshes for the texture.
Step Six: Set the tone with lighting
Good lighting sets the tone in a kitchen. If your target group includes children, you must make sure that they have enough light if they use a part of the room as workspace.
You will often see suspensions over the island bench to "zone" the space and give a nice tone; however, this could mean overcapitalization in this area. Like most trendy items, pendants can pick up dust and look so "yesterday" in a year or two, so stay simple. Downlights are an excellent choice and can even be installed under hanging cabinets.
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"Windows are also important and you should always use as much natural light as possible to breathe life into the space," says Slack-Smith. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light and offer beautiful views. If the target market has young children, it is a very popular feature because it allows parents to monitor children in the kitchen.
Step Seven: Add a drop of paint
Painting is the cheapest and fastest way to upgrade your kitchen space. If your total budget does not fit your budget, a facelift can be done for less than $ 500 if you choose to paint worktops and cabinets.
A new painting can instantly give a new look to a new light, as well as modernize its design. If the original hue is a bold color, you can take the opportunity to lighten it with a lighter shade, such as white or cream, to achieve a more attractive minimalist look.
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Painting is not the only solution. Updating the handles on your cabinets will also help modernize the kitchen and can be an inexpensive way to update the look every two years.
Eighth step: create a beautiful splash
A superb credence can serve as the centerpiece of your kitchen when it is well prepared.
The most common options are to use a window facing the garden, a mirror or a tinted glass.
Windows allows you to showcase elements outside the home as a natural work of art, while mirrors can reflect the best of your interior decoration. However, they must be cleaned and maintained regularly so as not to look dirty and cloudy. For ease of maintenance, tiles are another option.
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Tile coatings can also be artistic mementos, for example by using mosaic tiles that can be assembled to create beautiful patterns. But it's just important to ensure that the tiles used can withstand the rigors of a kitchen.
CASE STUDY
Tanya and Craig rose to the challenge of turning a dark, cramped, floorless kitchen of the 1920s into a bright, airy and functional space by choosing the right colors and having the right people on their team
Tanya and Craig decide to renovate their 1920s California style bungalow to improve their rental performance and increase their equity. The crossing of Ringwood was not smooth, but the result – an increase of $ 10,000 from the annual rental – was well worth it.
"When we got to the kitchen, we realized that there was no floor under the cabinets and the kitchen bench!" Explains Tanya.
Before
"The kitchen was dark and claustrophobic. The walls were dirty yellow, complemented by lower brown worktops and black vinyl flooring. The only window was covered with plants, so natural light was very limited in this dark kitchen. "
Tanya and Craig raised the space by choosing light and neutral colors. They also chose to skip the island bench because there was already enough room – this way, the tenants could rather settle on a dining table instead, thus giving the 39, illusion of a larger area.
"We knew that home appliances and furniture would cost us the most. So we started by going to a famous showroom where all the devices were exposed. From there, we made a short list of the items we wanted and we went to pick them up at cheaper stores. We had written quotes and asked each retailer to beat the quote until we found exactly what we were looking for at the right price. "
During
Since the house was built in the 1920s, none of the walls or floors was very flat, which increased the total cost.
"We had to choose bespoke products because using the standard flatpack did not really help to get the look we were looking for. Spending more here means that we can confidently ask for more rent, "says Tanya.
The same goes for recruiting specialists.
"We had to change our lines after our plumber told us that the current configuration could lead to leaks in the future," says Tanya. "The last thing we wanted to do was tear up a new kitchen later on the track!"
After
They opted for oak-colored floating floors, a Caesar white-speckled worktop, white cabinets with cabinets and drawers, stainless steel appliances, and a neutral-colored glass splashback. The finished kitchen is light and airy and would attract all the enthusiastic cooks of the family!
Jane Slack-Smith is a best-selling author,
media commentator and creator of the
FREE video course: How to find, renovate and take advantage of degraded properties.
For more information, visit freerenocourse.com.au.
Disclaimer: All mentioned products and prices are correct at the time of printing. The advice contained in this article is provided as general information only and should not be considered as financial advice. Make sure to talk to a qualified professional before making an investment decision.
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