Easy Upgrades to Builder Grade or Dated Spaces - Part 2
I hope I’m getting your wheels turning in terms of easy (and some not-so-easy) upgrades you can make to your home. The New Year is the ideal time to think about what changes you’d like to make to enhance your home. We spend so much time at home, we should love our space, don’t you think?
This week, I’ll be focusing on some ideas to upgrade a dated kitchen.
Cabinet Door Fronts
I was contemplating buying a condo recently and it needed everything. It was stuck in the 80’s and in my humble opinion, not much great design was happening in that decade (I’m not sure hair or clothing styles were all that fashionable at that time either). The worst room (and the one that needed the most love) was the kitchen.
Although the cabinets seemed to be in good shape, the doors were melamine with oak trim (remember those beauties?) and an eye sore to say the least. In doing research, I found out that you could actually replace the doors only if you like the layout of a kitchen and placement of the cabinets. Check them out here, https://kitchencabinetdoors.com/ Because this would be a vacation home and not my primary residence, I would not opt to do a full kitchen remodel. I estimated the cost to purchase primed door and drawer fronts would be about $1500. A bargain when considering what new cabinets would cost.
Of course, if you don’t like the layout of your kitchen these might not be an option and you may have to make a much greater investment. Both options are valid. If this had been my primary home, I may have opted for all new cabinets. If you need to wait a bit to get what you want – a quick and inexpensive fix can buy some time and enjoy what you have . . . for now. That’s a wise thing to do. You may change your mind about what you want to do from now until when you do a complete remodel. Hang in there and spiff it up until then.
Countertops
If you’ve ever done a kitchen remodel you know you can go crazy with, however, if cost is of concern, I love a butcher block countertop. Years ago when I was working on a huge renovation I chose maple countertops and loved them. Maple was an expensive wood, but when times became tighter and I was working on investment properties, Ikea’s butcher block countertops fit the bill and my wallet and provided a very similar look for a fraction of the cost. My current condo has herringbone butcher block countertops from Lowes and I love them. Everyone commented on them and they were so affordable.
Herringbone Butcher Block Countertops from Lowes
Wooden countertops remain a classic and give a timeless look and feel to a kitchen. I’d use them again and again when cost and style are major considerations.
Backsplash
Many kitchens have no backsplash; however, especially near a stove, tile provides a great surface that can easily be wiped down when tomato sauce splatters. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are more affordable than marble or granite/quartz slabs and are more easy to maintain. Some classic favorites of mine are good old subway tiles – the most affordable and classic look that will stand the test of time. I’ve used this artisan subway tile in two clients' homes recently and love the look.
https://www.flooranddecor.com/ceramic-tile/artisan-oyster-ceramic-tile-100500974.html
I also love a mirror behind a stove – it’s great feng shui and is very reasonably priced. I’ve done this in the past and it looks great, is easy to clean and affordable. It’s a tri-factor!
If you love the look of marble, there are options in porcelain and ceramic tiles that give you the look for less. Installing backsplash is like frosting a cake. There are many tutorials on YouTube that can walk you through the process. Of course, you can always hire someone to install the tile as well.
We’ll continue our kitchen upgrades in next week’s blog. See you then!
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