How-To Guide For Important Kitchen Design Decisions
How To Make Important Kitchen Design Decisions
For Your Chicago Home
4Ever Remodeling Give Their Tips & Tricks
To Maximize Your Kitchen’s Potential
Home improvements as a whole have been increasingly popular in Chicago over the years, rising by over 3% in the last couple of years alone! Kitchen remodels rank among the most popular projects, with an increasing number of people choosing to eat at home more frequently.
For one reason or another, families have been utilizing their kitchens more and more. If you’re one of the many homeowners who have found themselves using their kitchen more than ever, you may have found that it no longer suits your original needs.
It’s safe to say that not EVERY kitchen is designed for optimal efficiency, and maybe you’ve grown tired of your original setup and are looking to switch things up.
You face multiple choices if you’re one of the many tackling this home improvement project. Here’s how to make important design decisions for your kitchen from our experts at 4Ever Remodeling.
Countertops & Backsplash Make A Statement —
So Choose Wisely
Your countertops are the centerpiece of your kitchen, bringing everything together. What material will you choose?
Natural stone countertops offer superior beauty and quality. They may cost more upfront but provide you with durability. For example, properly sealed and uncracked granite will grace your home for a century or more, allowing future generations to benefit from your effort.
Laminate countertops offer greater affordability for kitchen remodeling, letting you beautify your home on a budget. Suppose your countertops are structurally sound, and you want an even more affordable option. In that case, you can find peel-and-stick covers or even use paint to replicate a granite or marble effect without the massive cash outlay.
You Can Never Go Wrong With Cabinetry & Storage
When making important design decisions, your cabinets come in second place in terms of kitchen visual appeal. There’s no law preventing you from going with dark hues like black or mahogany, but today’s trends steer toward light and bright.
There are money-saving options here, too. It isn’t hard to paint cabinets — you need to remove the doors and hardware, clean and sand away any imperfections, and apply your fresh color. Two coats are sufficient, but a third helps when wiping the inevitable splatter.
The more expensive choice is replacing your cabinets. You have multiple wood options, with light tones like hickory and maple, which are ideal for open, farmhouse-style kitchens. Darker woods like cherry and red oak enhance more traditional kitchen remodeling designs.
Choose Appliances That Will Meet All Your Needs
Keep sustainability in mind when upgrading your kitchen. Market research suggests that today’s buyers will pay more for eco-friendly upgrades, so look for the highest-rated Energy Star appliances.
Should you go with matte color or stainless steel? The latter offers unparalleled beauty and makes your home look more like a professional kitchen — it’s often the material of choice for higher-end brands like Viking.
However, matte finishes resist fingerprints and streaking, making them far easier to keep clean. Consider the simpler option if your floors echo with the pitter-patter of tiny feet each morning, or risk spending your days with a cleaning rag in hand.
A Kitchen ALWAYS Needs Good Lighting
You need light to see your culinary creations. A skylight can add considerable natural daylight to this space if you live in a one-story home, although you’ll probably want to call in a contractor rather than trying to DIY. You don’t want to risk potential roof leaks.
Under-cabinet lighting is practically a must, but you have multiple options for doing so inexpensively. A simple set of plug-in LED strip lights can transform the entire look of your kitchen for well under $500. Many models allow you to adjust the color temperature from a bright daytime glow when cooking to a low amber setting for nighttime illumination.
Those bright overhead fluorescents inhabiting many older kitchens can cripple folks with migraine disease, thanks to the invisible pulsing. Plus, they lack aesthetic appeal. Consider replacing them with track lighting that lets you direct illumination where you need it most — like your stove and food-prep counter.
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Pick Flooring That Makes Sense
You probably don’t want carpet in your kitchen — there’s too much risk of spills and splatter. Tile, laminate, hardwood, and bamboo are your materials of choice, each offering unique advantages and drawbacks:
- Laminate: This is your least expensive choice. This material is relatively easy to install, but it can become scratched and damaged by animal paws and dropped knives.
- Hardwood: Hardwood can last for generations, making it one of your hardest choices. The right seal keeps it looking beautiful for well over a century.
- Tile: Tile floors also offer superior longevity. Another advantage is that you can replace a small damaged section without redoing the entire surface.
- Bamboo: Bamboo flooring offers multiple advantages. This sustainable material grows quickly, keeping trees standing. It’s also highly durable.
Let Your Color Scheme Do The Talking
Your kitchen’s color scheme shouldn’t clash with the rest of your house too much. That said, there’s nothing wrong with opting for a sunny yellow backsplash or even creating an accent wall.
Here’s where a trip to the design center comes in handy. You can line up samples of various flooring, countertop, and cabinetry patterns against your selected hues to ensure they create the finished effect you desire. It may take a bit more time now, but you’ll appreciate your finished results all the more
Dining & Entertainment Space Is A Must
For Many Chicago Homeowners
You may or may not have room to create dining space — although you can get inventive. For example, knocking out a wall and installing a counter creates a breakfast bar. Home additions are the most labor-intensive improvements you can make, but they may be worth it if you’ve dreamed of an alcove complete with a bay window for hosting Sunday brunch.
The right kitchen island also offers seating possibilities. You can line up stools on one side, allowing you to pass plates of scrambled eggs to your waiting family members with ease.
4Ever Remodeling Is Here To Help When Your
Stuck Making Important Design Decisions
For Your Kitchen
Contact 4Ever Remodeling if you’re seeking the right contractor to help you make important design decisions for your kitchen. We have been in the industry for over a decade and have tons of positive reviews and satisfied customers.
4Ever Remodeling can transform your kitchen or tackle all your home remodeling needs. Give us a call today and have the experts help with your kitchen renovation project — starting with a free in-home consultation.
4EVER REMODELING
If you want to discuss more about how our company can successfully complete your remodeling project,
feel free to schedule an in-home consultation with one of our friendly team members.
