Having a brand new kitchen is often at the top of homeowners’ wish lists, and for good reason. Your kitchen receives a lot of foot traffic throughout the day. Kitchens are a space to cook your favorite meals, sit down with a cup of coffee, visit with friends and family, get some work done, and much more. Americans spend an average of 37 minutes a day preparing and serving food, and cleaning up. You’ll want your space to be somewhere you’re comfortable in. There are many reasons to update your kitchen, and we’ve outlined nine common ones for you to consider. If you answer “yes” to any of the scenarios, it may be the perfect time for you to remodel your kitchen!
When you’re ready to take that step, our staff of professional designers will be eager to help you. Thanks to our exclusive Personalized Design experience, you can be sure the end result will be a space that you’ll love. We’ll meet with you in the comfort of your home so we can see how you use your space and discuss the possible solutions with you. Afterwards, you’ll be invited to visit one of our Kitchen & Bath Design Centers in the Pittsburgh area to select the products for your new kitchen. Your designer backed up by a team of professionals will be there to oversee and complete every step of the project, from start to completion.
Now, let’s get on to the reasons you may be ready for a new kitchen!
You want to increase family time.
The kitchen is often called the heart of your home. Having an inviting space with room to move around or sit and visit can encourage gathering. When your family can gather together comfortably, it gives you the opportunity to prepare and eat meals together. A kitchen remodel can help you spend less time at restaurants or eating on-the-go and spend more time together with loved ones in your home. Remodeling your kitchen for this purpose doesn’t necessarily mean you have to increase its size. As we mentioned in our article on Debunking the 10 Most Common Kitchen Remodeling Myths, bigger isn’t always better. It’s important to look at what space is available and how it’s used, which is a step of our Personalized Design experience.
You want to encourage making more meals at home.
Does your microwave or stovetop not work so well anymore? Do you feel like you’re tripping over yourself when you’re making meals? These factors and others can make cooking at home an inefficient chore. On the other hand, if you have ample counter space and new, more efficient appliances, cooking at home can be done with ease. Encourage your cooking from home by updating your space. You can save money and choose healthier options when preparing homemade meals. A remodeled kitchen can be good for your wallet and overall health in the long run. Of those who remodeled in 2017, 41% said they cook more at home and 33% said they have had a healthier lifestyle.
You’re noticing some deterioration.
Just like anything else, the components of a kitchen can break down over time. Some have negative effects on your space’s aesthetics, such as cracked kitchen tile floors or backsplashes, peeled countertops, or dingy hardware. Other deteriorations can be more serious, such as broken appliances or outdated plumbing. Remodeling your kitchen gives you a chance to replace the old with the new. These elements and more will be assessed during the kitchen remodel process. Not only will this update the overall look and feel of your kitchen, it will also give you peace of mind about the room’s functioning parts.
You’re questioning your kitchen’s safety.
The kitchen is a room in your house that can be very accident-prone. If you are feeling uneasy about it, the peace of mind that comes with a kitchen remodel will make it all that more worthwhile. There are several avenues of safety to take into consideration when thinking about whether or not your kitchen needs to be updated.
Deterioration – Again
When parts of your kitchen deteriorate, that can make them unsafe as well as unseemly. Cracked kitchen floor tiles can become a tripping hazard, or may present the opportunity for you or a loved one to scrape their feet. Outdated stove burner lights can increase the risks of burns. These are just a few examples of how parts of your kitchen show deterioration and are in need of an update.
General Safety
Not only should you worry about deterioration, there’s also general safety to consider. For example, proper kitchen ventilation is critical to improving air quality and addressing the problems of grease, smoke, and odors. Additionally, improving the lighting in your kitchen can help improve your safety. Ensuring the room’s task lighting is bright enough for you to prepare food is essential to cooking safety.
Safety Hazards Specific to Your Household
Safety is an especially important conversation depending on who makes up your household. If there are children, elder members, people with disabilities, or even pets living in your home, there are other factors to consider. Knife sets left out on the counter are an accident waiting to happen – putting the knives away in their own drawer is a better alternative. As we mentioned previously, having lighting that’s bright enough for aging eyes is crucial to food preparedness safety. Ensuring the space has proper space for mobility and is free of tripping hazards is also important. Pets can be naturally curious, so securing trash receptacles by placing them inside cabinetry can be a protective step. If your kitchen doesn’t have solutions such as these, a kitchen remodel will make your life easier. Our trained staff of professional designers will evaluate how you use your kitchen and what updates you can most benefit from, so you’ll be sure the kitchen is a safe place to gather.
You want to add value to your home.
If your kitchen is outdated, updating the space is a great way to add value to your home, especially if you are considering selling it in the future. The kitchen is one of the first things most buyers look at. As we’ve discussed before, homeowners recover between 50% and 80% of what they spent remodeling their kitchen through the ROI. Although this isn’t an exact trade off, there are other benefits to remodeling your kitchen. For example, if your house has an updated kitchen, it tends to help your home sell quicker. If your kitchen is outdated, average home buyers won’t be excited about their new purchase needing such a big project right up front.
You want to increase your kitchen’s efficiency or improve its technology.
If your kitchen hasn’t been remodeled in a while, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on some new technological benefits. Some of these benefits could even affect your budget every month. Older appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, or faucets use more energy than their modern counterparts. For example, new refrigerators with an ENERGY STAR label use 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001. Imagine how much you could be saving per month! Along with energy efficiency, there is new technology for your kitchen that can help make life run a little smoother. Touch-free activation faucets mean your hands are free during cooking, and less germs for you to tackle during clean up. Adding charging stations to your space will give you a central place to keep your devices going, as well as store all your cords. If you love music, installing wireless or bluetooth speakers in the kitchen can make cooking and meal times even more fun.
Your kitchen doesn’t match your lifestyle.
It’s essential for your kitchen functionality to match how you want to use it. That’s why during our Personalized Design experience, we will visit you in your home to observe just that. Your designer will take into consideration factors such as your home’s traffic flow, how you like to cook, and your storage needs to design a space for you that works exactly as you need it to.
There are custom-built updates that can add function and value to your kitchen, too. Making space for a corner dinette with bench storage can be a perfect solution for those with growing families. An over-sized kitchen island is ideal for those who need extra food preparation or eating space. You can increase your storage space with a food pantry as well.
Your kitchen is outdated.
Kitchen trends come and go through the years. Design decisions have their moments and then exit the stage. If you feel your kitchen’s design is passed its prime, it sounds like it’s time to remodel. Doing so will help you create a space you’re happy with and could help your home sell faster in the future, if that’s a concern.
Stop by one of our three Kitchen & Bath Design Centers in the Pittsburgh area to see what designs, products, and finishes are in style and can be incorporated into your new space. Product selection is a crucial step in the Personalized Design experience. From our quality, American-made cabinets to flooring options to countertops to lighting to hardware, we know you’ll find the pieces that’ll complete your dream kitchen remodel.
You’re craving change.
Your existing kitchen may be beautiful and functional, but if it doesn’t suit your tastes, that’s reason to consider a remodel. If you want to give your kitchen an updated look without remodeling, refacing your kitchen cabinets is a great option. Through this process, your current cabinetry will stay in place, but certain elements about them can change such as their door design, color, and hardware. You could also update your countertop, tile backsplash, and flooring, if you wish to have more change in your space. Or, if you are contemplating a complete overhaul, that’s okay too!
The kitchen is a central room in your home – not necessarily physically, but emotionally and functionally. If any of the above scenarios resonated with you, it may be time to seriously consider a kitchen remodel. Our team is here to help you through every step of the process.
Not sure where to get started? Browse through our designs to be inspired by what others have done before. You can also read up on the FAQ’s of Kitchen Remodeling or become familiar with these 10 Common Kitchen Remodeling Myths. If budget is a concern, here’s a guide on how to set one up. If you’re ready to dive right in, request your free consultation now to start the process.
