Cabinetry
4. An Open Layout Designing your kitchen to have a sensible and open layout is pivotal to increasing property value when you’re renovating to sell. In Australia, the trend is moving toward open-plan living and multifunctional spaces. Do: Have a large open-plan space with a kitchen island if possible. Buyers often want to multitask in the kitchen. They want to cook, have their kids do their homework and socialize in it. Don’t: Place your kitchen in a small and poky room. The kitchen is now often the hub of the house, and buyers want to see a kitchen that is interactive and sociable.
2. Symmetry The eye is naturally drawn to appreciate symmetry and repetition. When you’re renovating to sell, keep your kitchen cabinetry simple and appealing. Elegance has a way of being understated, and simplicity is key when you are trying to appeal to the majority of buyers. Do: Keep the wall cabinetry sizes the same where possible. Drawers look nice when they are large and expansive — if you have multiple sets, keep them the same size, with the same proportion of drawers. Don’t: Add multiple cabinets in varying sizes. Try to keep the look and feel consistent in the whole space.
Note: Excessive internal organizers aren't essential if you are planning on reselling your home. They are wonderful in adding value to your personal use of the kitchen but are not always a wise choice if you are renovating purely to sell. Internal drawer and cabinet fit-outs are often expensive, and the extra money you spend on these accessories may not come back to you when you're selling your property.
The 4 Things Most Buyers Want in a Kitchen 1. Quality The number of cabinets you have is not as important as the quality of the cabinetry. The fewer cabinets you add to your kitchen renovation, the less expensive it will be. Choose quality over quantity. Do: Choose quality hinges and runners, including soft-close drawers, and custom-made cabinetry. Don’t: Go for large fillers and ill-fitted modular cabinetry. Keep the cost down by keeping the cabinet count down. Design the kitchen layout to keep it light, bright and with an open plan, without using tons of cabinets. Talk to a kitchen designer about using quality materials
2. Consider the cabinetry. Depending on the kitchen, Ahmann might start with the cabinet as the beginning of the materials palette. “This is what ends up being most ‘in your face,’ as the wall cabinets are smack dab at eye level,” he says. Kelly keeps his materials choices as simple and natural as possible. Slate, marble and wood are all common choices. He recommends sticking to a small palette — three or four materials — to keep it simple. Look for light-colored cabinetry to keep the space open and bright, using other materials in small doses for visual depth and texture.
“If you’re designing a kitchen layout from scratch, address the practical considerations first: How many people will be using the kitchen on a regular basis? Do you do a lot of entertaining?” she says. “This will help you work out the kitchen’s size and function.” Then consider how the work triangle — cooktop, sink and fridge — will best fit your layout, she says. Allow enough space between the three points of the triangle, so you’re not walking yards between them every time you use your kitchen.
Inadequate Space Between the Sink and the Stove The area between the sink and the stove is the main food preparation area, so although there are no set guidelines, you’ll want a decent expanse of countertop space there, says Cherie Barber, owner of Renovating for Profit, which offers online instruction in remodeling. Solution: When planning your kitchen, make sure the layout meets the practical day-to-day needs of the kitchen user, she says.
Not Measuring Appliances Lack of planning when it comes to appliances can lead to excessive protrusion from oversize refrigerators. “This can affect the ability to open cabinets and other appliances in your kitchen, and reduce circulation space,” Gordon says. Not measuring small appliances like microwaves, blenders and food processors can be an issue too. Without a proper home, they can end up sitting out on the counter and creating clutter, she says. Solution: Select appliances well in advance, checking the dimensions and the way appliances open to ensure that your kitchen layout can accommodate them in concealed, tailored storage, Gordon says. This also applies to pots and pans.
Cabinet door style
Contemporary
The kitchen was strategically placed at the back of the house, so people can flow between it and the back patio. Teal woodgrain cabinets have an earthy look and are topped with sandstone counters. A skylight showcases a wood and blue granite island made by kitchen designer William Ohs. Brass pulls and a hammered copper farm sink and oven hood add warmth to the space, while a tile mosaic created by KJ Patterson offers a focal point.
Avoid glass cabinetry next to your range. Designer Barbra Bright put together several great designer tips for kitchens this week. She suggests that if you’re considering glass-fronted cabinets in your kitchen, it’s best to avoid placing them next to your range hood. Otherwise you’ll likely be spending a good deal of time wiping grease and grime off those glass panels.
Other special features: Mint-green range. Brushed and mirrored stainless steel range hood Designer secret: “Choose your wow materials thoughtfully,” Leasia says. “None of us want a boring, generic kitchen, but we also don’t want a kitchen that is a messy mix of the latest trends.” Also on the team: T&R Construction (general contractor); Oregon Custom Cabinets; Caleb Vandermeer (photographer) Countertops: Icelake in polished finish, Pental Surfaces; paint: Gray Owl in eggshell finish (walls), White Dove in satin finish (cabinets) and Deep River in satin finish (dining serving station): Benjamin Moore; refrigerator: Sub-Zero, paneled by cabinetmaker; range: Rully, Lacanche; custom hood: Vent-A-Hood; faucet: Henry one-hole gooseneck in chrome, Waterworks; cabinet hardware: National Builders Hardware; island pendant lights: Eastmoreland, Rejuvenation; dining pendant light: Vendome, Circa Lighting See more of this home
. Drawers, Pullouts and Organizers Alfin is seeing more remodeled kitchens that have few or no upper cabinets. “Kitchens with no uppers are cleaner and sleeker,” she says. “But with fewer cabinets comes less storage.” The designer suggests making the most of lower cabinet storage by adding custom drawers and pullouts with built-in organizers, plate racks and spice racks.
Top 5 Kitchen Trends 1. Rich Colors for Cabinetry Alfin says infusing more color into kitchens is on the rise. “While white kitchens are still popular, they’re finally on the downtrend,” she says. One of the best ways to inject color into a kitchen is by adding cabinets painted in rich, saturated colors. If you’re afraid of being too trendy, consider choosing historical colors, Alfin says: “Most paint companies offer historical lines of colors that have stood the test of time.” In the kitchen pictured here, the team at Heidi Caillier Design installed new cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue.
Expensive
Glass doors on cabinets next to hood
Space around the hood (open shelving) to accentuate the hood. Also upper cabinets add light.
An example of darker base cabinets and the upper shelves, walls, window trim and countertop, sharing the same shade of white. The darker section serving as a foundation, the larger white areas in perfect balance. A look that is gaining more recent attention as a "built-in" feeling. Very spacious look.
The zebra-striped wood cabinets and island in this Salt Lake City kitchen are complemented by six counter stools featuring similarly patterned wood.
Small cabinets reaching the ceiling with Glass doors to match the ceiling height hood, but with space above some cabinets for depth. ....Also really like what they did on either ends of the counter. Creates a completion while looking stylish and providing extra drawer space.
Transitional kitchen
Black & gold hood with white cabinetry and black, white & gold hardware & fixtures. ...Matched the cabinets next to the hood. And added matching bar stools.
Hanging space above the sink, shelf above the washer & dryer
White cabinetry with gold hardware
Black & white Cabinets with gold handles and gold, black & white light, black window trim, black shelving.
Glass cabinets next to hood. Nice idea.
2 dingle Cabinets by the hood.
Alectra Cabinetry Shelf by Dura Supreme Alectra kitchen Cabinetry by Dura Supreme floating shelf shown with Quarter Sawn Red Oak with "Mission' finish. Floating shelves maintain an open, airy look in this lofty, contemporary kitchen design. Request a FREE Brochure: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure Find a dealer near you today: http://www.durasupreme.com/dealer-locator
Designated storage for hair dryer curling iron straightener etc.
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