Ok, if whenever you walk into your kitchen, you think: grrrrrrh! Then it's pretty obvious you need to change up your kitchen. According to the 2018 Houzz kitchen renovation survey, the number one reason Australians gave for renovating their kitchen was that they just couldn't stand their existing kitchen anymore.
However, sometimes it can be hard to decide whether to renovate or not. This may be because you're weighing up the financial cost or the potential inconvenience, or you're just not sure if a complete renovation is necessary. Below we've listed a couple of questions to ask yourself to help you decide whether you need a kitchen reno or, whether you maybe just need a fresh coat of paint and some new benchtops.
- Are you looking to sell your house soon? A quality kitchen renovation can add tens of thousands of value to your property above and beyond what you spend. If you're thinking of a kitchen reno for this reason, it's worthwhile making sure your new kitchen appeals to as many buyers as possible by opting for popular features like: walk in pantries, energy efficient appliances, pared back colour palettes, open plan design and ample cabinetry and bench space.
- Is your kitchen layout functional? If you've inherited an ancient kitchen, designed before the time of microwaves, dishwashers, home espresso machines and the like then it's entirely possible it's no longer functional for the way you cook and eat today. Nowadays the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, and we generally prefer it to be open plan and 'entertainment friendly'. Take a good hard look at your kitchen layout - does it work for what you want to do in the kitchen? Don't worry about whether it's beautiful right now, ask yourself is my kitchen easy to use or is it really challenging? A lot of older kitchens don't have the bench space and cabinetry we now expect from a modern kitchen. This is partly because the cooks of yesteryear simply did not have access to the smorgasbord of recipes and food ideas we now enjoy. Food prep was simpler and the number of appliances and cooking equipment that needed to be stored was much smaller.
- Is it the way it looks/feels? Sometimes it's the obvious visual features in our kitchen that make us think it's time for a reno. Maybe it's the avocado walls or scorched laminate counters. Or it could be the cracking subway tile backsplash or cheap pine cabinetry that gets your goat. If your current kitchen has a relatively modern design and modern appliances and the layout works well for you - it's worth asking yourself whether a bit of interior decoration may be the solution rather than a whole new kitchen. Something as simple as getting new bench tops or cabinetry can really transform a room, as can a new paint colour. If it really is an endless list of things you hate about your kitchen though, a full reno allows you to start from scratch and completely transform the space.
At Efficiency Building Group we have more than 20 years experience with quality renovations. Contact us today to discuss your vision.