We all love home improvement ventures. After every few years, the innate designer within you wants to make a few tweaks around the house to appease your aesthetics and have a nice change. It helps to break the monotony, experiment with some new home décor trends, and make things look new.
So, are you serious about your kitchen renovation endeavor? If yes, then you must know by now that it is going to be an expensive venture. However, we will still try to help you save a few bucks wherever possible. Tag along for an effective kitchen-remodeling checklist so you do not miss anything important.
Splurge on a High-End Faucet
No, we wouldn’t suggest saving up here. Because the faucet is perhaps the hardest working part of your kitchen. Therefore, invest in it for convenience and quality. it’s best to go for a single-handed and wall-mounted operation. Consider investing in a premium brand for the faucet. You will have a plethora of tempting choices when it comes to designs.
Moreover, if you have the sink in front of the window, check the handle clearances and faucet for a perfect fit. You don’t want to end up bashing your knuckles on the sill. Furthermore, we would recommend a single basin. Try to fit as big as you can and it shouldn’t be deeper than ten inches.
Consider Going for Quartz
Simply put, Quartz is the new granite! It is a manmade material for countertops that looks like real stone. When it comes to countertop choices, it has taken over granite and for all the right reasons! Quartz is scratch proof, stain proof, and chip-proof. In addition, it doesn’t require sealing.
Furthermore, you get to achieve a plethora of rich looks. Many of these are convincing mimicry of the natural variegation of limestone and marble. The real versions of marble, limestone, and granite are all very high-maintenance when used for kitchen countertops. Therefore, Quartz is your best pick.
Get Rid of Dated Plumbing
If you are going for a detailed overhaul, now is perhaps the perfect time to replace your old plumbing! Now that the walls are open, you can see if the pipes are old, corroded, or damaged, and replace them. Also, pay attention to the shutoff valves and replace them too if need be.
It is only wise to replace old plumbing because if you are investing heavily in the new changes, leaving the old plumbing as it is can ruin the new stuff anytime soon. Therefore, replace them while you can. Moreover, if you were previously using an electric stove, consider having a gas line this time. If the plumbing under the sink is galvanized, replace it all.
Lastly, for the refrigerator, consider installing a shut-off valve box. Investing in all these details will pay off.
Avoid Scrimping on Lights
Another area where you shouldn’t think about saving up while overhauling your kitchen is the lighting. Spare a generous budget for the lights in your kitchen as they have their unavoidable uses. They also have to do a lot with the overall look of your revamped kitchen!
You will need ceiling fixtures to be installed over the open floor spaces. This will offer ambient light at the spots where you stand and work. In addition, invest in ceiling fixtures or pendants to brighten various zones in the kitchen such as sinks, islands, peninsulas. Go for chic, decorative pendants, which emit diffused light without creating any shadows.
Lastly, you will need under the cabinet lighting. You can use them to provide task lighting on various areas of the countertops. You can also use them to highlight backsplash, countertops, and cabinetry. Especially when that’s the only light that’s switched on.
Consider Wood-Look Alternatives for Flooring
If you are considering using real wood for the flooring, all it offers is traditional beauty. Other than that, using it for the kitchen is not a great idea as the kitchen conditions can cause dents, scratches, and wears. Therefore, go for easy-to-clean porcelain tiles. They come in a variety of designs including those with convincing wood and stone looks. However, things can easily break when they fall on porcelain tiles. We would consider softer alternatives like laminated and luxury vinyl floors. They are durable and comparatively forgiving and soft.
Moreover, the range of designing and styling options is unlimited. And the wood looks range is particularly comprehensive to fit people’s tastes. The best part? As far as the looks are concerned, it’s hard to tell the real from faux wood. When I revamped my kitchen, I looked up the vinyl tiles look book with my Spectrum internet. There were so many options and they were all so tempting that it was hard to pick one.