Being cognizant of the cost of any upgrade to your home makes a whole lot of sense. Money is tight for most of us so if you have a little extra to spend on worthwhile improvements, you have to ensure that you aren’t wasting it on enhancements that don’t make a big difference. In other words, you should be looking for high value upgrades rather than superfluous ones. If your kitchen is the most popular room of your house, it probably makes sense to start with trying to improve this room because whatever changes you make will impact everyone in the house.
The cabinets in your kitchen make up a large portion of the square footage in your kitchen. Even though they are against your walls they are a dominant feature in your kitchen. If you make any type of change in your cabinets it will have a big impact. It is not unusual for a homeowner to immediately consider replacing cabinets when they start looking dreary and out of date. But when it comes to economics, there are other more attractive options in lieu of replacement. One such affordable option is called kitchen cabinet refacing. Until you have had a chance to witness the results of a refacing project, you really have no idea of the big difference it can have on your kitchen décor.
Years ago my wife and I really wanted to replace our kitchen cabinets due to the fact that we had purchased an older home and we wanted to upgrade our kitchen and give it a more contemporary flair. We had heard about cabinet refacing so we decided to research it a little. Someone we know recommended a kitchen contractor who was very experienced in doing refacing projects. We invited him to come over and asked him to bring pictures of other jobs he had done. Needless to say, we were extremely impressed with the effects of cabinet refacing. As a result of this meeting and after calculating the difference in cost between replacement and refacing, we decided to take the plunge and have our cabinets refaced. We couldn’t have been happier with the results. We went with a white laminate over our existing, structurally-sound cabinets. With a refacing project the doors and drawer fronts are replaced and covered with the same laminate or wood veneer that you have chosen for the cabinet boxes. The hinge hardware, as well as the drawer and cabinet pulls, is replaced. Not only is this option an affordable and attractive option, it will also be a green solution since you will be keeping your existing cabinets.
Another wise and affordable upgrade for your kitchen is to change your existing backsplash. Since the backsplash area is fairly small in square footage the material costs are reasonable. Kitchen backsplash options are so numerous that it may be difficult for you to make a decision. Metals such as stainless steel, tin, and copper are popular. Stainless steel, in particular, is an interesting choice if you own stainless steel appliances. Any metal is a great choice due to the fact that it is resistant to damage and, more importantly, it is easily to clean. Any area near the stove top is susceptible to grease and grime so having a surface for your backsplash that is easily cleaned should be a high priority. If you decide to use paint or wallpaper in this area you must ensure that they are washable or you’ll be covering them in no time with a material that is. Ceramic and glass tiles are also common in backsplash areas as is natural stone, marble, and granite. If you decide to tackle installing backsplash as a DIY project the easier options are metal, paint, wallpaper, and mirror. The metal backsplashes can be purchased in sheets that can be cut with tin snips and applied with adhesive right over your current backsplash. If you opt to have tiles or stone installed it may behoove you to hire a contractor who owns the proper cutting tools needed and has experience with this type of installation.
If you do your homework and consider affordable upgrades such as cabinet refacing and swapping out your backsplash, you just might have some money left for that 6 burner Viking stove you’ve had your eye on.