Signs Your Kitchen Needs an Update: And What to Do About It

How do you know when it's time to remodel your kitchen? The following are a few signs that your kitchen needs an update and what you should do about it.
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Signals That Your Kitchen Requires Some TLC

An old-fashioned keeping room may have been the family space adjacent to the working zone of the kitchen, but it was always a comfortable family gathering spot that allowed for interaction. Modern kitchens tend to be larger, more open and more conducive to family togetherness, but an outdated, inefficient, unattractive space will have an opposite effect.

Sometimes, the signals that your kitchen requires some TLC are subtle:

  • If you or others in the family suggest eating out more often than usual, take a long look at your kitchen’s style and comfort quotients;
  • If offers to help cook or clean up don’t come readily, consider the reasons;
  • If your kitchen counters have become a “drop spot for” books, glasses, mail and toys rather than performing the duties they were designed for, rethink the physical layout.
  • If the space feels dark and dingy even in daylight, think about a bright new paint color, but don’t ignore the need for light.

Crying For An Update

…You will add value to your home and most likely save on energy bills as well.

At other times, the signs are clear that renovation is in order. If your appliances have been out of warranty for years, show signs of “ill health,” and operate grudgingly, it’s probably time to replace them. Reliable new models will cost your less and serve you better.

Reliable new models will cost your less and serve you better. Replacing dated appliances, updating decor and streamlining function are smart moves that will do more than boost your spirits and tempt you to try new recipes. You will add value to your home and most likely save on energy bills as well. Replace chipped or

Replace chipped or cracked tile and stained grout with seamless installations fabricated from sustainable materials. They’ll retain their value and appeal for years.

Add functional storage — open shelves and tall cupboards are both trendy, as are furniture-style armoires and even fine antiques. Add an island with comfortable stools, and you’ll have willing guests for a cup of tea and good conversations; maybe even willing offers to help cook and clean up!

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Consider Style and Function Together

Good looking kitchens perform to a higher standard. It’s true. If you love the way your kitchen looks, you’ll also want to spend time in it with family and friends, and you’ll enjoy every minute you spend there, whether you’re cooking, cleaning, paying bills or packing school lunches.

As you plan your kitchen renovation, keep those tasks in mind, and plan ways to assure that your newly-remodeled kitchen will serve all your needs.

While weathered wood may be trendy for an accent piece in your living room, if your kitchen cabinets have scratches, worn spots, and damaged hinges, it’s a sign that they have outlived their usefulness — or, at the very least, they need restorative care. Nothing makes a kitchen look dowdy faster than cabinets that are dingy, discolored and lacking in personality.

Your flooring makes a big difference as well. If your flooring reminds you of television commercials from the 80s and you still have speckled laminate countertops and a fluorescent ceiling fixture, know that you can do better — and it doesn’t have to involve starting over in a new space!

Go Green Purposefully

There are a number of good reasons for a kitchen renovation, but outdated style is the number one driver for homeowners. Planning a cosmetic redo is the first step on the path to ensuring that the space will serve you better. Materials today are not only durable and long-lasting but are apt to be green and sustainable as well.

Look for natural materials and investigate the wide array of reclaimed, recycled and repurposed kitchen components on the market. Wood flooring from sustainable forests can be both practical and beautiful, while recycled glass or even cardboard can be used to create stunning counters.

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Key Takeaway

There’s a world of opportunity to make your kitchen a place of beauty that will perform admirably. The right time to remodel a kitchen will be different for every home. For some, it is needed after a decade, and for others, an update is required after a couple of years. It depends on the unique factors that make up each home’s kitchen. If you find yourself dreading entering your kitchen and if cooking food has become stressful due to your kitchen’s environment, it’s seriously time to consider a kitchen update.

Signs that your kitchen requires immediate attention will depend on the unique factors that make up each home’s kitchen. If you find yourself dreading entering your kitchen and if cooking food has become stressful due to your kitchen’s environment, it’s seriously time to consider a kitchen update.

Always be aware of how things are functioning in your kitchen and never postpone a remodel till things completely break down because this will only put you and your family in potential danger.

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