Reno - "Oh No!" Kitchen Remodeling Decisions You May Want to Rethink!

When it comes to home renovation projects, the kitchen is one of the first areas where many homeowners start to create their upgrade wish list. For years, kitchen enhancements like tile or hardwood flooring, granite countertops and decorative backsplashes have enticed home renovators. These same types of upgrades can even be the deciding factors that sway buyers from one house to another.

Whether you intend to sell your home next year or sometime in the next decade, the personal choices you make when you upgrade now have the potential to make a lasting impact down the road. Since so many families spend much of their time in their kitchens, staying on top of current kitchen trends can be a helpful way of giving your home major appeal over others on the market.

But, when it comes to kitchen upgrades, times are changing! So, if you’re building a new home or planning to remodel an outdated kitchen, consider what may be on its way out when it comes to your upgrade options.

Here are five kitchen renovation ideas you may want to rethink:

Complicating the Walls: One of the easiest ways to instantly update an outdated kitchen is by adding a new coat of paint, right? But, before you begin rolling out a new look for your kitchen, remember that neutral colors still reign supreme. Metallic, sand and plaster paint finishes may seem like easy ways to add some major depth to the walls of your kitchen, but to future buyers, they may add only unwanted work. Simply, those kinds of intricate faux finishes are just too complicated for most home buyers’ tastes. When it comes to paint, fresh, neutral colors remain the brightest upgrade option in the kitchen and beyond.

Going Country: Don’t get us wrong… there is something rather charming about old-fashioned, down-home, country style. But, when it comes to kitchens, the word “charming” simply does not equal “trendy” right now. Those old-fashioned distressed cabinets and farmhouse sinks may look nice in magazines or in your favorite films, but when you’re renovating your own kitchen space, it is best to keep it modern. Frankly, that down-home country feel is simply becoming outdated as a sleek, minimalistic style is taking its place. Anymore, modern, functional cabinetry and easy-to-clean stainless steel options are pushing that old-fashioned look… well, into the past.

Hanging On to Clunky Decor: Speaking of outdated… for years, many have found the rustic look of rarely or even regularly-used pots and pans dangling from the ceiling to be an appealing kitchen sight. But, before you tear out your functioning light fixtures, consider dropping that metallic, uh… “chandelier” idea. You see, while you might love to show off your best kitchen tools by hanging them from a pot rack, potential future buyers may be more impressed with all the cabinet space that you have to store your supplies. Instead of cluttering their view of your beautiful kitchen with your pots and pans, consider a lighting option, like an attractive, yet inexpensive, pendant light fixture.

Combining Work and Pleasure: It’s a given that kitchens have become a social space for families. Children can often be found completing homework assignments at the kitchen island while mom or dad makes dinner. Parents may even be caught catching up on work, paying bills or browsing online in the popular home meeting space. But, just because the whole family can be seen doing a little non-meal-related work in the kitchen, does not mean that it is a good place to add some desk space. In fact, adding a desk to your eating space only makes it easier to turn that highly-traveled home area into a highly-congested one. Instead of cluttering the kitchen with your work, consider giving yourself proper desk space by creating a complete home office in another lesser-used room

Limiting Appliance Usability: OK, moms… wouldn’t it be great if your kids could just heat up their own chicken nuggets or Easy Mac? One of the latest kitchen upgrade trends may just allow them to do so! Instead of placing the microwave out of reach above your cooking range, where you’ve got to do all the work, consider tucking it away with an in-drawer or under-cabinet option. If you’re thinking “micro-where?” keep in mind that this new trend may give your kitchen a streamlined look and it also will give your kids easier access to their favorite snack-zapping appliance!

Obviously, design trends are ever-changing; but, if you’re building a new home, planning a kitchen upgrade or you’re in the middle of either process right now, it may pay to consider what’s up-and-coming in the kitchen! As the saying goes… if you can’t stand the heat for your renovation decisions, get out of the kitchen!