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Following design trends when planning your kitchen remodeling is a good idea in most cases. However, you do run the risk of ending up with an outdated look in a shorter time that you anticipated. With complete kitchen remodeling costs at a median cost of about $50,000, that is something you do not want to hear.
You want to follow trends that are most likely to give you a return on investment of at least 62%, no matter when you decide to sell your home. You can do that by checking out some great ideas for awesome future-proof kitchen remodeling. These ideas are meant to look fresh and updated for many years to come, and maximizes the market value of your updated kitchen.
Stick to white
Believe it or not, the trend of using white as the dominant color for kitchens that began in the 1920s is still as fresh and crisp today. White kitchens continue to be a top choice for many homeowners, perhaps because it has psychological effects. Most people associate white with cleanliness, purity, innocence and starting over, and all of the positive vibes that bring.
White also has the visual effect of making any space seem brighter and bigger, so it is a good choice for small kitchens, and kitchens with low ceilings. Finally, white is the most versatile of colors, so you can change other colors in the kitchen with a white-dominant kitchen.
Overall, white kitchens just work all the time. If you have some qualms about your color palette, choose white first. You can always switch later when you have a firmer grasp of the look you want in your kitchen.
Choose hardwood for floors
Hardwood flooring is always popular. Homebuyers and homeowners alike love the look and feel of beautiful hardwood for floors, so it is a great choice for any kitchen remodel. In fact, a recent survey of homebuyers of both sexes revealed they would have paid a premium to have hardwood floors put into homes they bought, and that 80% consider their existence very or somewhat important.
The reason for this consensus may lie in the affinity most people have with wood. It makes any space look warm and inviting, whether the overall design is contemporary or traditional.
Hardwood floors look best in open space plans as it helps kitchens flow naturally to other rooms. Hardwoods such as maple, ash, and oak are also hard wearing and durable, so it is a good choice for high traffic areas such as kitchens. They can last for more than 100 years quite easily. Even if they look worn after a few years, you can refinish them up to a dozen times to make them look brand new. Finally, hardwood floors are friendly to the environment as many come from sustainable forests, and they are high reusable and recyclable.
Opt for Shaker cabinets
Kitchen cabinets come in many styles, but your best bet is still good ole Shaker cabinets. The clean and simple design makes it very versatile and styling. They work well with any kitchen style, and serve as a visual oasis in the controlled chaos present in many kitchens today.
A transitional style for kitchens is becoming increasingly popular as the population becomes largely eclectic culturally. Shaker cabinets are particularly suitable for transitional kitchens, where the mix of different styles can dovetail neatly and stylishly. Shaker-style cabinets may be old, but it can make a kitchen look new.
Choose Carrara marble countertops
Carrara marble is beautiful and timeless, and used in homes as a dimension stone for centuries. It is unlikely that it will ever go out of style, which is why it is an excellent choice for your kitchen countertops.
Carrara marble has subtle, lacy streaks of gray and other colors in a white or off-white background that looks fantastic in white kitchens. Because it is white, it will also go well with other color palettes.
Some people might argue that choosing Carrara marble for kitchen countertops is a bad idea, given its tendency to stain and etch, and a better choice would be quartz stone that look like Carrara marble. However, despite significant progress in technology, engineered stones have yet to achieve the look of true Carrara marble. The natural beauty that Carrara marble countertops bring to your kitchen is worth the extra trouble for sealing the stone regularly to prevent stains.
Get smart with storage
Surveys show that nearly half of all homeowners today store their kitchen things in other rooms, such as the dining room, laundry area, and basements. Part of the problem is that kitchens today use many more gadgets and gewgaws than kitchens of old, and the space is simply not available to store them in a typical kitchen. If you are planning to remodel your kitchen, one of the best decisions you will make is planning for smart storage.
Cabinetmakers today offer many options for making the most of your available space. These range from special cabinets and drawers that fit into corners to pull out shelves to provide better access to the contents of your cabinets. However, you need to choose carefully based on your lifestyle.
The first thing you have to do is designate a zone for main storage where you will store all of the things you use every day. It should be between 30 and 60 inches in height within easy access to your main work area. This will make it easy for you to grab what you need without having to move much.
The next thing is to anticipate storage needs you might have for the future. You can choose base cabinets you can convert to accommodate an under-counter refrigerator or wine cool you might get, or store the next best thing in multi-cookers.
Finally, you might want to leave a space open to fit a freestanding cabinet you can use as an office, a rolling island for baking and entertaining, or that vintage meat grinder you might find in a yard sale. If you can afford the space, this can help personalize the space for different owners.
Conclusion
Kitchen remodeling is a major undertaking, so you want its freshness to last for many years. These great ideas can future-proof your homes like nobody’s business. You can consult with your remodeling contractor about incorporating them into your design.
For your kitchen cabinets and countertops, Cabinets City is your best bet in Chicago, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Hoffman Estate, Elk Grove Village, and surrounding areas. Visit our showroom in Mt. Prospect, Illinois to see what we have to offer.
We carry some of the best brands in the country, from RTA to freestanding cabinets, and at the best prices compared to Cabinets To Go and Advance Cabinets. These include Schrock, Fabuwood, J and K, Forevermark, and Wolf Cabinets, each of which come with manufacturer warranties. We always deliver on time, so you will not have to worry about keeping your schedule to stay in budget.
We can advise you on the best cabinets for your kitchen remodel. Give us a call for a free consultation and quote!
