8 Ways to Add Value to Your Kitchen


 

The kitchen is arguably the heartbeat of your home. It’s where you start and end your day and where you connect with your family and friends. As such, creating an attractive and well-functioning kitchen often translates to massive value-add, both in terms of future dollars earned and your own personal enjoyment. 

With regard to your home’s worth, the kitchen contributes a whole lot. In fact, real estate agents rank a complete kitchen renovation as the no. 1 project most likely to add value to a home for resale, with a kitchen upgrade as the second project most likely to add value. So if you’re considering making a few small changes to your home in order to boost its resale potential, focus on the kitchen!

1. Paint Your Cabinets

Perhaps you haven’t heard, but tuxedo kitchen cabinets are quite the hot trend! According to Zillow, kitchens where the upper and lower cabinets are painted two different shades—usually white cabinets contrasted by dark navy blue or black cabinets—yielded sellers an extra $1,547. We absolutely love this idea because it falls into the category of kitchen update rather than remodel, which means you can get a pretty big return when you spend relatively little upfront. 

2. Upgrade to a Gas Range

Of course, virtually any upgrade to your kitchen appliances will yield you some big value both for you and, if you decide to sell, the future homeowner.  One of the best upgrades you can make is to switch from an electric range to a gas stovetop. Professional and home chefs prefer gas ranges because they ensure more precise temperature control and tend to cook food faster and more evenly. Install a stovetop range along with a built-in oven for an ultra-practical way to give your kitchen appliances a fresh update. 

3. Install Chic Lighting

The kitchen is a wonderful place to show your unique style and to create a space that coordinates with the architecture and personality of your home. One of the best ways to do that is by installing some eye-catching, artfully inspired light fixtures. You can get a little bit funky—but, if you’re planning on listing your house for sale, not too funky—with your kitchen fixtures. Unlike the floors and countertops, the lights can be swapped out fairly easily, so it’s okay to go big on the design. 

4. Upgrade to a Smart Fridge

Who doesn’t want a refrigerator that keeps track of your grocery list? These days, smart appliances are all the rage, and the fridge is by far the most impressive use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the kitchen. Industry leaders like Samsung and LG make next-level fridges that can do everything from showing you who’s at your door to displaying your family’s calendar to playing cooking videos (because we all know that comes in handy when cooking a very specific recipe you found on YouTube).

5. Add Seating

The kitchen is the place where everybody loves to hang out, whether it’s friends on a casual Friday night or the family regrouping after a long weekday. But no one’s going to want to linger very long in the kitchen if there’s nowhere to sit and relax. Wherever possible, try to integrate seating. Of course, a kitchen island with stools is one of the best ways to achieve a comfy lounge area in everybody’s favorite room, but you can turn small spaces into little seating nooks in a variety of unique ways to achieve this very worthwhile goal. 

 

 

6. Add a Beverage Cooler

Love to entertain? There’s no better way to serve your guests their favorite drinks than with a compact, built-in beverage cooler. These aren’t your typical wine coolers that store only a few bottles of chilled wine. They’re big and versatile enough to house bottles of beer, soda, water, wine and mixers so that you can create a fully functioning bar right in your home kitchen. Add a bar sink and you’ve got yourself a home bar that rivals the best pubs in town.

7. Give it a Fresh Coat of Paint

It sounds a little cliché, but it’s still very true—a fresh coat of paint can drastically refresh any space, including the kitchen. Gone are the days when “neutral, neutral, neutral” was the advice of all realtors, though. Today, you can get a lot more bang for your buck if you pepper in a few vibrant hues. In fact, homes with blue kitchens—especially soft gray-blues—sell for a nearly $2,000 premium!

8. Update Hardware and Fixtures

If you’re going for simple upgrades rather than a massive remodel, start by upgrading your kitchen cabinet hardware and sink fixture. Hardware is one of the easiest and most affordable swap-outs you can make, and if your existing style is a bit outdated, it can make a measurable difference when bringing your kitchen’s style into the modern age. Go versatile yet statement-making cabinet pulls and handles to create a big pop!


 

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A Worthwhile Investment

If you’re weighing where to spend your update dollars, the kitchen should be the first place you consider. Given that it’s one of the most important rooms to buyers and that it holds some of the greatest potential for boosting resale value, any upgrade to the kitchen will ultimately be worthwhile. On top of that, it’s one of the things you’ll be able to enjoy as you continue to live in the house, so it boosts your quality of life as it ramps up the resale value of your home at the same time.

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