Remodeling the kitchen is a huge project. It tends to cost a lot of money, takes a lot of time, and creates considerable disruption in the home by shutting down an essential room. Unfortunately, there comes a time when the disruption and cost is a necessary evil. If you’ve been wondering if this is the year you dive into a kitchen remodel, here are seven signs that it’s time.
Your Family is Growing
The kitchen that works for you and your partner may not work when you add two kids and a dog. If your family is growing – both immediate family and extended family – it might be time to consider remodeling your kitchen.
This theory also applies to your group of friends and larger family if you’re someone who loves entertaining. As your lifestyle changes, you’ll find that many aspects of your decor preferences, home layout needs, and available resources also evolve.
You’re Planning to Sell
If you’ve decided that it’s time to sell your home, it’s time to consider making some upgrades to your kitchen. This room is one of the top considerations and focal points for prospective buyers.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to do a full kitchen remodel to add value to your home. Focus on the most pressing items and know when you reach the tipping point of diminishing returns. For example, if your cabinets are in good shape but your fixtures and backsplash are falling apart, focus on the latter areas to improve.
You’re Planning to Stay
In direct contrast to selling your home, it’s also worth investing in kitchen remodeling if you’re planning to stay. Consider it this way: if you’ve chosen this as your forever home, then you want the space that suits your life for the foreseeable future.
Conversely, if you plan on staying for 10 or more years, you’ll want a kitchen that sees you through. The changes you make now will lessen the cost of upgrades if you decide to move in a decade, compared to waiting another 10 years for things to fall apart.
The Layout is Dysfunctional
Some kitchens, regardless of the size, are just designed terribly. For a kitchen to be functional, it needs to have a good workflow. You should be able to move efficiently from the fridge, to the counter, to the stovetop with minimal disruption. If your fridge is more than four feet away from your stove, it breaks the “kitchen triangle” rule. This means it’s time to contact the residential electrician to start planning the changes you’ll need.
Your Cabinets are Dated
Cabinets are the worst offender for showing your kitchen’s age. The trends of yesteryear are dramatically different from modern kitchen design schemes and can drag down the value of your home.
If you have those classic oak cabinets with a cathedral cut, it might be time to start planning your kitchen renovation project. Avoid this issue in the future by going for something timeless (like shaker cabinets) that can easily adapt to changing trends.
It’s Hard to Keep Clean
If the kitchen is difficult to keep clean, through no fault of your own, then it might be time for a change. If, despite your best efforts, the counters are filled with dishes, and you have no room to store appliances, you need to rethink the functionality of your kitchen.
A constantly messy kitchen often indicates a lack of storage and organization, too little counter space for your needs, or a terrible workflow. Before you invest thousands of dollars in a kitchen renovation, consider what areas are the most problematic and if you just need a better system to organize your things.
You Hate It
Finally, if you hate your kitchen to the point where you avoid it, and it impacts your lifestyle, do the remodel. Create a space that’s comfortable and functional so that it suits your lifestyle.
These telling signs are clear indicators that it’s time to invest in updating your kitchen. Plan the project, set a budget, and make it happen.
