The kitchen is often the center of a home. It's where we prepare food, eat, gather and relax. It comes as no surprise, then, that kitchen remodels top the list of most popular home projects. And they're typically where homeowners see the highest return on their investment, too.
If you're doing some financial planning for your own kitchen renovation, you might want to consider average costs to which you can compare your own expenditures. Of course, your project is all about your goals and budget, so research of this nature is best used as a general guide, rather than a hard-and-fast rule.
Kitchens.com reports that in 2010-11, the national average price of a mid-range minor kitchen remodel is $21,695, with an average return of 72.8 percent. According to Remodeling, a minor kitchen remodel is "a 200-square-foot kitchen with 30 linear feet of cabinetry and countertops." Specific project components include a refacing of the cabinet doors, drawers and hardware; replaced and updated laminate countertops and vinyl flooring; and a new energy-efficient wall oven and cooktop, a mid-priced sink and faucet, wall coverings and newly painted trim.
If you can't afford a kitchen remodel but want to change the look of it, you have a few options in updating your space. The best part about these projects? Not only are they affordable, but they're quick, so you can implement a budget-friendly makeover in a few hours or a weekend.
Quick Kitchen Projects:
1. Write On The Refrigerator. If you have a dated refrigerator and can't afford to replace it yet, jump on the trend to paint your appliance with chalkboard paint. This hides how old the refrigerator is while giving it a practical, fresh look. You can pick up a quart of chalkboard paint at your local hardware store. Two to three coats create the best chalk writing surface.
2. New Knobs. Hardware is like the jewelry of cabinets. By changing old knobs and pulls with new, stylish ones, you can really impact the look of your space. New hardware can get pricey if you are looking for extra details so if you're on a budget, look for something shiny and sleek.
When it comes to kitchens, storage is one of the most important factors. And because good storage is so important, it's often one of the primary considerations during a kitchen renovation. In regard to kitchen cabinets and shelving, you generally have two options: wall and base cabinets or open shelving.
Open Shelving
Leaving your kitchen shelves open offers a variety of benefits. First and foremost? It's much, much cheaper than installing custom cabinets, or even stock cabinets. You can pick up sturdy shelves at a fraction of the cost of cabinets, and they're much more amenable to a DIY installation.
Plus, if you're dealing with a small kitchen, open shelving can go a long way in making your kitchen seem larger, airier and more open. Of course, you'll have to keep them organized, because open shelving means just that -- they're open and visible, with no doors behind which to hide clutter. Don't despair if you think your dishes aren't display-worthy. Even basic white plates and bowls and no-frills glasses look great if they're neatly stacked. You can add pops of color with vases, dessert plates, coffee mugs or other accent pieces.
Stainless steel, bright colors--today's appliances are certainly as eye-catching as they are functional. And in some cases, certain appliances can serve as a trophy of sorts; a state-of-the-art refrigerator, perhaps, or my personal holy grail: the KitchenAid artisan stand mixer.
Yet an emerging trend is producing an interesting result in regards to the visibility of appliances. More and more homeowners are opting to house refrigerators, microwaves and other appliances in custom-built cabinets. The functionality remains, but the result is a more streamlined, elegant look that places an emphasis on the kitchen materials such as stone or wood.
One of the key drivers of this trend is a desire to create a clean, minimal space. Plus, disguising some of the more prominent appliances can allow another part of the kitchen to take centerstage -- maybe it's a dramatic sink, countertops made from an unusual material or a piece of antique furniture.
