Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Excellent Kitchen Home Improvement Tips

By Jim Olenbush

Remodeling a home is a nice way to enhance its value while also making it a nicer place to live. The kitchen is one room that is very popular to remodel and it can substantially increase the value of a home. Whether your budget is large or small, following these kitchen home improvement tips will go a long way toward making your kitchen great.

Remember the Work Triangle

The floor plan should be your top priority as you make your plans for your new kitchen. In order to create a kitchen that is both attractive and functional, you need to make sure it includes a work triangle.

The kitchen work triangle is a layout that is intended to reduce the amount of movement the cook needs to make in the kitchen. Centering the workspace in a triangular fashion accomplishes this. The imaginary path, that is formed when moving from the stove to the sink and to the refrigerator, forms the sides of the triangle.

In general, your kitchen triangle should include the following elements:

None of the sides of the "triangle" should be less than four feet long or more than nine feet long. The path of the triangle should not be interrupted by cabinetry or traffic The total perimeter of the work triangle should measure no less than 12 feet and no more than 26 feet

There are various ways to form a work triangle in the kitchen. Finally, whether you integrate a peninsula, an L-shaped space, a U-shaped space, or other configuration depends upon the size of your kitchen space.

Consider the Quality of the Materials

As far as resell value is concerned, the quality of the materials you use in the kitchen will be quite important. If you try to cut expenses by purchasing sub-par materials, your kitchen remodeling job may turn out to be quite disappointing. As you get involved in your kitchen remodeling project, you will find that there are many different materials and extras for you to select from. One location of the kitchen that will require careful deliberation is the counter.

You have many different types of countertops to select from, with the main categories being:

Natural stone Solid surface Laminate

Marble and quarts are some of the various types of natural stone countertops to select from. Though they are quite attractive and will add a great deal of value to the kitchen, these surfaces are the most costly to install.

Even though solid surface countertops are still more expensive than laminate countertops, they are usually less costly than natural stone. Solid surfaces also have an advantage over natural stone because they are easier to care for and do not require ceiling.

Laminate countertops are the least expensive of your options, but they are less durable as well. In addition, care must be taken when purchasing laminate countertops because they can look "cheap" and can become damaged quite easily. Laminate may be a good choice if you wish to change your countertops on a regular basis. Else, for a long-lasting effect and to enhance the value of your home, you should opt in for solid surface or natural stone instead.

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1 comment:

Troy said...

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