The Four Things Home Buyers Really Want in Kitchen Cabinetry

A great kitchen design can dramatically increase your property value - if you want to attract prospective buyers, your kitchen  is the perfect place to invest money. The trick is to get it to appeal to the majority of people by spending your money on what most of them really want.

Kitchen cabinetry can do much to attract the right buyers. There are four key factors to consider:

1. QualityPhoto: American Cabinet & Flooring
2. Symmetry
3. Color
4. Layout

If you can get these key elements right with your cabinetry, you're bound to have a higher home value.

Quality

The number of cabinets you have is not as important as the quality of the cabinetry. The fewer cabinets you add to your kitchen renovation, the less expensive it will be. Choose quality over quantity.

DO: choose quality hinges and runners, including soft-close drawers and custom made cabinetry.

DON'T: go for large fillers and ill-fitted modular cabinetry.

Keep the cost down by keeping the cabinet count down. Design the kitchen layout to keep it light, bright and with an open plan, without using tons of cabinets. 

Note: Excessive internal organizers aren't essential if you are planning on reselling your home. They are wonderful in adding value to your personal use of the kitchen but are not always a wise choice if you are renovating purely to sell. Internal drawer and cabinet fit-outs are often expensive, and the extra money you spend on these accessories may not come back to you when you're selling your property.

Symmetry

The eye is naturally drawn to appreciate symmetry and repetition. When you're renovating to sell, keep your kitchen cabinetry simple and appealing. Elegance has a way of being understated, and simplicity is key when you are trying to appeal to the majority of buyers.

DO: keep the wall cabinetry sizes the same where possible. Drawers look nice when they are large and expansive - if you have multiple sets, keep them the same size, with the same proportion of drawers.

DON'T: add multiple cabinets in varying sizes, try to keep the look and feel consistent in the whole space.

Light, Bright Spaces

Many buyers want an open, light and airy space. A kitchen that is white makes the space feel bigger. White is also a universally appealing color and leaves a blank slate so buyers can re-envision the space.

DO: keep the space open, bright and light with white cabinetry. If you want some contrast, go for a darker bench top. Backsplahes should be kept fairly neutral too - try to introduce texture instead of color into the backsplash. The more neutral and elegant the space is, the more potential buyers you will attract.

DON'T: use darker-color cabinetry which can make the space feel closed. While adding a strong color may suit your taste, it may not be to everybody's liking. You want to attract as many potential buyers as possible, and while white may not be the most daring color for your cabinetry, it's the most popular. 

An Open Layout

Designing your kitchen to have a sensible and open layout is pivotal to increasing property value when you're renovating to sell. The trend is moving toward open-plan living and multifunctional spaces. 

DO: have a large open-plan space with a kitchen island if possible. Buyers often want to multi-task in the kitchen. They want to cook, have their kids do their homework and socialize in it.

DON'T: place your kitchen in a small and poky room, the kitchen is now often the hub of the house and buyers want to see a kitchen that is interactive and sociable.

An Angie's List Guide: Carpet or Wood?

Which flooring is best for your home: Carpet or Wood?

When purchasing a new home or remodeling your current home, one of the most important decisions you need to make is whether to install carpet or hardwood flooring. 

Some people love the warmth and silence carpeting offers. Other prefer the sleek design and easier upkeep of hardwood flooring. Both types of flooring have advantages and disadvantages depending on the homeowner's preferences. The cheaper of the two options, carpeting can be harder to maintain and keep clean.

Here are some tips for maintaining your new carpet:

• Prevention - tracking mud and dirt from outside is a great way to shorten the lifespan of any carpet. By taking steps to prevent dirt from getting into your carpeting, such as with door mats, you can maintain the appearance and lifespan of your carpet.
• Vacuum - regularly vacuuming will help keep mud and grime from getting into carpet. It is important to change the bag on a vacuum as much as possible to prevent dirt and dust from getting back into the carpet while vacuuming.
• Minimize exposure to the sun - UV rays can damage carpet and cause its color to fade. It is important to keep blinds closed during the day to prevent color fading in any carpeting.

Hardwood may be more expensive than carpet but many people prefer it for various reasons. Upkeep is much easier and wood flooring typically lasts much longer than carpet if kept in good condition.

Here are some tips for taking care of hardwood flooring:

• Wipe your feet - much like carpet, it is important to keep dust and dirt from outside off your floor. Make it possible to wipe these substances from shoes by placing floor mats at different entryways around the house.
• Use the right cleaner - its important to use a cleaner that will not damage the flooring. Cleaners that leave filmy residues are ill-advised for cleaning hardwood floors.
• Minimize exposure to sun - like carpet, hardwood floors also need to be protected from the sun rays during the day. The sun will cause the color of the wood to fade and not look as pleasing in different sections of the home.

There are differences and similarities in what it takes to protect and upkeep both carpet and hardwood floors. People who are debating between the two materials should factor the upkeep into the decision. Those who are not prepared for the more involved upkeep of carpet should probably get hardwood floors. Either option is a great way to update a home or decorate a new home and increase its value.

Need help deciding which type of flooring fits best with your home and lifestyle? Come see one of our talented and expereicened Design Specialists, they are here to help you with your project from start to finish!

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An Angie's List Guide: Home Maintenance for Summer

Home Maintenance Service Tips for Summer

Before you spend money on a home remodeling project this summer, check this graphic to see how well your investment is likely to pay off. Some remodeling projects, like updating your kitchen or bathroom, are much more likely to add value to your home than, say, installing a swimming pool. 

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An Angie's List Guide: Add Value to Your Home

Six Remodeling Tips to Add Value to Your Home

Are you thinking about remodeling or updating your home? Here are a few tips that you can use to add value to your home:

Add a fireplace: Install an energy efficient fireplace to any room to add warmth and coziness. They are not only useful and add functionality to your home, but also create a great decorating space.

Install a bay window: Beautify your space by installing a bay window. There are many ways you can use this feature. Create a place to enjoy breakfast by adding chairs and a side table. Add a bench and comfy pillows to create a great lounging area. Incorporate a bay window near your bed for a more enjoyable place to wake up to. Imagine starting your day with abundant natural light!

Upgrade your kitchen: Give your kitchen a fresh coat of paint, install new countertops, upgrade your plumbing fixtures, replace old appliances with energy efficient ones or change out your backsplash with ceramic tiles. 

Add a deck: Everyone enjoys the outdoors. Add a deck for a quick and easy way to expand your home's living space. Add a bench and a chair, and you will have a new place to relax and entertain.

Replace your windows: Replacing your dated windows with energy efficient windows is a great investment. Old windows not only let in the cold air but also allow warm air to enter, causing your heating and cooling bills to be higher than needed. Old windows are usually dull and faded, so replacing the windows also freshens up your curb appeal.

Update your entryway: Your entry way is the first place people see when they visit. Update both the inside and out to be more welcoming. Improve your staircase if you have one. Paint the risers, consider new spindles, railings and newels. Freshen the landscaping around your entry by cutting back overgrown bushes. Declutter your walkway if need be and ad some fun planters or flower beds with bright, vibrant flowers. 

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Increase Your Home's Value

Three Remodeling Projects That Will Increase Your Home's Value

Most people start a remodeling project to improve an area of their home, but they also hope the finished project will add real value.

Remodeling your house can vary from small improvements to the addition of an entirely new room. But not all remodels will create the same amount of value.

For example, the installation of a sauna might improve the quality of life for a homeowner, but it's not going to have a big effect on the home's overall value. On the other hand, adding a brand-new kitchen or master bath could increase a home's value by thousands of dollars. 

If you're planning a home remodel with the intention of adding value to your home, you should consult with a highly rated remodeling company and talk to local realtors or appraisers to see if your project will meet your perceived goals.

"I like to always say that you want to concentrate on what people like to look for the most," says Alessandro Ferreguetti, owner of the highly rated United Remodeling in Brighton, Mass. "It's usually the areas of comfort and areas where people hangout the most."

Ferreguetti says those areas usually include kitchens and bathrooms because they are the places where people envision they will spend the most time. 

Nick Reynolds, owner of Eye 4 Design and Renovation in Eagle Rock, CA., offers his top three remodeling projects to add value to a home:

1. The #1 value project is definitely the bathroom. A bathroom can be remodeled for less than a kitchen and give added value to the same extent.
2. A kitchen is the first place people go when they are looking to buy a house. The trick with the kitchen is to not go overboard because a $20,000 remodel might get you the same value as a $75,000 remodel.
3. Exterior improvements and landscaping. The exterior of the house is as crucial as the kitchen. A new fence and exterior paint are relatively inexpensive and both and immediate value. Similarly, a well-designed landscape will have the same result. 

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