Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Undertaking a Washington D.C. Kitchen Remodeling Project

Are you making the following common kitchen remodeling mistakes? Before you begin ripping out cabinets and start shopping for new appliances, you must have answers to the following questions. By doing that, you’ll be able to save yourself heartache, money, and time.

Are you listing or loving?

Unless a homeowner intends to put his or her house in the market within the next 12–24 months, any remodeling project should focus on their tastes and preferences. The last thing you want is to spend a fortune on a project for a supposed resale and yet you don’t have any intention of selling soon.

Are you respecting the architectural integrity of your home?

There’s nothing worse than stepping into a midcentury home, which has had the kitchen gutted. That is especially true if it was a flip. To be on the safe side, if you are flipping, it’s prudent to look at comps in the area. It can be surprising the amount of money someone pays for a kitchen that’s avocado colored matching with the original appliances.

Are you skimping on your cabinetry?

One of the mistakes many people make is installing cheap cabinetry. The biggest investment in your kitchen should be cabinetry. For sure, no one wins if the particleboard ends up inside a landfill.

Is the kitchen too trendy?

Have you seen the beautiful open shelving with white cups and bowls stacked perfectly in magazines? They look pretty, right? To be realistic, very few people can manage to do the same. Too much open shelving, if kept unorganized can create dust and clutter.

3 Ways To Update A Kitchen

Washington D.C. may be home to legions of bureaucrats, diplomats and others who only see the city as a second home, there is significant number of local homeowners who consider our Capitol as “Home Sweet, Home.” For this reason , they are always looking to improve their homes for both personal and financial reasons.

Here are a few of their favorite ways to accomplish this goal:

Smaller Kitchens

Add a floating island – A floating kitchen island provides many benefits other than simply another prep or cooking work surface. It is a great place for kids to have a snack after school,for Dad to do a little work or even for Mom to have a quick cup of coffee while chatting with friends.

Install a personalized backsplash – Everyone likes to personalize their space and there is no better way to do so in the kitchen than by adding a customized backsplash in the kitchen. One caveat – if you make it too specific to your tastes, it may be a detriment and not a value-add when it comes time to sell the home.

Slightly more ambitious projects

Combine it with an adjoining space – These days, kitchens are seen as the “heart of the home.” So, why not make them as large and as comfortable as possible by opening them up to the adjoining family room. This project makes for a very inviting space for both intimate family meals and for larger social gatherings.

Perk up the lighting – In many older homes, the kitchen is only served by a single window over the sink. Adding track lighting or a skylight can really improve both the functionality and the aesthetics of the space.

The full overhaul

Add stone countertops – Many older kitchens are still saddled with highly usable but still seriously outdated Formica countertops. One of the quickest and easiest – if not most affordable – way to upgrade your kitchen is to replace these older countertops with ones made from real or faux stone.

Expand the available storage – Add some pantry space in the laundry room or install a specialized cabinet in the kitchen proper. Both will add needed storage space and make the whole process of cooking a whole lot easier. It is also a great way to provide customized storage space for unusual or odd-shaped small appliances.