New Home Upgrades Worth Paying For – Part 2, Kitchens

Posted by Aaron Myers On August - 27 - 2011 0 Comment

Last week I discussed some of the often overlooked details when building or renovating a home: electrical and HVAC. This week I’m going to discuss one of the most important rooms in any home, the kitchen. A lot of time and effort typically goes into the design of a new kitchen, yet simple features are often missed.

Buyer’s expectations have gone through the roof in recent years when it comes to kitchens. Granite countertops were once seen only in the most expensive homes and are now common place. Stainless steel appliances are now expected in starter condos causing luxury home owners to explore new finishes such as brushed copper and colour glass panels.

Where kitchens used to be hidden from guests they are now the centre of the home for both family and entertaining. There should still be some sort of division between your front door and your kitchen – an open floor plan is great, but when your kitchen is a mess you don’t need to whole world to know about it.

Kitchen Upgrades Worth Paying For:

  • Walk through pantry – whenever I walk into a home with the pantry next to the garage entry that is not a walk through pantry I want to scream! A walk through pantry is SO convenient and a major selling feature. It allows you to bring in your groceries without traipsing through the whole house. It also provides a division between family space and entertaining space while keeping an open feel.
  • A good hood fan – who ever thought hood fans could be sexy? Well they are today. If you’re going to be cooking with lots of aromatic spices a good hood fan is mandatory. You won’t notice it, but those smells get into everything – carpet, paint, cabinetry – and can make your home very unappealing to guests and potential buyers. All hood fans should be vented outside if they are going to work at all.
  • Gas stove – this one is actually debatable, because the cost of running a gas line to the kitchen can be pretty pricey. However, if you’re a cook you know there is a reason for the saying “now you’re cooking with gas!” If you’re going for a “gourmet” kitchen then a gas stove is a must.
  • Kitchen Island – if the kitchen is the centre of your home, the island is the centre of your kitchen. It should be big enough for prep and entertaining, but not so big that you can’t clean it off without climbing on it. A raised bar on your island can help hide the mess from entertaining and designers are starting to get creative with bars made out of different materials than the rest of the countertops. 
  • Full-height cabinets – kitchen cabinets should meet the ceiling. It doesn’t matter if you never put anything on those hard to reach top shelves, short cabinets collect dust and clutter. Full height cabinets just look better, and those top shelves are a great place to store items you use infrequently. If your ceilings are really high, you may have to add toppers and crown moulding to your cabinets – if you’re paying for high ceilings, pay for high cabinets!
  • Drawers – lots and lots of drawers, especially on your island. Anything at the back of a low cabinet is hard to reach and tends to get lost. It is far easier to find the contents of drawers, and they are far easier to organize. They are simply a better use of space.
  • Lighting – you need a mix of task lighting, accent lighting, and general or ambient lighting. Ideally all of these lights should have dimmer switches. Any work spaces should have task lighting and under cabinet lights are popular and attractive. Food looks best under halogen lights, so go with halogen if you can – at least for the task lights.

Upgrades to avoid:

  • A sink in the island – never, ever put your main sink in your island! I am blown away by how many islands have sinks. Wherever your sink sits, dirty dishes collect. If your island is the centre of your kitchen, why would you want dirty dishes piled up there? While I’m on the topic, don’t put your dishwasher in the island either…for the same reason. The only acceptable plumbing in an island would be a second sink, making your island more of a bar, not a cleaning station. If you’re short on space and need to put an appliance in the island, make it a (gas) cooktop. It’s great to take food directly from the stove to your guest’s plates.
  • Wine racks - wine racks can be a very nice, decorative addition to a kitchen if they are placed right. You don’t want wine racks up high in the cabinetry or near appliances because wine should not be kept above room temperature.
  • Tiny walkways – make sure there is enough open space for people to move around, and for all appliances to open all the way. We see a lot of fridge doors banging into countertops and pantries – how are you supposed to live with that?

One last and often over looked kitchen feature is the actual placement of the kitchen in the home. The kitchen should face the backyard. Moms want to be able to see their kids in the backyard while working in the kitchen. Even if you don’t have kids, keep this in mind or selling will be very tough when the time comes.

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Tags: Home, Home Upgrades

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