The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s the hub for activity and family life, so investing in upgrades makes sense. When you’re inspired to show a little love to your kitchen, it’s important to work with someone who can help you with a potentially big investment as you consider your design options.
"If you hire someone that knows what they’re doing, they can make the most of your dollar. They can help you with the best design. It might cost less, it might cost more, but it’ll be the best use of your hard-earned dollar, and that comes from using people who really know what they’re doing," said Kathy Cuppy of All Phase Group.
Making the most of your money is important because the trend that she’s seeing are high quality, expensive finishes like granite and marble, and custom lighting, such as under-cabinet and in-cabinet lights.
"People are spending more money. They’re using more beautiful materials, more costly materials and they’re able to make some additions to the old kitchen design ideas that cost more, look better," said Cuppy.
Those beautiful and more expensive finishes do come with a higher price tag, but they also have staying power and can save you money in the long run.
"Some of the things that we used 25 years ago might have been more cost effective but they did not last. So you might have replaced those things 3 times when you could have bought something really good that costs more but lasts longer," said Cuppy.
If you’re still not ready to jump in head-first, you can take smaller steps towards quality updates.
If you’re inspired to make changes to your kitchen, but the cost of a trendy remodel is out of your budget, consider some small updates, such as a new backsplash or updated hardware or even a new kitchen faucet. It’s going to give your kitchen a new look and feel without breaking the bank.
Even if you’re making smaller changes, being mindful of the finishes you select, can save you money—and elbow grease—over time.
Try it out before making a remodel decision. If you’re not sure you’re going to like a modern sleek kitchen, consider a stay-cation and rent a house where it has that design in their kitchen so that you can experience it before you make the investment, says Angie Hicks, Co-Founder of Angie’s List.
To find the right professional to help with your kitchen remodel, or to just browse for kitchen inspiration, find what you’re looking for at www.angieslist.com.
