A Kitchen Renewal Guide for the New Year

Despite the cold, lifeless weather, the New Year often inspires homeowners with a sense of renewal. In the first weeks of January, as the frantic holiday hungover subsides, many homeowners find solace in cleaning and organizing.

At MKBD, we think the New Year is a perfect time to think about your next remodeling project. Once the Christmas tree and holiday decorations have been packed away, you can view your space anew, with fresh eyes. What changes would you like to see? Now is the time to start planning for a spring or summertime remodeling project.

Yet you don't have to wait until the weather warms to make improvements. Today, in the spirit of renewal, we're thinking about simple improvements that can improve the look and feel of any home--and we're starting with the busiest room in the house: the kitchen!

Beyond building an actual addition to your home, a kitchen remodeling project can be one of the more expensive of all remodeling projects. Yet the space itself is also amenable to minor projects that can make a major difference.

A simple coat of paint can transform the kitchen ambiance. Cabinets can be refinished, restoring the original luster. An oven refacing just might reinvigorate your passion for cooking.

So check out our Kitchen Renewal Guide (below) for some simple projects, from DIY to professional. 

Touch-Up Nicked Surfaces 

No matter how careful you might be, your cabinets (or walls) bound to suffer a few scratches or nicks. The damage might be minor, but seeing the same blemish day after day just might compromise your enjoyment of your kitchen. Instead of fretting about it for an entire season, why not perform a simple touch-up now? A good touch-up can make most scratches or nicks disappear.

A touch-up is a simple DIY project. Before you buy a touch-up kit or break out the paint, however, make an honest assessment of the damage. If you're not confident of your skills, or you feel that the damage is more than a scratch or nick, call a professional.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

A step up from a touch-up, a fresh coat of paint can work wonders for your kitchen, enlivening the space with clean color. You might choose to simply re-paint your walls or choose an entirely new color.

In this MKBD project, freshly painted creme cabinets are playfully offset by the muted yellow walls: an invigorating combination for the New Year.

A paint job can be a DIY project, but if you're pressed for time or simply not confident in your skills, a paint job can be capably and quickly performed by a professional home remodeling company like MKBD.

Refinish Your Cabinets

Of all kitchen elements, the cabinets often see the most abuse. Be honest, how gently do you open and close your cabinets? For most of us, the answer is: not so gently at all! Add to the wear and tear the greasy residue of kitchen smoke and it might not take too long for your cabinets to show their age.

Happily, kitchen cabinets can be easily restored with a little stain or paint.

Again, this work is relatively simple, and for many it's a perfect DIY project. You just want to make sure that you allot and appropriate amount of time. If you plan to stain your cabinets, make sure you remove the old finish with paint remover, sand the surface smooth, and use a wood filler to repair any nicks. If you plan to use paint, the process is essentially the same. Just make sure you choose an appropriate color that will match the rest of your kitchen's palette.

New wood cabinets, like these cherry cabinets, offer a dramatic presentation. After a few years of wear and tear, however, they might be in need of a simple refinishing.

If the work of staining or painting your cabinets sounds like too much, of course you can call the professionals. This is routine work for a home remodeling company like MKBD.

An Appliance Makeover

Many homeowners mistakenly assume that appliances that have lost their luster should be replaced with something new and shiny. This is not true at all! As long as your appliances are in good working order, they're perfect candidates for a refacing or simple paint job.

Many appliances come equipped with a stainless steel (or, sometimes, wood) face panel that can be easily restored. Your best bet is to contact the manufacturer. If you're appliance does not have a face panel that can be restored, you can install a custom-built panel or trim. Check out Kitchen Source for a few options. Refacing is a relatively straightforward DIY job.

Another option might require the help of a professional, but is still relatively simple and inexpensive. Some appliances can take a new coat of paint from an appliance refinisher. Just Google "Appliance Refinishing" for your local area.

A brand new stovetop gleams. Once it loses its luster, you might think about refinishing.

FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate!

If you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747.

Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Kitchen Remodeling or Kitchen Renovation: What's Best for You?

Each year as the weather warms, homeowners begin to think about home improvement projects. For most of the country, summer is the season for remodeling. If you're feeling the remodeling bug, you might've already commenced your planning. If not, MKBD is here to help!

There are many advantages to a warm weather kitchen remodeling project.

First, if you have children, your summertime schedule is probably more adaptable--and you just might be able to schedule a vacation for the length of your project.

Second, if your kitchen is inaccessible, you can spend time outdoors. Dining well can be a challenge during a kitchen remodeling project. But outdoor accessibility certainly helps. With a grill and a table, in fact, you can enjoy delicious and relaxing dinners without your kitchen!

Third, increased daylight means increased working hours: your contractor just might be able to finish your project more quickly.

Of course, there are certain disadvantages to a summertime kitchen remodeling project, too.

Since the summer is a popular time for kitchen remodeling, you might have a hard time finding a contractor or the necessary supplies for remodeling.

The best advice, of course, is to book your project early, and if possible, to buy your supplies in the late-winter or spring--before the busy season begins.

For this summertime project, MKBD created a summertime feeling: a French farm house theme, including a double bowl granite sink and custom oak cabinetry. 

A kitchen remodeling project requires extensive planning and scheduling. Many summertime projects are planned and scheduled in the spring or late-winter. So if you've been bitten by the remodeling bug just now, think twice before leaping into a project.

A kitchen remodeling project is a serious investment--and you want to make sure you give yourself time to plan each and every detail. Right now might just be the best time to plan for a autumnal remodeling project. Autumn provides some of the same benefits as the summer, yet you might have easier access to remodeling companies and supplies.

Another option is a kitchen renovation, a term that is often used interchangeably with kitchen remodeling, but means something different.

Kitchen Remodeling vs. Kitchen Renovation: What's the Difference?

A kitchen remodeling project typically includes major structural changes. A well-executed project, for example, might include a new kitchen design as well as plans for new cabinets, counter tops, and floors.

Many kitchen remodeling projects call for increased space, too. Ambitious homeowners might sacrifice a part of a room next to a kitchen, or merge the kitchen with an adjacent room to create an open floor plan that highlights the best of both rooms. The key point is that a remodeling project implies major changes.

Unlike kitchen remodeling, a renovation does not require structural changes or a new kitchen design. However, a renovation can still include significant changes: new cabinets or cabinet features, for example, or a new paint job. And even without major changes, a renovation can transform the appearance of a kitchen. Modernizing your cabinets, for example, can make the kitchen appear cleaner. And brightening the color of your cabinets can even make your kitchen appear larger.

For this renovation project, MKBD included a prominent two tone color scheme which really brightened the feeling of the space.

To sum it up: If you're thinking about a full-scale kitchen remodeling project, make sure you allow yourself sufficient time to plan and purchase materials. This process should start at least several months before the anticipated start date.

However, if you're anxious to make changes, perhaps you might consider a kitchen renovation.

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In either case, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. MKBD is currently offering a FREE Kitchen remodeling estimate, FREE design, and FREE custom layout to all new customers.

Let's talk lights, and more!

Call now! 215-355-4747 or visit us online at www.masterkitchendesign.com.