Five Signs You Need to Remodel Your Kitchen

Some homeowners make a decision to remodel or renovate after years of deliberation. For others, the decision is relatively spontaneous. In both cases, a certain event usually inspires the final decision: a windfall of money; a change in lifestyle; or, perhaps, a structural issue that needs immediate attention.

At MKBD, we're happy to educate our clients about all aspects of the remodeling process. (This blog is a perfect example). However, we do appreciate deliberative clients. Whatever the instigating "event," deliberative homeowners often enjoy an easier remodel. In remodeling, of course, studious planning translates to success. 

While "deliberating" is not the same as "planning," homeowners who have thought about remodeling for some time usually come to the design table equipped with knowledge and studious opinions. 

On other hand, some clients come to the design table with problems that need immediate attention. Often, these clients have ignored the slow deterioration of their kitchen--and then, suddenly, the deterioration hits a peak! 

To avoid this unhappy circumstance, we suggest looking out for possible signs that you will want or need a remodeling project soon. 

Five Signs You Need to Remodel 

Old Appliances

Old appliances offer a clue to the general condition of the kitchen. If the appliances are old, the floors, cabinets, and countertops are likely old, too. As a cue, then, old appliances are simply one easy-to-discern sign of an outdated kitchen. 

But outdated appliances don't merely look old; they act old. Do you have an old, noisy refrigerator? Well, noise is the least of your problems. An aging refrigerator wastes excessive energy while providing lackluster service.

The same is true of most outdated appliances, including your oven, dishwasher, and microwave. New, energy-efficient (Energy Star) models can provide substantial savings in energy while offering a new, refreshing level of functionality (no more spoiled veggies).

Ahh, new appliances. In this MKBD project, the new refrigerator and Bosch double oven provided a new level of functionality--and pleasure.

Improperly Grounded Outlets

In older kitchens, improperly grounded outlets pose a safety (and efficiency) concern. Unfortunately, many homeowners are not able to easily discern this potential problem.

To test your outlet, purchase a circuit tester or a multimeter set to an AC voltage appropriate for your outlet. You want to make sure, too, that all wall outlets are equipped with GFCI outlet protection. To ensure safety, you need one GFCI outlet as the first outlet of a branch--the outlet closest to the breaker.

At MKBD, we can easily address any electrical safety concerns. Give us a call: 215-355-4747.

Like old appliances, improperly grounded outlets are clues to the general condition of the kitchen: if they're old, the kitchen is likely old.

Old Floors

Your kitchen floor is the literal and figurative foundation of your kitchen. Cracked tiles or warped floor board will effect not only the function of your kitchen but the aesthetic appeal of the space.

Like improperly grounded outlets, old floors can present safety concerns, like slips and falls. On the other hand, old floors also pose aesthetic concerns; in a word, their ugly.

A new kitchen floor can be one a beautiful and enduring investments. For the kitchen area, especially, new floors provide a new "foundation" to build upon.

In this Bucks County-area project, hardwood floors replaced old cracked tiles--the result is a safe, beautiful, and durable new floor. 

Old Style

While not necessarily a functional concern, old style can compromise your well-being. A frumpy, old kitchen with outdated cabinets and old, dull paint does not necessarily send an enticing welcome. Does our kitchen bore you? Do your elements feel frumpy?

In recent years, manufacturers have developed new, intriguing materials for your countertops. Over time, tastes in paint color change. Old floors might speak of a different era. All of these style problems can be addressed by a remodeling project.

When you update your style, you inject new life into a space.

Old Design

Today's kitchen often function as the center of family activity, a place to meet and eat. Current designs promote this function, opening the space, and often combining dining and cooking areas.

An older design might feel cramped in comparison. If you find yourself avoiding your kitchen, you're probably not simply avoiding of cooking and cleaning--you're avoiding the claustrophobia of your outdated design.

 In this Bucks County MKBD project--the open floor plan created a dynamic space to cook and eat.

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!

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

In the kitchen remodeling industry, we talk about design in terms of certain "styles." Although these styles are not clearly defined by the industry itself, we nevertheless associate loose themes with each respective style.

Traditionally, kitchens were separated from the rest of the home. The room's purpose was explicit: a place to cook and clean. In today's homes, the kitchen is not merely a place to cook and clean: it is a meeting space, too, an entertainment venue, the center of the action.

To speak about a specific kitchen "style" in this context is to also admit that the kitchen itself can (and often should) simply match the style of the home. That said, it does help to understand a few industry-specific terms.

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

Traditional styles do not necessarily equate to a country or Old World theme. Instead, a traditional kitchen will likely emphasize warm, down-to-earth elements.

A traditional kitchen design creates a cozy ambiance with ornamentation and detail. Think decorative design and vintage-inspired elements. A traditional kitchen is not necessarily "simple"; on the contrary, a traditional kitchen often utilizes elaborate design features.

In this kitchen, a fireplace is merely one element of a cozy, traditional design. 
Note the warm cabinet color; the ornate woodwork; the vintage pieces (like the copper kettle and vintage plates): all hallmarks of the traditional style.

If the traditional style is not your thing, you might be a candidate for a contemporary style. While a traditional style populates a kitchen with elaborate details, a contemporary kitchen strips away all but the most essential elements.

Think light and airy, like a spa. Think clean lines, a simple color palette. If you prefer a minimalist design, you would do best with a contemporary kitchen. In a contemporary kitchen, uncluttered simplicity is the name of the game.

Clean lines and a simple, two-tone color palette make this Shaker-inspired kitchen "contemporary," although our clients simply desired, "a simple, streamlined space."

As the project above proves, a style can borrow elements from any time period to achieve the desired effect. Shaker-inspired cabinets are anything but "contemporary," yet their simple, timeless appeal works well with the contemporary style. That said, the contemporary style only borrows from elements that match the aesthetic.

If you like to mix and match aesthetics, you might prefer the transitional style, which combines both traditional and contemporary elements. A transitional kitchen streamlines the traditional style. Put another way: it "complicates" the contemporary style with a few, carefully-selected traditional elements.

Most transitional kitchens maintain the clean lines of the contemporary kitchen, yet add certain details to create a more "homey" feel.

In this transitional kitchen, the contemporary elements (the clean lines are black and white palette) are softened by the green accent wall and the traditional elements: the pendant light and glass-paneled cabinets.

The most common kitchen styles are traditional, contemporary, and transitional, but you're also bound to hear any number of other "styles," most notably the modern style which is defined by the hallmarks of modern art: geometric shapes or patterns and neutral colors. A modern design will also take advantage of any number of eclectic fixtures. Modern styles might include artistic elements, like sculptures or paintings, or glass tables, or intriguing cabinetry.

A modern style kitchen can celebrate unique or quirky design--like this custom backsplash.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!