Kitchen
You might think that the living room is the most “lived in” room in your house, but it’s usually the kitchen. Whether you’d like to maximize your space, build an island, add a sleek kitchen countertop, or all new cabinetry that will give you a modern touch to your kitchen, we will help you along every step of the way. Renovations of kitchens and bathrooms are the best place to see return on your equity. Even if you are not immediately looking to sell your home, updating these areas over the years helps your home’s value.
There are several tools out there to help think through designing your kitchen space and it is highly recommended that you use those tools in the planning. Some of our favorite are from the HGTV website. These worksheets help you think through your kitchen remodel, the function of your kitchen space and how it will work for you and your family.
A general rule of thumb for kitchen remodeling expenditures is 60% for cabinets, 25% for countertops and 15% for appliances.
Cabinetry:
If existing cabinets are still in good condition, good working order and the layout functions well, the most affordable option is to re-stain, paint, or reface them. Approximately 65% of actual cabinet cost is the door. Updating the hardware goes a long way updating the look of your cabinets.
If a full renovation of your kitchen space is in order, there are many options for cabinetry. They range from custom, semi-custom and pre-made cabinet sizes. Custom is the most expensive and prices go down from there. How you use your kitchen on a daily basis and for entertaining should go into the design and layout of your cabinetry.
Once you have an idea about function and some layout ideas, it’s time to meet with the cabinet maker that best fits your budget and style. Rhino works with several cabinet makers and we will work with you each step of the way to get your kitchen design to it’s final stage.
Appliances:
Kitchens are getting an eco-friendly boost from energy efficient appliances, water saving fixtures, and indoor air quality. This is the bulk of your electricity bill. Your refrigerator ranks second to your air conditioning system in terms of energy use. Replacing old appliances (refrigerator, stove, cook top, dishwasher) with new energy star rated appliances would be a recommended addition to your kitchen remodel if you have older appliances. If you have new appliances, you can certainly reuse them!
Appliances go on sale several times a year revolving around holidays. You can save some real money timing your appliance buying around these times of year.
Countertops:
Solid surface, granite, quartz and butcher block all remain popular options with many colors to choose from. Stainless steel and concrete are emerging as new countertop favorites. With any design process it is good to pick one element that is your favorite – countertops and backsplash tile (more on tile below) are good places to start. These items come in SO many color choices and it can be overwhelming. It is good to pick a favorite of one of these two to be your focal point, then bring in your colors around this one element you love.
Countertops are priced by level, with level 1 being the most affordable and level 5 being the most expensive. Depending on the countertop surface you choose, the cost will depend on level, amount needed (as most surfaces are sold by the slab) and how many cuts are going to have to be made.
Lighting:
A common mistake made by homeowners is trying to light the entire kitchen area with just one light fixture. Most experts agree that the most effective kitchen lighting comes from four blended layers: task, ambient, accent and decorative. This results in a warm and inviting environment blends well with other key design elements. Task lighting is for food prep areas, underneath cabinets and over an island. Ambient lighting is the general light in the room. Good ambient light allows you to work safely in most areas of the kitchen and provides the overall lighting feel for the space. Accent lighting is even more focused and highlights objects or areas you want to show off, such as artwork, glassware, or special pottery. Though this kind of kitchen lighting isn’t meant to make your workspace a more functional place, it can add an aesthetic touch to the room that will enhance the space and bring your newly remodeled kitchen to life. Decorative lighting is usually the focal point of your kitchen such as a chandelier, pendant lighting over an island or peninsula, track lighting or other eye catching fixtures on display.
Tile:
In both kitchens and baths, glass, metal, porcelain and hardwood tiles are very popular. Glass is used on kitchen back-splashes, shower walls and as accents on floors adding depth, sparkle and luminescence. Metal back-splashes help compliment stainless steel appliances. Then there are the mosaic and cement tiles that bring in lively colors and patterns. As mentioned in the countertop section, picking a tile can either be your focal point favorite with all other design elements revolving around it. Or it can be simple and classic that compliments your countertops, flooring or cabinet color that is meant to be the focal point favorite.
