Retro, DIY and Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Today kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular of home improvements for remodelers and do it yourselfers. Updating your kitchen can vary in price from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars and designing choices are almost endless. On older kitchens and cabinetry you may be limited to space and have design limits as old house layouts had different priorities than the kitchens of today’s trends. Many older homes had eat in kitchens with smaller work spaces and limited counter surfaces for cooking, food prep and did not provide space for modern appliances. Remodeling a kitchen requires planning, designing and a budget of which all are equally important to complete the project. Do it yourselfers have the advantage of supplying their own labor stretch their dollars to increase the scope of remodeling. Many homeowners make the decision to update their kitchen when an appliance breaks or sink & faucet needs repair, replacement, or new replacement flooring installed. The reason this is usually the start of thinking of remodeling is because a choice must be made on the type of appliance, size, color and if the new one will match the older existing fixtures. This stage is when it is usually decided on starting a budget of how much is affordable for the appliances and improvements.

There are many inexpensive ways to update and refresh the look of older kitchen cabinets. One of the simplest and inexpensive ways is to simply change the cabinet door and drawer hardware style or change the backsplash area color. If the old kitchen cabinets are made of wood or plywood it should be possible to refinish the existing cabinets by stripping or sanding the old surfaces and adding trim to door fronts and painting or staining the new finish and adding new hardware. This is one of the best ways to giving your kitchen a new look on a low budget. If refinishing the old cabinets it is easier to modify or add some new cabinets in an island, peninsula or tall pantry storage cabinet. This is the perfect time to change the countertops to allow you to change the size and style of sink and faucet. Just installing new countertops will give the appearance of a major update and allow you new design and color choices to decorate around. Do it yourselfers may be capable to replace the old countertops or install ceramic tile on the old counter surface and backsplash area, this again gives new life to an older looking kitchen.

Another choice is to replace the kitchen cabinets and countertops totally. Limitations will be dependent on your dollar budget and will determine the quality and choice of materials used. Kitchen remodeling is also a favorite project for do it yourselfers and if installed correctly will give years of satisfaction to the family. Many choices will need to be made on items like new appliances, cabinet colors, wood type, style, countertop material, plastic laminate, ceramic, solid surface or granite tops and choosing the related materials as windows, treatments, flooring, lighting, and decorating accessories. One of the best ways to help in making choices is by visiting appliance stores, kitchen cabinet showrooms, plumbing supply stores and home centers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from salespeople and designers while visiting home improvement stores as this is normal procedure for these businesses. Sales people in this field understand that most customers visit their competition before deciding and the purchase is usually made after multiple visits to their showroom rather than on the first visit. The more educated you make yourself and information you collect, the better you will understand the value of your purchase.