Kitchen Remodeling Options

The Memphis kitchen is a place where family and friends gather, where stories are told and good food is shared. Kitchens are an integral part of the home, which is why they need to be comfortable, functional and stylish. Achieving all of these things can prove to be a difficult task. With a little research and planning however, creating the kitchen of your dreams can be an attainable goal. All you have to do is sort through all of the options, decide what will work best for you and your budget, then get going on the transformation!

Once you decide on a budget, one of the first steps is to take a look at the overall picture of your kitchen. Decide whether you want to do a complete remodel or just some updating. If a full remodel is in the works, keep in mind that your kitchen will be out of commission for a couple months as with most remodels, the entire room will pretty much be gutted. Brand new everything will be put in from cabinets to countertops to floors and appliances. Depending on the materials you choose and the size of your kitchen, this could run you anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000. If you decide that updating is the best route, your kitchen very well could remain functional throughout most of the process. If you are worried about selection, even with simply updating certain features in your kitchen, you will still have a lot of options to choose from.

One of the most major changes you can make in your kitchen is with the cabinets. This is the biggest feature in the room and has a huge impact on the overall look. If you want to completely renovate your kitchen, brand new cabinets are in the works. There are a ton of options to choose from so don't get overwhelmed. The best thing to do is to flip through magazines and find pictures of kitchens you like. Tear them out and then do a side by side comparison and jot down the similar features that are in each picture. This will help you decide whether you like dark wood, light wood, white or even colored cabinets. If you just want to update your cabinets, there are a couple options. You can have them deep cleaned and then refinished which can give them new life. Another option is to have your cabinets refaced. This is a good option if the structure of your cabinets is still in good shape but you want a whole new look.

After deciding on what type of cabinets you want in your new kitchen, the next step is to decide on countertops. There are so many different material options out there that you can really find something unique. The most popular option for countertops remains to be granite. It is sturdy, beautiful and functional. If your budget won't allow you to purchase granite countertops, options like Formica and laminate are fantastic choices. Laminate has come a very long way from the mid 1900's. There are some truly stunning options that resemble a stone countertop so closely, it is hard to tell without further inspection. If you are looking for something a little bit more unique look towards concrete. This is a relatively new trend as far as countertops go but they can look fantastic and stay looking great for years. There are also other options like recycled glass which has a sort of mosaic look to it. If you are really looking for a budget saver, there are new kits in hardware stores that basically allow you to paint on a new laminate top. The process is similar to putting down a floor in a garage and has gotten surprisingly good reviews. A kit like this will run you about $250 which is unheard of in the world of countertops.

Cabinets and countertops will definitely have the most impact in a kitchen remodel but there are other details to remember as well. Flooring is an important aspect of a remodel. There are a ton of options like ceramic tile, marble, wood and laminate. Think about how much maintenance and upkeep you want to do on your floors when deciding what material to use. Also think about hardware - it is surprising how much of an impact new hardware on your drawers and cabinets can have. Even if you do nothing to your existing cabinets but change out the hardware, it can make your cabinets look brand new. Another detail to keep in mind is appliances. If you are looking to get more resale value back from your remodel, new appliances are a huge plus. Just remember, no matter what your budget is, it is possible to get a brand new kitchen and add new life to a very important room in your Memphis home.