Kitchens

Maximum impact for minimal cost!

Let’s face it, kitchens sell the home. Today’s buyers want an Instagram kitchen, and you can give it to

them with smart choices on materials and design. First, open your mind to what the space can be.

Remove walls to adjacent rooms if possible. If that’s not possible, widen doorways as much as you can.

Believe it or not, even one foot can make a difference in how the space feels. Extend the cabinetry

beyond the kitchen, providing storage and counter space into the dining area.

Second, combine cabinetry and open shelving to make the kitchen

feel more like a room in the house and less utilitarian. Third, don’t cheap out on backsplash tiles! And

I’m not talking about expensive tile. I’m talking about tiling all the way up to the ceiling for a dramatic,

high-end look. Even if you use .15 cent subway tiles the effect is stunning! Fourth, be sure to install good

appliances. Especially if you’re flipping. Nothing says “we cut corners on this flip” more than a kitchen

without a refrigerator! And if you cut corners on something as basic as that, buyers will wonder what

else you cheaped out on. Not good!!

How to accomplish all that on a tight budget? We like to order unfinished shaker style pre-fab cabinets

from Home Depot and have our contractor paint them. This allows you to achieve a high-end look at

minimal cost. Keep an eye on color trends. What are you seeing right now on HGTV and Instagram?

Make sure you’re following great design influencers like Studio McGee, Vivir Design and Eye Swoon to

name just a few. Paint your base cabinets a different color then your wall cabs. Purchase a few base

cabs to create a custom island and paint it a different color then the other cabinets or put a different

countertop on it. Select cabinet hardware that’s on trend without being trendy. Hardware and light

fixtures are the jewelry in your kitchen, so have fun! We buy all of it from big box retailers like Home

Depot and Lowes. If there’s an issue, it’s easy to return or exchange and stay on track with your timeline

and budget. Last thing you need to worry about is having your plumber or electrician show up only to

find the fixtures you bought won’t work and you need a replacement NOW. This is not a time for

specialty items from fringe websites.

When it comes to counters, you can’t beat the return on investment of quartz right now. A few years

ago I’d have said granite, but times and buyer preferences change and you have to change with it. Find a

good dealer near you and be sure to communicate that this is for a flip if that’s the case. You don’t need

to waste an hour with them touring you through the marble slabs when that’s not in your budget! Go to

a few places and get estimates before you decide which place is right for you and your project. Before

you go, sketch out the layout of your cabinets and get all measurements so you don’t waste any time.

They’ll need distances on either side of the stove and the sink, width of the stove and sink, etc. And

think about how large of a sink you can fit. Bigger is ALWAYS better. They’ll offer a free stainless sink

with your counter purchase but I always go with something larger. You’ll need to know the width inside

of your sink cabinet to be sure it will fit. And always do an overhang for stools on your island or

peninsula. You can’t believe how many houses I’ve been in without a place for stools. Why???! Showing

even just two stools is a big bonus for perspective buyers. Everyone envisions entertaining around an

island.

Speaking of islands and peninsulas, be sure to hang pendant lights over it. And not tiny little apartment

grade pendants. I’m talking statement pendants! I get inspiration from Pottery Barn and then find the

look for less from my friends at Home Depot or Lowes. PB and Ballard have tips on their websites for

hanging heights that are super helpful.