Is your Kane County kitchen beginning to look a little tired and outdated? Do you want a kitchen that will allow you to cook and entertain more easily? Are you frustrated by the closed off or cramped layout of your current kitchen?
If your answer to any of these questions is a “yes,” it may be time for a remodel. With the right design and execution, you can modernize your kitchen, expand its function and give it a fresh look that mirrors your evolving needs and preferences.
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Signs Your Northern Illinois Kitchen Needs Remodeling
It can be difficult to determine exactly when it’s time to remodel at your home in Northern Illinois. There may be a glaring issue with your kitchen, such as damage or deterioration, or you may have gradually discovered the space no longer suits your family as well as it used to. If you’re unsure whether you’re ready to undertake this home improvement project, here are a few indicators to look for:
1. Your Needs Have Changed
Households change over time. They may grow or shrink in number as children go off to college or you invite your aging parents to share your residence. Individual members age over time. Hobbies and interests evolve. It only makes sense your home must change along with your family. Now is a good time to consider your routine and how it’s different from when you first acquired your home in Northern Illinois.
Are you or your children hosting guests more frequently? Do you cook at home more or less than before? Have the primary users of the space changed? Do you use your kitchen for new purposes, such as working on school assignments or professional projects? Are you ready for a more extravagant or high-tech space? Do you plan to age in place over the next couple decades? The answers to these and other questions can help you determine if and why you should remodel. Additionally, if you’ve added an outdoor living space like a deck or improved your yard, you may want to capitalize on your kitchen’s position and reconfigure the space to support more seamless indoor-outdoor living.
2. You Want an Open Concept Layout
Just as your individual habits may have changed, the typical lifestyle of the modern family has also evolved. All too often, the kitchens in older homes were designed haphazardly, causing discomfort and irritation to current homeowners.
If you have a cramped, closed-off kitchen, you know how frustrating it is to spend a significant amount of time in a space that isolates you from your family and other activities taking place in your home. An enclosed kitchen prevents you from talking with your partner, children or visitors while working in the kitchen. You also may be unable to watch television, entertain efficiently or easily transport your prepared food from the kitchen to your dining room or other eating areas.
Removing a wall and, in some cases, rearranging your kitchen will instantly eliminate these types of problems and give you a kitchen environment you actually enjoy working in.
3. You Don't Have Enough Prep Space
Think about all the times you need your kitchen to prep for some event, like a holiday get-together, birthday party or family reunion. If your kitchen doesn't have enough prep space—which is common in older homes—you have to get really creative. Sometimes a lack of adequate space makes it impossible to perform any significant prep work at all. As a result, you have probably found yourself needing to set up a makeshift workspace in another room and then running back and forth between those areas just to do what you need to do. If that’s the case for your kitchen in Northern Illinois, it could be a tell-tale remodeling sign. A kitchen re-design could turn your dysfunctional or underutilized kitchen into one you love and one that makes it a joy to prep—or do anything else, for that matter.
4. You Need a Kitchen Island
A kitchen island is the central hub of most households. It's a place where everyone gathers for a variety of reasons such as food prep, homework, entertaining, home or school projects, holiday happenings and more. If you lack a kitchen island, you are essentially living without the heart of your home.
Adding a kitchen island is a relatively simple job in most cases. Depending on the current size and layout of your kitchen, however, it may require redesigning the floor plan.
5. You Need More Storage Space
Just like having a kitchen with a lack of prep space, a kitchen with limited storage causes similar issues. You have to get creative with where and how you store your dry goods, small kitchen appliances, dishes, glassware and other supplies and food items. That might mean not being able to store things within an arm's reach or in a convenient location; oftentimes it means having to store items you regularly use in your kitchen in various other places throughout your house. This is not only inconvenient, but it's downright frustrating when you have to go from one part of your home to another, gathering the supplies you need for any given kitchen event, or even preparing a simple meal.
You can easily solve this problem by adding custom cabinets or rearranging your existing cabinets or adding a pantry or appliance garage. Even if you don’t have the ability to significantly expand or add new square footage for storage, a small kitchen remodel with the right design can maximize the space you already have available to get the best use from it.
6. You Want to Give Your Kitchen a Fresh New Look
Most kitchens are the centerpiece of the home. If you have an outdated kitchen with old appliances and old finishes, you are significantly dating and decreasing the value of your house in Northern Illinois. Another issue is that an outdated kitchen always feels old, and an old kitchen always seems to look dirty no matter how clean it is. If you’re dealing with surfaces that are worn or made from cheap materials, it’s even more difficult to achieve proper cleaning and maintenance. For example, think of old linoleum floors, tile work with stained grout lines and aging wood cabinets.Additionally, old appliances are generally not energy efficient, which costs you money every month, year after year.
One of the easiest ways to update your kitchen's appearance is to replace the appliances. Another solution for an outdated kitchen is a remodel. You don't have to spend a lot of money to refresh your kitchen. You simply have to know how to do it and what features and quality materials to select for a noticeable refresh. The best way to find out what is trending or get ideas on how to make your dated kitchen look new again is to consult a local remodeling contractor in DeKalb County.
7. You Want More Room to Entertain
f you have a family, friends or co-workers, you need a suitable place to entertain them, even if it's just for a simple birthday party or after-work soiree. However, if your home contains an old kitchen, you most likely don't have space in that room for even the smallest of gatherings.
A kitchen remodel will solve all that now and for years to come. Depending on the size of your property, you may even be able to remodel a small kitchen to add extra square footage or connect it to another indoor or outdoor living space. Just imagine how rewarding it will feel to have enough room in your kitchen for life's simple pleasures, such as birthday parties, holiday gatherings and laid-back hangouts with your friends and family.
This can be done by removing a wall, adding an island or re-configuring your kitchen in a way that will better suit your lifestyle.
8. You Plan to Stay in Your Home
As you evaluate potential signs that it’s time to remodel your kitchen in Northern Illinois, it’s also important to take into consideration your future plans. Although significantly rewarding in several long-lasting ways, kitchen remodeling is also a major investment. If you’re planning to move in the next couple years, you may not have the chance to see a worthwhile return on investment (ROI) when undertaking a major kitchen remodel. On the other hand, sprucing up a seriously outdated or decrepit kitchen can increase the potential resale value of your home in DeKalb County or Kane County. Either way, think about your project priorities carefully before determining the right budget to assign your potential home improvement.
Remodeling Your Kitchen in Kane County
If you're ready to give your kitchen the refresh it needs, our team at Ken Spears Construction would love to show you how we can transform your kitchen to make it more comfortable, functional and aesthetically pleasing. Contact us today to schedule a consultation for your Kane County or DeKalb County kitchen remodeling project.
