Redoing your kitchen can be a great place to invest your home improvement dollars. New cabinets, adding a pantry, and more can make your kitchen more functional, increase the value of your home, and help you to save on costs.
When you have a kitchen that you love, you will cook more, and eat healthier. About 75% of the people surveyed who had redone their kitchen report that they feel like they eat healthier. Choosing the right layout, appliances, cabinetry, and more for your kitchen can give you the results that you are hoping for.
There are three things to keep in mind when you are planning a kitchen remodel; budget, function, style. You should never sacrifice one of the others. Set your budget, then consider what you would service you hope to get out of your kitchen, and then choose the style.
For most people budget and style are in the lead when they are choosing new cabinetry for their kitchen, but function should get equal consideration. There is nothing worse than having a kitchen that is “all show and no go”. A kitchen remodel should not only improve the quality of your kitchen but it should improve the quality of life.
There are three types of cabinets that largely affect how much you are going to pay for them. Stock is as the name suggests “stock cabinets” that come ready to hang and that do not have many “custom” features. These are the least expensive type of cabinets and can often deliver a great deal of value.
Semi-custom cabinets have some custom features but are also mass-produced. These types of cabinets will be a bit more expensive than the stock options but may be a great option to add a custom touch to your kitchen.
Custom cabinets are the most expensive. They are built specifically for your space. If you have unusual dimensions in your kitchen, these may be the best option for your remodel.
As you move through your choices keep your budget in mind. It can be easy to overspend when it comes to new kitchen cabinets, but it is not necessary. There is a wide range of cabinets that are available that can fit a wide range of budget needs.
Understanding The Function of Kitchen Cabinetry
Cabinets play a pivotal role in the kitchen. They provide safe storage for your food, keep plates and glassware at the ready for the next meal, and help you stay organized. The goal with any cabinet system for the kitchen is to have everything you need at arms reach while you are preparing meals.
There are plenty of options available that include things like lazy Susan’s to store spices and other cooking necessities, built-in flatware trays, and more. Cabinets help to keep everything in your kitchen stored safely.
Of course, they also add a great aesthetic to your kitchen. Cabinets set the style factor in your kitchen. Contemporary, modern, and other styles become the anchor for your kitchen style. Highly functional cabinetry, in a style that lets you flaunt your personal style preference, is a key component to any kitchen redo.
Traditional Placement or Something a Bit Different? Which is Right For You
Have you ever noticed that while styles can differ greatly, the layout of cabinetry rarely does? Standard layouts include cabinets over and around the stove area, over the refrigerator, and finally over and around the sink area. Cabinets for the kitchen are referred to as either upper or lower.
Upper cabinets are designed to hang on the wall over appliances or on an empty wall, while lower cabinets are designed to have typically counter space placed above them. One of the most favored and traditional shapes for a kitchen is a L shape layout.
Typically your kitchen layout is designed to minimize steps between the stove, refrigerator, and sink area. With cabinetry laid out in a similar fashion around these appliances and fixtures. The size of your overall kitchen space dictates how many cabinets you will need to make your kitchen feel complete.
As mentioned, cabinet style becomes your anchor style in the kitchen. For example, pairing ultra-modern stainless cabinetry with contemporary furnishings may not be the best look for a kitchen. Cabinets should speak to the overall style of the home.
Of course, you also want to be sure that you can choose a style that you can live with for a while. Making the mistake of going too custom can really backfire. While you may not plan on selling right now, you do want to be sure that your kitchen is not too custom for potential buyers. Pick a style that complements the home that will remain timeless to get the most value out of your cabinet choices.
Let’s Talk Food Storage
One of the primary purposes of any kitchen is to not only prepare food but to store it efficiently. A new pantry can be just the ticket to help you stock up on all the ingredients that you need to create delicious meals.
A pantry is a great option for storing dry goods and staples. A well-laid-out pantry that is organized can help you keep track of shopping necessities. Whether you choose a traditional pantry layout with simple wire shelves or something a little more elaborate with slide-out shelves and a built-in organization system, a pantry is a kitchen must-have.
Don’t have enough space for a pantry, or so you think. There are some innovative options out there for pantries that can help you have the food storage space that you need without taking up a huge slice of your kitchen footprint.
If you have a few inches between your refrigerator and the countertop that may be all you need to purchase a thin profile food storage system on wheels that can easily slide into the space and keep everything from canned goods to baking supplies kept neatly.
If you do have the space to create a pantry, make sure you include in your pantry design the parts that will work for your storage needs. The goal with any pantry is organization. Easily being able to see what is on the shelves will help to make your kitchen highly functional.
You may want to consider some high tech equipment that can help you to get even higher food protection out of your pantry. A food storage vacuum sealer can be a great option for your pantry.
Your storage system in the pantry does not have to be elaborate to get the job done. Some well-placed baskets and containers can keep things tidy while making them easily accessible. One of the reasons that people opt for a food storage vacuum sealer is to help with organization and to keep the cost of a storage system down.
Vacuum sealing a wide range of goods with a food storage vacuum sealer can package up food nicely and help to cut down on the need for boxes, baskets and other storage containers. For example, pasta and other noodles can maintain freshness for longer.
A food storage vacuum sealer can be used to preserve everything from cereals to beans, and more. All types of foodstuffs can be preserved in a food storage vacuum sealer. You wind up with neat packages of food that can be easily stacked.
What if you simply do not have the room for a pantry is it still worth getting a food storage vacuum sealer? It may be even more important to conserve space for your food storage with a food storage vacuum sealer.
If your space is limited, you can use a food storage vacuum sealer to make the most of the space that you do have. Pre-planning where you will store your food is an important part of redoing your kitchen.
Cupboards can be a great place to store pantry goods when you do not have space for a proper pantry, but you do want to avoid these areas:
- Do not store foods in cabinets above the stove. The heat in this space can degrade food quality even when it is canned food. Storing unused plates over the stove and other utensils is a much better approach to getting the most out of your space.
- Cabinets over your refrigerator are also not an ideal location to store foods. Even though your refrigerator is meant to cool, it does give off some heat, and can even give off moisture during the normal operation process. Storing little-used table linens or serving utensils is a much safer approach to using this space.
- Under the sink is also a place that should be reserved for other items instead of food items. The area under the sink may be too humid to keep food safe. This space should be reserved for other kitchen supplies. For example, cleaning supplies can be stored safely under the sink.
Making sure that you are storing your pantry foods right will help to cut back on waste which ultimately saves you money. Purchasing a food storage vacuum sealer is a great way to make the most out of any kitchen space and help to preserve your food longer.
Lets Talk Accessories for Your Cabinets
If your budget does not allow for custom cabinets, don’t worry there are plenty of accessory options that you can purchase separately to give your cabinets a custom feel. Some of the accessories you should consider for your cabinets that will help you stay organized include:
- A slotted dish rack. You can easily store your dishes and make extra room in your cabinets by adding a slotted dish rack. They are available in both wood and metal and are a great way to organize your cupboards.
- Slide in extra shelves. Typically shelving comes pretty standard but you may find that you can make better use of the vertical storage space by inserting some slide-in shelves that make two storage areas out of one.
- Food storage vacuum sealer. You can mount a food storage vacuum sealer behind one of the doors and have easy access to a great kitchen helper.
There is a wide range of accessories that you can use to make the most out of your cabinets, some mount right over the door to create more storage space. With a little ingenuity, you can easily double the storage space and customize your cabinets to your specific needs.
You can easily make stock cabinets into the customized workhorses that you want for your kitchen and help to save you some money.
Ask any real estate agent and they will tell you kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house. Most families spend a lot of time in their kitchen. It is important that it is a comfortable place that is aesthetically pleasing.
When it comes to home remodeling there is nothing that ramps up both the ROI and the quality of life like a new kitchen will. You do not have to do a full rip out and renovation to create a comfortable, highly functional space that makes gathering a cooking a joy.
A few simple well thought out changes can improve the space dramatically and add to the value of your home. Cabinets are a great change to make. They are a long lasting change that really returns on the investment.
Of course, the details really make a difference, like perfectly accessorizing your cabinets to make them highly functional and to get the most out of the space. New cabinets are a great way to cut down on costs over time. Adding simple tools like a food storage vacuum sealer can ramp up the power of your cabinets to keep food safe and preserve it for longer.
If you have been bitten by the home improvement bug, consider starting your journey in the room that you and your family spend the most time in. Create the space that you will love and that you and your family will want to be in with new kitchen cabinets.