Where Our Designers Would Spend and Save On A Kitchen

Your kitchen is one of the most used spaces in your home. From three meals a day, to holiday baking, and all year entertaining you’re sure to use this space pretty often. 

That’s why we put together a list of places where it’s recommended to spend or save to make your kitchen remodel as cost effective and useful as possible. 

Spend: Appliances

In one of the most used rooms in your house, your kitchen appliances are sure to be some of the most used things in that room. Having good quality appliances that will look beautiful and last long enough that you won’t just spend all of the money you saved in repairs. 

Energy efficient appliances can also help you save on your energy bill, saving you more money in the long term. 

There are also some other considerations when choosing appliances. For example, if your home has an open floor plan a loud dishwasher could really put a damper on your TV time, family time, and even when you’re entertaining. 

Buying a cheap fridge could be loud enough to notice it, and cost more in repairs over time than what you spent to buy it.

One splurge that has been a rising star is an instant hot water dispenser. This energy efficient luxury comes with a safety handle to prevent burns while making cooking, cleaning, and tea making a whole lot easier.

Save: Reclaiming and Recycling

A top tip to save some money is by finding places where you could use reclaimed or recycled materials in your kitchen. One example is using reclaimed countertops. One family used old school lab tables made from iroko wood, an African hard wood, that they livened up to create beautiful wooden countertops. Paired with stone or quartz counters if needed these could be a great addition to your kitchen, not to mention a conversation piece. 

You could also save by buying stone remnants. These are pieces of stone usually left over from larger jobs that are a great way to save on having a gorgeous stone island, or bar top. 

Preowned cabinets are another way to save and often they need just a little TLC to be brought back to life. On the flip side of this if your cabinets, countertops, and appliances are still in good condition you could be the person providing some of these money saving recycled materials while adding a little more to your own renovation budget.

Spend: Durable Materials

Going for reclaimed items just isn’t some homeowners style. And that’s perfectly fine! Whether going new or used finding materials that are durable and easy to maintain is worth the extra cost that may come up front. 

Using things like stone remnants for smaller projects, or hard wood can really make a difference when it comes to the life and longevity of the materials you are investing in. 

When it comes to kitchen cabinets, going for solid wood is without a doubt a worthwhile investment. These will stand the test of time, won’t begin to look out of date, and won’t need to be replaced in just a few years. A good quality solid wood kitchen can last over thirty years, even through the trend and color changes we’ve been seeing so often. 

Save: Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is essential to being able to achieve some of the “spends” you may want to include in your kitchen renovation. Things like getting all of your new appliances at one time (including in your utility room) can save of delivery charges. 

You can also opt for wider cabinets which, while being more efficient are also cheaper by the linear foot. 

This also comes down to measurements and purchasing to ensure you’re not buying more than you need.

A knowledgeable designer will help guide you through choices like these to suit what you are looking to accomplish. They know the right questions to ask and how to properly measure for things like cabinets, counter tops, flooring, and appliances.

Spend: Good Design

Remodeling your kitchen is a huge deal, and can be intimidating to start. It’s always a good idea to consult with a designer, even to get some help with planning. And taking the stress off of your shoulders is exactly what design-build firms like Satin Touch, Inc. are for.