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February 27th, 2023 by

There are lots of guidelines when it comes to redesigning your kitchen, but these are the rules you can break.

Updating your kitchen is a great way to add value to your home, especially if you're planning on selling it. Not all updates are created equal, however. If you're looking for updates that will make the most of your money, here are a few generally accepted rules for kitchen design our real estate agents say you can actually break.

  • More Lighting
    South Bend homes for sale that are better-lit tend to sell better, so that means you should update all your overhead fixtures to be brighter, right? Wrong! In the kitchen, more so than in any other room, the type of lighting is just as important as the amount of lighting. Well-lit spaces do sell better, but when it comes to your kitchen space, your upgrade dollars are better spent installing task lighting, such as under-cabinet lights. Overhead lighting tends to cast shadows on those areas, making food preparation difficult, so if you have a limited upgrade budget, focus on improving your task lighting.

  • White Everything
    There is a trend in kitchen design to make everything white. While it's true that neutral colors and design show better when you're selling your home, simply making everything white can come across as sterile and even rather blah. Brighten your white kitchen by adding neutral color, such as painting the cabinets something other than white. Gray, navy, and muted green are some examples of colors that can be used in neutral decor.

  • Use Every Corner
    Everyone knows the frustration of those deep, unusable corner cabinets that you find in many kitchens. Cabinet manufacturers have tried to fix the problem with solutions such as lazy Susans and custom pullouts, but those aren't always the best use of the space or a truly accessible option. If you are redoing the cabinets in your kitchen, think carefully about the design and how to eliminate those challenging corner cabinets from your design altogether.

  • Microwave Over the Range
    When the concept of built-in microwaves was fairly new, kitchen designers put them in the most logical (to them) place: over the range. This put all of the major cooking appliances (oven, range, and microwave), all in once place. It's a very functional but now pretty dated look, so now it's better to find a different place for your microwave. Instead, look into appliance garages and other semi-custom cabinetry that can give your microwave a home while keeping your counters uncluttered.

  • Open Shelving
    The trend of open shelving in kitchens was possibly an unavoidable result of minimalism and the drive for functionality, but as it turns out, minimalism is better served by having cabinet doors to hide the clutter of shelves full of dishes and other appliances. Nothing beats the clean look of the cabinetry. In fact, custom cabinetry, such as appliance cabinets and garages, can do even more to help keep your countertops clean and clutter-free.

  • Custom Cabinetry
    While a few custom cabinets, such as an appliance garage for your microwave or standing mixer, can help to keep countertops clear, there is such a thing as going overboard with customization. Remember that there's a fine line between customizing and personalizing your kitchen, and as a general rule, anything too personal doesn't sell well because it's harder for buyers to picture themselves living in your space. So while there's nothing wrong with optimizing your kitchen's space, beware of any customizations that limit the use for that space.

Upgrading your kitchen is a top way to make your home more enjoyable and functional and increase its value. For more tips on what to upgrade before selling your home, contact us today.

Categories: Home Improvement
Tags: Cressy & Everett, South Bend IN, homeowner tips, Home improvement
Related Markets: South Bend

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