Remodel My Kitchen or Move?

Of any room in the house, a kitchen is a make-or-break feature when it comes to someone choosing to buy a new home or walk away. One of the things we often ask people to tell us is, “things I hate about my kitchen” so we can determine their priorities. You might be able to live with your kitchen—for now—or it’s driving you to make a change. Is it a quick fix or a reason to move?

So, when we ask people what they don’t like about their current kitchen, we get a wide variety of answers.

“It’s too small.”

Whether you’re cooking for one or a crowd, you still need space to work and to move around. The right size for the kitchen is an objective choice. What would define “big enough” for you? What would be even better?

You don’t necessarily need square footage to fix this kitchen design problem. You might just require some more creative thinking about the space you have. Can you open up the room a bit, perhaps knocking down a wall? First, make sure it’s not load-bearing, of course. 

If you can’t add more square feet, look at the way you use your current kitchen space. Where is the bottleneck that makes you feel crowded? Do you lack counter space? Are the cabinets insufficient for your needs? The kitchen designers at Homes By Taber look at how a new homeowner uses kitchen countertops and cabinets to configure a way that makes the most use of the space.

“It’s outdated and ugly.”

Both of these words indicate a big change should happen in your kitchen. Is it “harvest gold” or “avocado” ugly? Or just not your taste? Do you have the nagging desire to walk into the room with a sledgehammer and start swinging it?

You probably need a complete overhaul to shed the old and bring your kitchen into the 21^st century. That means new cabinets, countertops, sink, faucet, appliances, lighting, and flooring. This is not a quick fix, but a big decision. The national average for a kitchen remodel is about $22,000, with the typical range between $12,560 and $33,430. The cost varies according to where you live, as well as your choices. Cabinets and countertops represent the biggest investment in your kitchen renovation.

You should also plan to eat out or dine on takeout for quite a while during the remodel. It’s by no means a quick fix.

“My kitchen is dark.”

Maybe you’ve fallen out of love with the dark cabinets and countertops, or the kitchen lighting is inadequate. Possibly, there’s not enough natural light streaming into the room. Focus in on where you can shed some light.

You can paint your cabinets to give them a fresh, bright look. While you’re at it, refresh the backsplash with something more to your liking. If you don’t feel the burning desire to change your kitchen layout, simply replace the countertops with something more appealing. You can accomplish all three of these tasks to brighten your kitchen without hurting your budget.

Lighting is another fix that is relatively easy. Installing recessed lighting is fairly inexpensive as long as you don’t need to raise your ceiling (e.g., you have a dropped ceiling that’s closing in on you). Also, add task lighting, like under-cabinet lights. Homes By Taber includes these in all of the kitchens because we know what it’s like to chop veggies in the dark with a sharp knife! 

If you have a kitchen island that isn’t well lit, it’s an ideal place for pendant lights. You can add style and light here without incurring a major expense.

“There’s not enough kitchen storage.”

Some kitchens are like magnets for clutter. Everyone drops their stuff on the countertops. Small appliances, dishes, and food containers are taking over the workspace. The over-stuffed cabinets are about to erupt like a volcano.

This might be a lack of storage or a lack of organization—maybe both. Before you decide to rip up your kitchen, start by de-cluttering the kitchen. Empty every cabinet and drawer. Yes, every, single one. Discard any food items that are past their expiration date. Toss the open boxes of crackers and cereals that have been pushed to the back of the cabinet. Get rid of chipped and cracked dishware, glasses, mugs, and serving ware. Be ruthless as you purge the junk drawer (or drawers).

Once you’ve lightened the load in this room, stop before you put things back. Consider how you use each item so you store it correctly. Think of kitchen zones: prep, cleaning, cooking, and coffee station. If you like to bake and have a stand mixer, set up a separate baking area with easy access to the utensils you use, maybe even the staples like flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices.

One of the reasons cabinets become cluttered is that they’re not the best way to store your kitchen supplies. Think about installing pull-out drawers inside your cabinets so you can more easily access items like pans, lids, skillets, and small appliances. You can also add inserts to organize your drawers. A two-tiered drawer system with a gliding drawer insert moves back and forth over the lower section of the same drawer. This is a great option for storing silverware, with tableware on the top tier, and serving utensils on the bottom.

Dishes are also more accessible when stored in drawers on the lower cabinets. You won’t have to lift the heavy dishes from an overhead cabinet.

Decision time!

So, what’s it going to be? Can you make the changes you want to get your dream kitchen in your current home? Do you despise this room enough to find a home that better suits your needs? The choice is yours. If you are ready to start over with a new home, take a look at Homes By Taber’s floor plans and new home communities we build around the Oklahoma City region, including desirable suburbs like Norman, Edmond, and Moore. Contact us to get the home and the kitchen you deserve!