Which space will sell the place?

Where to spend “the money” when renovating your home?

Re-sale and design longevity is at front of mind when making decisions regarding a renovation, whether you are staying for the long haul or selling your property. I want to know I am spending my money wisely and my choices will benefit the value and design longevity of the property.

If you are renovating or building and struggling to justify where to spend and save? Ask yourself this question: Where do you spend the most time at home?  The Kitchen and dining? The kitchen is the first place people look when buying a home and the most memorable.

The kitchen is the heart of your home, it’s always alive with people, food and conversation. Keep this in mind and give your kitchen the love it deserves. Create a minimalist, clean design aesthetic, this allows possible buyers to visualise his or her own personal flair.

Renovating to stay or sell are two very different beasts but I would give common advice on one thing; Try not to skimp too much on the kitchen. You can benefit from saving in other areas of the home. I love casually designed kitchens with clean and handle-less cabinetry for a refined, polished and timeless aesthetic. Here are some simple tips to creating a kitchen that will ooze quality and elegance without spending a fortune:

  1. Under your feet

You can save and still get the look by simplifying your flooring by using timber loose lay vinyl instead of polished timber or use a cost effective quality 600 x 600 neutral, matt, raw look or concrete look porcelain tile. Some of the loose lay vinyl flooring products for example Karndean and Polyflor look great, are quick and easy to lay and feel great under your feet. It can be hard to pick the difference between vinyl and actual timber.

  1. Calm Cabinetry

If in doubt, I would always recommend a white cabinetry in either satin or matt 2-pac or laminate depending on your budget. You can always add timber laminate (Ploytec and Laminex) charcoal or pale grey feature sections for injected contrast. Handles can be difficult get right, but by using vertical and horizontal grooves you can replace traditional cabinet handles. If you want to stick with white kitchen and still feel it is not hitting your creative button try a wood panelling system.

  1. I see the light

Try to get as much natural light into the space as you can. This is important – more and more people are choosing homes that have kitchens opening out to alfresco entertainment areas, because of the lifestyle benefits.

  • Light helps create the feeling of space.
  • The view of outdoor greenery/pool freshens the space athletically.
  • Fresh air whilst cooking and entertaining offer functionality.
  • In addition, it allows for easy interaction between guests and host whilst juggling cooking and entertaining.
  1. A tip for a top Bench

Beautiful bench tops can be a selling point.  Stone, marble, concrete or timber look and feel great when your fingers run along the kitchen bench, the natural and textural surfaces immediately draw you into the space.  I have seen a couple of great timber look, textural laminate bench tops by laminex too. I do know that Smart Stone and Essa Stone can be cost effective reconstituted stones. The other companies will move on price if you have time to barter and Caesar Stone and Quantum are great for colour selection choices.

  1. Be colour careful

If you don’t have a lot of experience with design or renovating try not to use too much colour. It can be a tricky balance.

  • RENO TO LIVE IN FOR THE LONG TERM– Although eggshell blue, garden green or black and gold is your favourite colour palette now, interior fashions are almost changing seasonally these days. There is every possibility that you will hate that colour 6 months down the track. Ask yourself if you are going to love these selections in 5 years. Let’s face it – you don’t want to be replacing these expensive items any time soon because of “trends”.
  • RENO TO SELL NOW – Even though you are a fashion predictor and style queen, unfortunately not everyone has the same taste as you. So use your skills wisely and think wider audience, tone back and able your buyers to visualise.
  1. Splashback envy
  • Coloured glass or Metaline (white or light colour is best) is a great sleek look and offers that quality, clean look that buyers love.
  • Feature a natural veiny grain stone look to add wow factor. Quantum Quartz have a product Quantum 6, 6 mm porcelain sheets or Maximum Porcelain panels to offer the seamless look. Check it out.
  • Mirror is great if you don’t have the luxury of windows and make small spaces feel more open. Can be expensive though.
  • Subway tiles always look great and are cost effective. There are so many to choose out there now.
  • Large format tiles in 600mm or 800mm the full height of splashback can also look very sleek.
  • Window splash backs with a garden backdrop hit the mark and has the added benefit of natural light.
  1. Lastly the tap

The kitchen mixer – the jewel of the kitchen.

There are some beautiful designs out there. All I can say on this is one is run with the theme of your kitchen. Traditional, Modern, Edgy, Copper, Black or White? Ahh so many OPTIONS! Stay sleek and chrome for re-sale and go for elegance and beauty if you staying whilst keeping in line with your kitchen theme.

Final note:  Synergy between the kitchen and the rest of the home will set the tone for a captivating and efficient interior. Add touches of fresh greenery in round concrete look pots and enjoy!

Happy designing