For many families, the kitchen is the heart of the home – a space of creativity, socializing with friends, helping with homework and sharing news about the day. A beautiful and functional kitchen is a must-have for most home buyers too, so it’s important to think about upgrading your space not only for your own enjoyment but to make selling your home easy. Unfortunately, remodeling is expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming – unless you follow this guide from our cash for houses business in Dallas on easy, affordable upgrades.
Reface Your Cabinets
Chances are, your cabinets are probably in pretty good shape even though they may not fit your taste or the latest styles – but that doesn’t mean you have to buy new cabinets for your kitchen to look great. If you have a larger budget, you can simply remove the doors and buy new ones in the style you like, as cabinet sizes are usually standard and very easy to replace. An even more budget-friendly idea is to simply paint your cupboards and upgrade your handles for an immediate transformation. There are loads of different cabinet paints and primers in your local DIY shop, including spray paints, or you can go the professional route and call in a handyman with all the right equipment to assist you.
The nice thing about this affordable upgrade is that it doesn’t disrupt your home life too much – it is complete in just a few days as well, rather than weeks.
Change Out Your Countertops
Countertops are another big-ticket item, but they don’t have to break the bank. Avoid the high street and go directly to your local stone yard if you want to find more affordable natural stone options. They’ll be able to show you the price difference between different stone slabs and even supply you with discount off-cuts at bargain prices that are ideal for kitchen islands. You can also search on Craigslist and local Facebook groups for people who are fully remodeling their kitchen and have perfectly good countertops to sell at great prices.
It’s also important to keep an open mind. Sure, granite is wonderful – but Formica and laminate countertops have come a long way since the 1950s and offer beautiful natural textures at a fraction of the price, including granite, stone, marble and more.
Re-tile Your Backsplash
A backsplash is a useful and functional part of your kitchen design, but the tiles can start looking a little dated over the years. Re-tiling your backsplash with new tiles will instantly freshen up your kitchen and give it some character and eye-catching appeal, whether you choose classic subway tiles, artistic Mexican hand painted tiles or even offcuts of granite. It’s a relatively quick job and, because a backsplash is a fairly small area, it can be done quickly and affordably – you can even do it yourself if you love DIY!
Add Shelving
As we’ve already mentioned, kitchen cabinetry is very expensive – which is why we recommend shelving if you need more storage space. It’s been very fashionable for the last few years and it’s quick and easy to install. You can find shelves to suit any style kitchen, whether it’s a sleek and modern space you’re trying to create or a cozy farmhouse kitchen. This is also a great DIY job that will only take a couple of hours to install.
Be creative with your shelves and use them to display cookery books, vintage crockery and glassware as well as your plates and dishes. This way, they add color and visual interest as well as being practical and easy to use!
Look at Your Lighting
Great lighting can transform any space, especially a kitchen. Get rid of that harsh fluorescent lighting and install something stylish and functional. When deciding on your lighting, think about how you use your kitchen – you’ll want brighter light for task areas (where you prepare and cook food) and softer lighting in social spaces (over your table or breakfast bar). Under-counter lighting and light tape is an affordable way to light your countertop workspace unobtrusively and without impacting your overall design. Be creative and don’t be afraid to have multiple lights for your space, like adding striking statement lights to bring a key area to life.
Upgrade Your Appliances
If your appliances are old and worn, they can bring the entire look of your kitchen down. Shop around for a new range, fridge-freezer and other appliances and wait for bargains – Black Friday and the after-Christmas retail season are good opportunities. It’s also a good idea to look at online sales in Facebook groups – sometimes people are moving home or selling almost-new appliances for incredibly affordable prices. New appliances don’t cost too much and you’ll be amazed at the difference they make – they’ll likely be much more energy and water efficient too, which saves you even more in the long-term.
Don’t forget your smaller appliances too – especially your plumbing, like faucets. A new, stylish kitchen faucet can be as little as $100 and it will make an impressive statement feature in your space.
We Can Sell Your Home Today – Speak to the Specialists in Cash for Houses Dallas and Fort Worth
The Shiny Key Properties team is a leading property agency in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, specializing in cash for houses. If you’re interested in selling your home quickly or want to buy a new home in the area, contact us today. We can make you a no-obligation, market-related cash offer on your property today.