As a team of highly experienced and passionate kitchen designers and manufacturers, at Harrington Kitchens, we know so many reasons why it is a great idea to add a new kitchen to your home. But this is not the kind of top-secret information that we want to keep to ourselves, we’d love to share it with you so that you can see for yourself just some of the reasons why we think you should consider a new kitchen for your home this year.
In a landscape that can be a little unpredictable, especially over the past few years, one constant that we can generally rely on is home-sweet-home. And for the vast majority of us, we have definitely found ourselves spending more time at home in recent times, than we might have in the past. So, what better way to truly embrace and appreciate just how important your faithful abode is, than by remodelling, revamping and refreshing one of the most integral and hard-working spaces in your home – the kitchen!
Here are 4 great reasons why we think it is worthwhile to create a new kitchen in your home this year.
#1 Maximise the Space and Functionality
As one of the most frequented and important spaces in a home, a kitchen is often referred to as the workhorse, where family and friends congregate to eat and be entertained. And if the past couple of years have taught us anything, it is that we should plan for the ability to work, rest and play at home too. A well-planned, functionable kitchen can really help to maximise the amount of workable space, and dedicated spaces, available for the wide range of tasks that need to be completed.
As one of our top reasons for getting a new kitchen in your home – you can roll comfort, style and convenience all into one. Create the ideal sanctuary for you and your crew to make use of your multi-functional kitchen space at any time of the day (or night!). Other than cooking, what other entertainment needs, conveniences, or multi-functioning aids do you need and can include into your kitchen design? Consider what you need to best suit your family and your lifestyle and then plan accordingly to optimise the space and functionality of your kitchen for all of your various at home tasks – not just for cooking!
Here are some design ideas that can help to maximise space and convenience, and could be well worth considering for your new kitchen:
- Flip-down or portable tables that can be used for breakfast nooks, study areas or entertainment spaces
- Multi-level or split-level benchtops for multi-purposing (for more information, see these ‘stunning kitchen island bench ideas’)
- Butler’s pantry with an additional sink, cooking station, bar or wine fridge (very important for home entertainers) or extra storage facilities
- Drawers or doors – see which option might work best for your kitchen in our article, ‘know your kitchen storage options – drawers versus doors’
#2 Add Some Value to Your Home
In a seller’s market, one of the areas in a home that can add some very good return on investment is a kitchen.
A kitchen can be a highly-emotive space for buyers as they imagine themselves enjoying what has been provided for cooking and entertaining. A well-designed, premium kitchen can often increase its value on outlay by up to five or six times. If you are thinking of selling at any time in the near future, this could be a very good reason for putting a new kitchen into your home this year.
#3 Environmentally-Friendlier and Greener Options to Help the Environment and Save Money Too
With prices for electricity and gas aways on the increase, you may find a core reason for a new kitchen in your home is to go greener – not only for the environment, but also for your hip pocket.
Your kitchen does not necessarily need to be completely overhauled to enjoy the benefits of going greener either. Replacing some older appliances, fixtures and fittings with newer models can often lift the aesthetics and help to save on utilities too. Consider power-saving devices such as energy efficient lighting (or skylights), cooktops, ovens and rangehoods; and water saving devices, when planning and designing your new kitchen.
#4 Your Home, Your Sanctuary
Your kitchen should reflect an area in which you feel happy, relaxed and comfortable to be in, rather than an area considered boring or dull and that you associate with hard-work and chores. Reflect your personal style and create a haven of pleasure and enjoyment by opting for unique, inspired surroundings and savvy design choices.
When planning your new kitchen, think about what features will generate a sense of relaxation and pleasure for you and your family. Creating a fresh new space of sanctuary at the heart of your home, for everyone to enjoy, is a great reason to add a new kitchen to your home.
Some elements that you might consider in order to maximise the benefits of your new kitchen sanctuary include:
- Increase bench space for meal preparation or entertaining
If space permits, including an island bench into your kitchen space has endless benefits in terms of workflow, as well as providing a multi-purpose space to gather, work and play. If it’s not possible to incorporate an island bench in your new kitchen space, consider other ways that you can maximise bench space in the area – a L-shaped or G-shaped kitchen could be an option or perhaps a portable island bench or butcher’s block that can be moved in and out as needed. You can never have too much bench space!
- Cabinetry paint colours and finishes
Inject fresh personality and style with striking colour choices. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be bold to be striking. Timeless whites and subtle greys can create a beautiful sense of calm and homely charm. Or make a statement with contrasting finishes in navy or charcoal on the island or under bench cabinetry. The options and inspiration for kitchen cabinetry colour and finish choices really is limited only by your imagination.
And cabinetry colours are not the only way to make a statement in your kitchen. Kitchen splashbacks provide an array of possibilities to make the space your own – from glass or mirrored; to natural stone; and tiles of all shapes and sizes. A kitchen splashback can subtly enhance and complement its surroundings or take centre stage.
- Which storage solutions work for you
Depending on your personal style and functional preferences think about which combination of storage solutions you would like in your new kitchen. A new kitchen is a chance to improve on what you already have and perhaps try something new. And the good news is that you can mix and match within the space to suit different needs and aesthetics. Drawers for spices, cutlery and dinnerware; cupboards for appliances; and open shelving for easy access to everyday items or to add some individuality and character and put some favourite pieces on show. This is in no way a prescriptive list, rather an example of the possibilities!
- Make it your Own
When it comes to injecting your new kitchen area with personality and style and creating your unique sanctuary space, never underestimate the power of art. See some amazing kitchen decorating ideas that help to put your stamp on a new kitchen space, in our article ‘7 inspired kitchen decorating ideas with amazing art’.
With rainchecks taken for overseas holidays and many other plans and life adventures put on hold of late, why not bring that serene and relaxing holiday, or nature-inspired adventure, vibe to you as a great reason to install a new kitchen in your home! Design or revamp it as you may – a change to your kitchen may just be as good, or even better, as a holiday itself and will certainly be enjoyed for a long time to come.
For all the help and professional advice that you need to create the best new kitchen for your budget and space, visit our website to book a consultation with our design team at Harrington Kitchens. Don’t forget to check out our online kitchen gallery for a full range of beautiful and inspiring finished kitchen projects.
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