According to the Housing Industry Association data, Australians spent a whopping $37.5 billion on home renovations in 2020. Renovations led to a surge in house prices by about 15% in 2021 and another 5% in 2022.
United Stone kitchen renovations Melbourne offer significant savings of cost, time, and labor. Melbourne median house prices touched the million-dollar mark in February 2021, thanks to the contractors’ excellent renovation services. If you are thinking about renovating your kitchen, consider these trending six ideas.
Creative Lighting Ideas
Lighting has a significant impact on how a room looks. You can mix and match ambiance lights with task lighting to give your kitchen a unique appeal. Pendant lights make for excellent task light over your island and the latest track lighting for the rest of the kitchen for a welcoming ambiance. This is a great way to save on your energy bills as well.
You can use light to create an illusion of space in a small kitchen. For instance, under-cabinet and in-cabinet lights can make your kitchen appear larger than it is. Or you can use mirrored backsplashes to reflect light and make the kitchen appear brighter. Going with smart LED lighting fixtures is a great way to future-proof your renovation.
Try Marble Countertops
While expensive, marble countertops bring a feminine touch while being sophisticated and chic. They are a class apart from the regular granite slabs you usually find in most kitchens. If you are worried about stains, a polished finish can minimize those concerns. With the right care, marble countertops can last a lifetime.
Marble countertops are easier to maintain than granite and other natural stones. This is because marble is a softer stone and will scratch more easily. So, you need to be careful while using knives, cutting boards, and other kitchen tools on them.
Islands Are The Way To Go
Having a focal point in the kitchen can open up space, and an island can do more than that. Leaving about 36 to 48 inches around all the sides of the island can make it functional. Ideally, you should have about 24 inches of surface area for each person for comfortable seating.
Add a cooktop, a sink, and some storage to make the island even more functional. This is a great way to add counter space and storage without taking up any more floor space in your kitchen.
For that kitchen feel, you can add a breakfast bar to one end of the island for quick meals. If you want to go all out, you can add a second sink, a dishwasher, and even a wine cooler.
A kitchen island can also be a great place to hide your appliances. You can have a built-in microwave, oven, and even a refrigerator in the island. This way, they will be out of sight and save you valuable counter space.
Update That Backsplash
The backsplash bears the brunt of all kinds of kitchen spills and splashes. Therefore, updating it can be a cost-effective way to renovate your kitchen. Consider different textures and colors instead of a single tone.
If you are on a low budget, refresh the paint to do the trick. The ideas for a backsplash replacement/remodel are many, and any Melbourne interior expert will be able to give suggestions on how to proceed. It is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to renovate your kitchen and give it a new look.
The kitchen backsplash is an ideal place to experiment with different colors and textures. You can use it to add personality to your kitchen and make it stand out with a new coat of paint, some tile, or even wallpaper.
New Cabinets Or Just Doors
Another most used item is kitchen cabinets. The cabinet doors are opened every day and frequently; replacing them with upgraded ones is the best investment you can make in the house. When remodeling, you can return the entire cabinet or only the doors.
Either way, you can pick ready-to-use doors from a wide range of colors and textures. You can also have them in a glossy finish or with a wood grain to match your existing cabinets. This will give your kitchen a fresh and new look without too much expense.
Open shelving is another trend that is popular right now. It can make a small kitchen look bigger and brighter. You can use it to display your china, crystal, or any other decorative items. Alternatively, you can use open shelving to store your cookbooks and pots and pans. This will save you some much-needed storage space in the kitchen.
Kitchen makeovers do not necessarily mean a total gutting of the kitchen. You can work with what you have and still achieve the look you desire.
Update Floors
While hardwood is the popular choice for kitchen flooring, you can also consider engineered wood, oak, hickory, maple, or walnut. Engineered timber has multiple layers, with the top being hardwood and the lower layers being other materials that prevent expansion and contraction.
You can go for oak if you want a natural appeal, hickory if there is a lot of traffic in your kitchen, and ash if you wish for light-colored flooring. Floors should be moisture resistant and easy to clean. If your kitchen is near the entrance of your home, then consider a dark color that will hide dirt and footprints.
The kitchen floor takes a lot of abuse, so it is important to choose a durable material that can withstand spills, dropped dishes, and heavy foot traffic. You also want to make sure that the material is easy to clean and maintain.
Final Words
Small changes can go a long way in giving your kitchen a new look and making it more functional. The top six renovations you should consider were discussed here, but the opportunities are endless. United Stone kitchen renovations Melbourne offers some great cost-effective ideas and can give you a brand new kitchen without breaking the bank.
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