“Kitchens should be designed around what is truly important–fun, food and life.” –Daniel Boulud

Kitchens have always been regarded as the heart of the home. It is not only the space in the home where the family shares their meals, but laughter and memories as well. In this regard, kitchens have been known to be the warmest area in the home where the fondest recollections are also engendered. Consequently, as kitchens see the most activity and footwork, the deterioration of this area would be rapid and so much faster than any other section of the home. While the decline of a home is inevitable and would form part of the normal wear and tear process, there are some signs of declination that ordinary repairs could no longer fix. To address them, a kitchen overhaul or total upgrade would be necessary. Unfortunately, if you are like most homeowners, your propensity for putting off home renovations would outweigh your kitchen’s incessant need for it. It might be that you just wish to save on home upgrade expenses, but the longer you delay them, the bigger your potential cost would be.

As your home’s central meeting place and your family’s nucleus if you may, extra carehould be taken into preserving the kitchen. So, if any of these signs are present in your kitchen in your Empire East Condo or elsewhere, it should be addressed as soon as possible:

1.)  Outdated Appliances

Back in the day, they might have been the latest when it comes to kitchen appliance technology. However, they are either beyond repair or impractical to run by today’s standards. Obsolete kitchen appliances can diminish your kitchen’s overall aesthetic. Apart from being less attractive, they drain more energy than current models available today. Another thing that should be of paramount consideration to you is safety as well. If your kitchen appliances are old and clunky, you are putting your homes in a precarious situation and potential fire hazard. Kitchen appliances that are inconvenient and impractical to use should be replaced.

2.) Damage and wear

Of course, as with any part of your homes, the kitchen would inevitably go through the normal processes of wear and tear. After all, you cannot expect to keep it in pristine and like-new condition. However, there are certain precautions you can take to ensure that your kitchen’s eventual deterioration would deferred. Similarly, if your kitchen shows any sign of issues that are beyond repair, a kitchen renovation project might be more sensible than a simple repair one. Cracked and chipped countertops and peeling floors are prime areas for bacteria to breed. Any signs of these would require a more stringent approach and more often than not, would mean you need to renovate your kitchen.

3.) Insufficient counter space

If you find yourself constantly grating your teeth over the lack of counter space, then there is a likely chance that this should be one of the items to check off in your kitchen renovation list. Apart from being home to your appliances, your countertops should offer enough space for food preparation. After all, their purpose would be for naught if all they did was be laden with appliances and utensils. Ideally, you should have more than enough space to work in the kitchen. With this in mind, kitchen counters should be free and everything should be easily accessible.

4.) You cannot find anything

Does food preparation took longer than usual? Do you find yourself scouring for utensils inside kitchen drawers or atop counters? How much time do you actually dedicate to finding the right utensils and appliances for food preparation as opposed to the preparation itself? If your kitchen looks like it is in a perpetual state of disarray, it might be that you have a shortage on kitchen space. A spruced up place in the form of a renovated kitchen can significantly reduce food preparation time and would be a worthy investment to make. Furthermore, it would inspire you to make and take meals in your every own kitchen again.

5.) You do not like it

Whether it is the design or simply because it looks impractical, if you hate your kitchen for any reason at all, reinvent it. The kitchen is one of the home’s most prized areas and would consequently play a pivotal part in determining your home’s overall resale value. Furthermore, most homebuyers are now looking to have a modern and practical kitchen. So, if you wish to sell your home in the near future, reinventing your home in the form of a kitchen renovation can be a very rewarding and worthwhile investment.