Kitchen decor has come a long way. Your old kitchen may not just be affecting the value of your home, it could also be affecting the comfort and practicality when it comes to cooking and preparing meals. Here are few signs that your kitchen is probably in need of an upgrade and what you can do to bring it into the 21st century.
Your Appliances Are Over 15 Years Old
Kitchen appliances generally last fifteen years max. If you’re using appliances that are older than this, you could be running on borrowed time. These machines might not only look old and be working less effective, it’s likely they’ll also be using up a lot of energy. Many modern appliances consume relatively low amounts of energy, saving you money on your bills. Repairing old appliances generally isn’t worthwhile unless you’ve only had them a couple years. It can cost just as much to repair these gadgets as it does to replace them.
There Are Stains That Just Won’t Disappear
If there are stains on the countertops or on the floor that can’t be scrubbed out, it could be time to treat yourself to a new kitchen suite. Certain materials are more prone to stains, particularly woods that haven’t been laminated or natural stones such as marble. Freshen up your kitchen by buying some new worktops and flooring. Consider material choices such as vinyl plank floors by Carpet One that offer good stain resistance. Materials like quartz meanwhile are great for kitchen countertops as they are also largely stain-proof.
The Taps Are Looking Mottled
If taps are starting to look mottled, it could be time to buy some new ones. It’s likely the inside of these taps has started to fur up too, affecting your water quality. Consider a fresh chrome steel tap that is unlikely to rust in the future. Pull-down taps as supplied by Cooke and Lewis are one of the most convenient choices as you can use them to clean the corners of your sink as well as getting inside cups and pans.
You’re Running Out Of Space
Many old kitchens have limited countertop space. As time has progressed, households are buying more appliances to put on their countertops including microwaves, kettles, coffee machines, toasters, steamers and blenders. All of this can start to make the kitchen crowded. If you feel you no longer have enough free countertop space to adequately prepare meals, it could be worth extending your kitchen or finding a way of adding in more countertop space. You could consider knocking down a wall to an adjacent dining room or living room and extending the countertop to create a breakfast bar. Alternatively, you may have enough room to create an island.
The Lighting Is Too Dim
Many old kitchens have poor lighting. If you find yourself squinting at food whilst preparing it, it could be worth calling in an electrician to wire in some more overhead lighting. Spot lighting can help illuminate corners and recesses and can even be placed under kitchen cabinets. An option could be to install overhead track lighting, positioning various lights so that they shine into all the corners of the room whilst minimizing the amount of wiring needed.