Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa March 2013 | Page 34

IMPROVING

BY ANGIE REDMOND

Add Value To Your Kitchen

A

Without breaking the bank

re you planning a kitchen renovation?
A well thought-out and detailed plan
is a must before you begin remodeling
your kitchen. This plan should be designed
keeping in view the current good and bad
aspects in your kitchen. You also need to decide
whether you plan to design the kitchen yourself,
use a kitchen or interior designer or work with a
reputable kitchen installer or home centre.
Here are some tips and ideas on improving
and remodeling your kitchen without breaking
the bank account.

Use 3D rendering
With 3D rendering software, many of which
are free, you can now create and edit images of
your ideal kitchen. Before spending any money
on renovations, experiment with 3D rendering
to finalise the ‘look’ for your kitchen.

Decide on colour schemes
For a sunny look use warm colours such as red,
orange and yellow. Large kitchens that receive
a lot of natural light may look better with a cool
colour scheme, in leafy green and sky blue. You
can also use neutral colours such as white and
grey and have one wall painted in a brick finish
for a more dramatic look.

Consider the shape
The kitchen is no longer just a room meant for
cooking. It is now a space for families to eat
together and socialise with guests. Reorganise
your kitchen into a U or L shape, and keep
the sink, cooking range, and refrigerator in a
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March 2013 SA Real Estate Investor

triangular pattern. This arrangement will turn
your kitchen into a pleasant communal area.

Fixtures on a budget
With so many f looring options available,
consider the advantages and disadvantages of
the different options. Ceramic tiles, wooden
f loors and eco-friendly materials are good
options for good looking and durable flooring,
but so are polished concrete and natural stone.
How you use your kitchen should determine the
most practical flooring within your budget.
Kitchen f looring: Hardwood or laminate
floors add class to your kitchen. Ceramic tiles
that look like marble is also a great idea to be
considered.
Sink settings: A stainless steel deep inset sink
with two or three compartments and a fancy tap
fitting for your sink should give your kitchen an
instant facelift.
Granite top overlays: Opt for the granite
overlays that simply go on top of your existing
kitchen counter surface. It looks almost as good
as the real thing!
Cupboard doors: Simply redoing the cabinet
doors in bold dramatic colours will infuse new
life into your kitchen.

Decorative lighting
Using light fixtures strategically can make your
kitchen dazzle. Skip fluorescent ceiling fixtures
and go for mini chandeliers, dinette pendants,
recessed lights and island track lights. Our best
recommendation is to get under-cabinet lights.
They make your kitchen look ultra-glamorous.

The role of your kitchen
The perception surrounding the role of a
kitchen in the dynamics of the home has
been redirected. With lifestyles becoming
busier, faster and more convenience-centred,
the kitchen has once again taken the role
of the multifunctional heart of the home,
where entertainment, work, cooking and

OPTIMUM SPACE
Optimum workspace
Modern trends show that nowadays
couples or nuclear families often cook
together and share kitchen chores.
Thus workspace in today’s kitchens
should be utilised such that more
than one person can work efficiently
without getting in the other person’s
way. You can also create distinct work
centres by separating workspaces with
sinks, microwave or other appliances.
Storage space
Modern trends also indicate that
nowadays with women working out,
very few items are cooked from scratch
and storage space for items needs
to be increased. Thus cabinets have
entered the scene in a big way. One
can choose from frameless and framed
cabinets and can order from custom or
standard designs. Check for rollout, tiltout and other storage features inside
the cabinets.

www.reimag.co.za