Take a quick look around your kitchen and you might think your space has everything you need: a fridge full of food, a set of damascus knives, that expensive bottle of olive oil you never use, a cupboard of seasonings that you rarely delve into and the perfect amount of natural light. But when it comes to adding value to your kitchen so that it’s more appealing to buyers, renters or maybe your darling partner, there are a few more features you need to consider.
From investing in state-of-the-art appliances to making creative storage space your priority, the most impressive kitchens know how to be the beating heart of a home, turning this utilitarian space into a multi-functional room that can be used for everything: cooking, entertaining, relaxing, work-from-homing and creating core memories. That’s what makes your kitchen the most important room to renovate anytime you want to upgrade your lifestyle or secure a sale.
So without further ado, here is our guide to adding value to your kitchen and creating one of the most-sought after spaces on the market:
1. Choose Timeless Over Trends
Here’s the thing: trends come and go faster than Love Island contestants, whereas timeless looks are exactly that: timeless. Start by choosing a neutral colour palette that suits your space, whether that’s creams and greys or dark blues and wooden countertops both of which have the broadest appeal. What’s more, because these classic schemes have cemented themselves as timeless, they’ll stay in vogue for a long time to come, meaning you won’t have to worry about your kitchen’s style from looking tired and dated.
The other reason neutral shades are so appealing is their versatility; a trait that is shared with Shaker-style cabinetry with both being able to complement a huge variety of styles, allowing the new owners or tenants to rework the space to suit their personalities and aesthetics.
2. Add A Functional Island
Every dream kitchen shares the same fundamental wants: personality, functionality and storage, which is why everyone dreams of having a kitchen island. From giving your kitchen extra worktop space to additional seating, to adding a multi-functional feel to this space, a kitchen island has become the must-have feature for one reason: they provide a simple solution to every kitchen’s wants and needs.
The trick is adding practicality to your island, whether that’s with in-built storage options, a farmhouse style sink or even a plethora of appliances, as well as a dedicated food prep area that can double up as a place for working or entertaining. With more and more people working and socialising from home, an island adds a multi-functional feel that can be tailored to different lifestyles.
3. Quartz Worktops Always Win
There’s something warm, soothing and natural about a kitchen that showcases wooden worktops, but most homebuyers are looking for a cooking area that will look good and last the test of time for as long as possible. That’s where natural stone materials, such as quartz, come in.
Choosing a hardwearing, long-lasting and timeless material, like quartz, to upgrade your space is a smart way to future-proof your kitchen with a countertop that is resistant to stains, heat and scratches. What’s more, choosing a premium quartz, such as Venatino, will give your kitchen a luxury feel, catching the eye of more potential buyers.
4. Add State-of-the-Art Appliances
Combining fun and functionality is the foundation to creating a versatile, multi-purpose space, which is exactly what state-of-the-art appliances will bring to your kitchen. Not only do they add a high-end aesthetic to your space, but they will also make your kitchen more practical and far easier to use.
From multi-purpose taps that save time by providing hot, cold, and boiling water on demand to integrated extractor hobs that draw down any steam, to smart fridge-freezers, by installing the latest in high-tech appliances you will create a more ergonomic kitchen that is instantly attractive to buyers.
5. Energy-Efficiency is a Must
Long before our energy-bills got a sudden hike, the need to reduce our carbon footprints and improve our running costs was gaining a huge amount of momentum – and that need is only going to grow. That’s what makes energy-efficient kitchens so attractive to buyers and renters.
Yet it’s not just about creating a space that appeals to the more eco-conscious out there. When you put your property on the market, it will be examined for its energy efficiency and then given an energy performance rating known as an EPC. That’s where energy-efficient appliances become your best friend. From switching to a fridge-freezer that uses less energy to upgrading your dishwasher to be more eco-conscious, you want to create a space that is friendly on the pocket and the environment.
6. Built-In Storage is the Best
When it comes to designing a kitchen, there is no such thing as too much storage – and the best way to maximise your storage offering is to get creative in as many ways as possible. That’s what will give your kitchen the most value. Buyers and renters are looking for kitchen’s that combine layout and design that will improve your kitchen’s storage space so that everything is kept accessible, organised and clutter-free.
Install magnetic strips to utilise the space between your wall and base cabinets, add a spice rack to the back of cabinet doors, talk to our designers about clever under-sink storage, bookend your worktops with bespoke larders, install folding corner cupboards to make the most out of your pull-out storage options and have drawers installed into your kitchen island to give your bulkier items an easy-access home. Whatever you can do to your kitchen to improve its storage offering will add value.
7. Create Depth With Textures
One of the most desirable features of a kitchen is space and using textures and colours to their full-effect is a great way to give your kitchen a spacious feel. The simplest way to do this is to create a layout that compliments your kitchen’s diameters, as well as creating depth through eye-catching methods. Use different shades of the same colour to separate your island from the rest of your cabinets, use consistent flooring throughout your home that draws the eye forwards and use different materials to add layers to your space, such as wooden floors combined with quartz worktops and tiled backsplashes.
8. Light It Up
Lighting plays an essential role in every room, especially the kitchen. This is because the right lighting allows you to highlight the best features in your kitchen while also adding a layer of enhanced functionality, not to mention the welcoming ambience good lighting can create.
Consider adding concealed spotlights beneath your top cabinets to make meal prepping easier, statement lights above your kitchen island to control the mood you want at any given time and plinth lights running along the floor cabinets to add an extra layer of depth to your kitchen while also illuminating your walkways after dark. The trick is to highlight the best parts of your space, whether that’s the layout, the natural materials you’ve used or to enhance the functionality of your space.
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