A Modern Upgrade for a Dated 1950s Kitchen
When we first met Jane in Jersey City, NJ, her kitchen was in major need of renovation. Although her charming, 116-year-old home had a lot of character, her kitchen hadn’t been updated since 1956. This meant that both aesthetically and functionally, it was time for a revamp. In addition to wanting a bigger space to entertain, Jane had her eye on the resale value of her house. But she faced one major dilemma - she had no idea where to start.
Life Before the Renovation
Before the renovation, Jane’s canary yellow countertops and wall oven screamed 1950s. The space also lacked functional features like a center island for extra space for entertaining and prepping food.
She knew she wanted to renovate her kitchen, but had to first figure out her budget and living arrangements during the project. Thankfully, because Jane was only renovating the kitchen, she wasn’t displaced during the project. However, she did find herself ordering out for dinner more often.
This is why we often recommend limiting a renovation project to one or two rooms at a time, so that the homeowner’s day-to-day life isn’t greatly affected by the construction.
After deciding that she was ok to stay in her home during the renovation, Jane had to set her budget. In terms of appliances, she knew she didn’t want to exceed her $35,000 budget.
For a full kitchen remodel, homeowners should typically budget about $40,000- $50,000 without factoring in appliances. Although this may sound like a big number, renovations greatly increase home resale value, making them a worthy investment down the line.
Getting Started
After speaking with several friends who had recently completed renovation projects of their own, Jane knew it was time to start compiling ideas and find a designer.
“I had no idea where to start actually,” Jane said. “I knew that I wanted to have really nice finishes in here, and so the first thing I started searching for was appliances.“
Most designers recommend choosing your appliances before doing anything else. This allows the designer to work around your favorite appliances, instead of having to settle on appliances simply because they fit into your space.
After looking through home magazines and scouring Pinterest for inspiration, Jane decided that she wanted an all-white kitchen with modern flair. She stopped by the Montclair showroom, and in addition to looking at appliances, took notes on things like countertops, cabinetry, and backsplash design. After explaining her needs for her kitchen, we were able to connect Jane with her contractor for the project, AD Home Improvements.
Selecting the Appliances
Functionally, Jane’s appliances were in desperate need of an upgrade. However, she had only a basic understanding of which appliances would work in the space. She had seen her friends’ Miele and Bosch appliances, and knew both companies offered the high-end features she was looking for.
One amenity Jane and her husband knew they wanted from the very beginning was a high-quality coffee maker. As coffee connoisseurs, they wanted to be able to skip the trip to their local coffee shop in the morning and enjoy a quality cup of their favorite drink from the comfort of their own home.
After taking a trip back to the Montclair showroom, Jane and her husband fell in love with Miele appliances. In fact, they loved Miele appliances so much that they outfitted their entire kitchen in Miele products, including: a Miele dishwasher, Combi Steam Oven, gas range, panel-ready french door refrigerator, dual zone wine refrigerator, and of course, the Miele coffee maker.
Breaking Ground on the Renovation
Armed lots of inspiration, Jane was finally able to break ground on her kitchen renovation project. But first - she needed to assemble her team.
In small remodels, customers often only need a cabinet maker and an appliance dealer to get the job. But because Jane and her husband decided to go with a full remodel, they needed the help of a contractor to tear down the walls and create the open concept kitchen they were looking for. Their contractor, AD Home Improvements, was then able to hire subcontractors to move the sink, dishwasher, and all relevant plumbing and electrical lines. But before the contractor could get to work, he had to obtain a permit to knock down the constricting walls that made the kitchen area seem so small.
(P.S. - Permits are extremely important for the homeowner, as they protect you against poor quality workmanship).
Another important member of the team was Jane’s interior designer, who helped her to cover all aspects of the overall kitchen design. This included aesthetic choices like flooring and countertop type, a new backsplash, and the color of the walls.
Life After the Renovation
Overall, the entire renovation took about four months from start to finish, but Jane’s return on investment was high. After the renovation was complete, her home value increased 20%.
Because Jane and her husband love to entertain, many of the amenities they chose reflect their love for gatherings. For example, they’ve already made good use of their 36 inch Miele range, which allows them to cook big meals for guests with the extra large space. They also enjoy the champagne bucket, which sits to the right of their Franke sink.
But her favorite appliance of all? The Miele coffee maker she had so eagerly awaited before the renovation. “When I get up in the morning, it’s the very first thing that gets turned on in this house,” Jane said. “Even before a light.
Aside from the new appliances, the kitchen itself became much more functional and inviting after the remodel. Instead of a room meant purely for cooking, Jane’s kitchen became the life of the party.
When asked what advice she had for homeowners in the beginning of the renovation process, Jane stressed the value of extensive research and a strong and reliable team. She also highlighted the importance of thinking of the larger picture. That is, after you’ve decided to move on from your current home, a renovation and some new appliances can dramatically increase the resale value.
from Designer Appliances Blog https://ift.tt/3l3sW8K
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