Spend vs. Save: Part Two
Kitchens + Baths
I’m sure you’ve heard it mentioned before that kitchens and bathrooms have some of the greatest impacts on a home’s resale value, and that’s for several reasons.
For one thing, you spend a ton of time in these rooms. They need to be as functional as they are beautiful. Second, they are anything BUT evergreen, meaning our collective design tastes and styles are more likely to change faster than the actual hard materials and fixtures in place degrade and need to be updated.
Judging by the recently returning trends of terrazzo tile and pastel appliances, it seems that we’ve got a window of about 30-50 years before something that looks really dated might actually come back into style (emphasis on “might”). I don’t know about you, but to me, that seems like an awfully long time to put up with a kitchen that looks like it was ripped from a scene in Under the Tuscan Sun. I’ll let you decide whether I’m talking about the film’s setting or the year it was released (2003) because both apply.
In part one of this series, which focused on living and dining rooms, I mentioned that my time in this industry has taught me that there’s a ton of truth in the phrase “you get what you pay for” and in many ways, I think that’s even more accurate in kitchens and baths. While there were many different factors that created some budget wiggle room in my last post, the reality is that you simply don’t have as much flexibility here due to fixed material costs and specialized labor.
But if you must spend, spend smart, right? Read on.
Kitchens
We spend countless hours in our kitchens. They’re the central hub of most homes and have expanded over the last few decades to become multi-purpose spaces with larger eat-in areas and wide-open floorplans (at least there’s one early 2000’s trend we can keep). Between everyday casual meals, special gatherings with friends and family, evening homework, game nights, craft projects, etc. — we really ask our kitchens to do a lot for us! It’s because of this that investing in your kitchen creates such real, tangible value. You’ll see and feel it every time you set foot in the room.
Where You Should Spend
Appliances
If you can afford to invest in quality, energy-efficient appliances for your kitchen, then you definitely should. This isn’t just about aesthetics (stainless steel has won the popularity contest consistently for years), but performance, and overall long-term value. While there are of course “good, better, and best” options in just about any category you could imagine, inexpensive appliances will likely need to be repaired and replaced more often. Not to mention a cheap-looking appliance can diminish the appearance of everything else around it, lowering the overall perception of a kitchen’s quality.
To spend wisely on appliances, think about how you’ll use them. If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, then it might be perfectly ok to splurge on a professional-grade range. Huge family? Opt for an oversized (or second) refrigerator and dishwasher. My opinion is that you should put the necessary tools in place to make all the time you spend cooking and cleaning simple and enjoyable.
It’s also worth noting that appliances age at different rates, so take that into consideration when shopping. A quality gas range or refrigerator can last 15-20 years while the average lifespan for dishwashers and microwaves is just 6-10 years. Focus your spending on the items that will give you the most value year-over-year.
Countertops
Countertops are probably the most complicated choice to make when remodeling a kitchen due to the price differential from low to high end. Ranging from around $20/sq ft for plastic laminate (which has come a long way, honestly) to upwards of $250/sq ft for rare natural stone and marble, you’ve got tons of options at many price points, each with pros and cons.
If you’re in your forever home, are an avid cook, or have kids who like to help out in the kitchen, it’s worth investing in something that will stand the test of time in both looks and performance. Consider the different materials, how they’ll wear over time, and try to pick the one most closely aligned with your lifestyle. For example, butcher block countertops feel warm in a space and allow you to forgo a cutting board, but the porous wood holds germs and food stains meaning it needs to be cleaned and conditioned often.
For aesthetics, if you’re not staying put in the home for more than ten years or so, pass on anything that’s too bold or trendy as this big-ticket item can have a huge impact on your resale value. Stick to classic, neutral tones and more reserved veining patterns. As anyone who’s watched a single episode of House Hunters knows, granite remains a popular choice.
There are literally hundreds of great articles online (like this one) comparing the many different options for countertops, so I won’t go down that rabbit hole today.
Cabinets
If you can get your kitchen cabinets right the first time — you might only have to do this once during the time you spend in a home. They’re basically furniture, so resist the urge to think about them like something disposable!
Here’s how to spend smart:
Choose a timeless style like simple Shaker or flat-front slab doors.
Go for high-quality, solid construction.
Think about custom solutions to achieve the best layout or perfect amount of storage.
There are a lot of options at your disposal when it comes to giving cabinets a refresh. From painting or refacing the doors, to adding glass panes, to updating hardware, you should think twice before tearing everything out and sending it to the dump (and if you must, please consider donating your old cabinets to a reuse center like Construction Junction here in Pittsburgh)! A few upper cabinets can even be swapped out for open shelving if you want to lighten the look of your kitchen.
Bottom line: quality kitchen cabinets are able to evolve with your home’s style through the years without making any major dents to your wallet. Spend today and consider them an item for your “save” list tomorrow.
Fixtures + Fittings
Invest here, but not too much. Quality fixtures and fittings should have enough style to compliment the other choices you’ve made in the room, but after a certain price point, you’re just paying for bells and whistles and not necessarily a better-performing fixture. When choosing a kitchen faucet, look for one with ceramic valves. They’re about the same price as faucets with metal valves but tend to last for much longer without any leaks.
Pay attention to your sink and the number of holes it has. A single-handle faucet can be installed in a traditional three-hole sink (one for the center spout, and for both hot and cold handles), but you’ll need a surface plate to cover the unused spaces. If your sink has a fourth hole for a sprayer but you prefer a pull-down sprayer nozzle on your faucet, you can always install a soap dispenser in its place! Also be sure the faucet you choose has enough height and reach to cover the full span of your sink, especially if there are multiple bowls.
Flooring
In some ways, I feel like kitchen flooring tends to be a bit of an afterthought. Maybe this is due to the popularity of open concept homes, where the flooring is often a continuation of whatever’s happening in a neighboring space? In function, the kitchen floor needs to be highly durable to stand up to multiple trips back and forth between your key “triangle” workspaces (range, refrigerator, and sink). Not to mention standing up to multiple trips to the refrigerator during something like say, I don’t know…a global pandemic?
This doesn’t have to be the most expensive flooring available out there of course, partly because the amount of floor that is actually visible in a kitchen tends to be rather small. But this limited square footage allows you to make an investment in something that will not only look great but survive you dropping a dutch oven full of dad’s prize chili or an entire carton of eggs. Go for something like hardwood, or ceramic and porcelain tile. And don’t pass on comfortable anti-fatigue mats, or washable runners while you’re at it!
Counter or Island Seating
Most likely the only piece of furniture in your kitchen or eat-in space, you’ll want to invest in quality seating. Whether you need counter-height chairs or bar-height stools, look for a set that is both sturdy and comfortable. If you have children (or are prone to spills as an adult), choose a durable, easy-to-clean performance fabric that can handle some spot cleaning once in a while. There are some affordable pieces out there of course, but I think wobbly stools are annoying enough to encourage you to spend here.
Hiring a Professional
Somewhat of a shameless plug here, but when you think of the impact a kitchen can have on your home and life, it makes sense to enlist some professional support. An Interior Designer can help you sort out a floorplan that makes the most sense for your lifestyle, and is knowledgeable about the many different options that are available to you for materials and finishes. Tackling a kitchen renovation can be daunting and we can help guide the whole process so it goes smoothly from start to finish. From plumbers and electricians to tile and flooring installers, there are also many other professional tradespeople to include with the expertise to complete your kitchen project safely and efficiently.
I can’t stress enough that a great design is made up of a hundred little details that have all come together seamlessly! If you skimp on the planning, material sourcing, and labor, you risk a shoddy end result that only stresses you out each time you walk into the room (I elaborate a little more on the right balance of DIY in the “save” section up next). Even worse, you may end up with a project that was not only expensive for you but becomes a potential turn-off for future buyers.
Where You Should Save
Hardware
Cabinet hardware is like jewelry for your kitchen — that last final touch that takes the whole room across the finish line. And, just like jewelry, there are millions of styles to choose from. Ranging anywhere from $2 to $20 each (or even more for handcrafted, artisanal, or one-of-a-kind pieces), you can see how this small item could quickly blow the budget if you don’t shop around.
Since cabinet hardware can be updated as often as you like (be sure to keep some wood filler handy so you don’t end up with too many screw holes in your cabinet doors), go for something affordable that is comfortable in your hand and will resist fingerprints and smudges.
Backsplash
Backsplashes are another “jewelry” item for the kitchen that has a wide range of types and price points. Like hardware, a backsplash can easily blow the budget if you go for a more expensive material like glass mosaic or stainless steel, which are also harder/more expensive to install. More affordable options like porcelain and ceramic tile, or even natural stone will give you more bang for your buck.
Because they typically cover more square footage and are more visible than your hardware, backsplashes are unfortunately more likely to look “dated” sooner. A classic or neutral option such as a simple subway tile will stand the test of time and allow you more flexibility to change the adjacent surfaces like countertops and cabinets without too much concern over how they coordinate.
Lighting
You’re handling sharp knives and pieces of hot cookware — need I say more on how important it is to be able to see what you’re doing? Good lighting in a kitchen is crucial! But that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank with high-end designer fixtures. Choose affordable styles, and go for a “layered” approach with plenty of ambient overhead lighting mixed with task lighting on your work surfaces. If you’re a fan of changing the level of light at different times of the day, consider under mount lighting for your cabinet which is great for late evenings and early mornings.
From a design perspective, adding lighting to cabinets with glass front doors, or some eye-catching pendants over an island or eat-in counter can be a low-cost, high-impact way to put your personal stamp on this room. Pay attention to scale and height, as well as the amount of light they throw (watch out for glare with clear glass pendants). This is important so you don’t obstruct views or overpower your space.
Paint + Wallcoverings
As we mentioned in Part One, the number of paint colors and lines to choose from is limited only by your imagination. Although you can spend a pretty penny on this, it’s fine to save a little cash here. If there is a paint color from an expensive brand that you’re absolutely coveting for a room, chances are there’s a dead ringer for it in one of the inexpensive lines available at your local home improvement store (and they can most likely match it, if not).
In addition to treating the walls for any imperfections first, think about the finish you’ll need to stand up to wear and tear in this busy space. Kitchen walls perform well with an eggshell or semi-gloss sheen which will allow some scrubbing once in a while. This is especially important if you’ve got a painted backsplash near your cooktop. High gloss or lacquer finishes are great (and trendy) options that are durable enough for cabinet surfaces, but be cautious when using these on walls as they tend to highlight imperfections. These highly reflective finishes can be a good choice if you have a particularly dark kitchen without much natural light.
Semi-Permanent Décor Trends
While it may be fun to swap out a new message each season, resist the temptation to incorporate semi-permanent décor such as a chalkboard wall or whiteboard calendar. These sorts of things are trends now, but might not stick around for long. The same goes for mirror tiles, plant rails, barn doors, kitchen desks, pot racks, over-the-range microwaves, and punched tin or pebble backsplashes.
To avoid placing the overall aesthetic of your kitchen within a certain decade/era, it’s also best to pass on choices that fall too heavily into one theme or design style like distressed cabinets and apron sinks. The modern farmhouse look will continue to go out of style (even if it’s going through a slow-burn rebrand as it’s spunkier cousin cottage chic). Spending part of your budget to incorporate anything trendy is almost certainly a sunk cost. Save experimenting with these design choices for smaller-scale, less permanent spaces in your home like mudrooms or powder rooms.
Also on the blog: For the essential list of items we’re always on the hunt for, check out The Beginners Guide to Home Décor + Accessories!
Keep Your Layout
If you’re tackling a kitchen renovation, try to come up with a plan that repurposes your current layout. The main consideration here is to avoid costly relocations of plumbing and/or electrical supplies (as well as forgo the associated side-effects of punching new holes in your walls and floors, which can become quite expensive). By keeping your existing floorplan, you may also be able to salvage/refinish your current flooring if it’s in good condition. There’s a good chance your flooring doesn’t continue underneath your lower cabinets or island.
The DIY Approach
This one is a very big maybe unless:
You are not on a tight timeline, allowing yourself to work slowly and carefully.
You skew heavily towards the “handy” end of the home improvement scale.
If so, some of the more straightforward tasks like interior painting, tiling, and minor plumbing and electrical (we’re talking about installing new faucets or light fixtures in place) can all be accomplished for the cost of materials. Larger scale electrical and plumbing work has associated safety concerns, as well as the potential to create fire and leak hazards down the road — better to leave those line items to the professionals.
Before biting off more than you can chew, ask yourself if you trust your skills and patience to yield a result that will increase or decrease your home’s value? Also consider what your time is worth, and what level of interruption this might have on your day-to-day life or family routines (how long are you willing to go without a functioning kitchen)? Enlisting the help of an Interior Designer, even just for the planning stages, can help take a lot of the guesswork out of a lot of this.
Bathrooms
The bathroom is the spot in your home where you begin and end each day. It’s meant to be a sanctuary, and like kitchens, should be as beautiful as it is functional. There are a few key differences to consider when it comes to bathrooms, which have their own list of pros and cons.
Pro: This space is much more private (especially en suite primary baths) and disconnected from the rest of your home’s open floorplan. As a result, you have a little more freedom here to play around with texture, color, trends, themes, etc. without too much impact on the adjacent spaces. This is especially true for small powder rooms where you can really go bold!
Con: Bathrooms are inherently wet spaces, which limits your choice of materials. Flooring must be rated for non-slip functionality. Paint and wallcoverings must stand up to moisture. Light fixtures need to have different “IP” (Ingress Protection) ratings, depending on the zone/proximity to moisture for their planned installation. Ventilation becomes less about mitigating smoke from the occasional overcooked meal and gets more into that scary “let’s not grow black mold in here” territory.
Overall, there is a lot of overlap between kitchens and baths when it comes to the rationale on where to spend or save — so to avoid redundancy I’ll just make a few callouts here for any major important differences.
Where You Should Spend
Flooring + Tile
The bottom line here is safety and performance (anti-slip rated). Don’t skimp on tile that isn’t meant for flooring. As for aesthetics, you don’t often have much wall space in bathrooms, so a small splurge on a focal point of high-end tile can go a long way, and be great for resale.
Also consider the addition of radiant flooring, which is “unseen” but adds a ton of value to the space.
Fixtures + Fittings
This can be a bit overwhelming due to the abundance of options, but similar to what was mentioned in the above section, quality is key. Bathroom fixtures are pieces you touch every day, so you want to make sure you like what you’ve purchased. If you’re looking to turn your primary bathroom into a spa-like sanctuary, go ahead and splurge. You can always opt for more affordable options for the powder room, or for a kid’s bathroom.
If you’re buying online, check if you’re able to get samples so you can see the actual finish in your space. The better option would be to visit a kitchen and bath showroom so you can select matching fixtures from the same line -- though don’t get too caught up on one particular brand. Since bathrooms can get to be pretty over-the-top, evaluate how you plan to use the space, and know your budget so you can bypass unnecessary accessories. Focus on investing in the best versions for your wants and needs instead of checking all of the many available boxes.
Last, pay attention to the space you have to work within. The square footage in bathrooms can vary greatly, so there are fixtures on the market in lots of different sizes to fit every space. Don’t end up with an oversized shower head that’s unwieldy in your stall, or an undersized (and therefore uncomfortable) toilet that’s dwarfed by the other pieces in the room.
Paint + Wallcoverings
Even though this item is a “save” above, it’s a different story for bathrooms. Bathroom paint needs to be a real workhorse to stand up to the amount of moisture it’s going to encounter. If you’re considering any type of wallpaper, make sure it’s vinyl and appropriate for bathrooms.
There are also some great natural clay and lime-based plaster products on the market that are safe for wet-space applications, which produce some really beautiful results.
Where You Should Save
Art + Accessories
See my note above regarding limited wall space. With the wet/dry cycle of bathrooms, it’s near impossible to keep art and accessories in good condition for long. Picture frames will eventually warp or rust. Expensive paintings or paper-based art can’t really be protected from the abundance of steam and moisture. Find one or two super affordable pieces that you won’t mind swapping out down the road. Better yet, opt for a few moisture-loving plants like ferns, orchids, or croton!
Linens
Fancy towels are great, but you can find some perfectly good affordable options that won’t make you feel so guilty about mopping up after that extra-splashy shower, or drying off the dog post-bath. With the constant abuse bath towels, hand towels, and even your rugs and shower curtains will see each day, you’re going to want to replace these from time to time. Besides, this is one of the best parts of going to a high-end hotel, so don’t rob yourself of that small luxury.
Lighting
A quick and final note here to mention that layering light is perhaps even more important in bathrooms than it is in kitchens. You need to be able to see what you’re doing in the mirror or your eyebrows will be cousins and not sisters. Opt for plenty of lighting, especially near your vanity — but consider putting everything on a dimmer so you can still have a relaxing bath moment if you’d like.
We hope this post has inspired you to conquer your next project, and feel confident in your purchasing decisions. In case you missed it, take a look at Part One of this series: Living and Dining Rooms!
If you feel like you need some professional support for your home design project, click below to get in touch with the Studio 1049 team!