10 Things You Should Know About Modernize Your Kitchen
Modernizing your kitchen can take one of two routes. The first route is less expensive, but may take more time. It includes, painting, wall papering, and re-decorating to give your kitchen a modern facelift. The second route can be much quicker, but also much costlier. This route includes new appliances, new cupboards or even a new layout. Your only limit is how much money and time you have to give. Here are 10 Things You Should Know About Modernize Your Kitchen
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Major renovation - A major renovation is very expensive and would include changing multiple facets of your kitchen. A major renovation could include your cabinets, the layout of your kitchen, new appliances or windows. A contractor or subcontractor is usually needed to handle the arrangements if your modernization includes wall movement. You may be able to hire a project coordinator from a home improvement store to handle the details if you do it yourself and buy the supplies from them. Don’t undertake a major renovation without a plan in mind.
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New Wallpaper - In addition to or in lieu of new paint, wallpaper adds texture to your kitchen walls. Pick a design that coordinates with the other objects in your room or what compliments the new paint color. Wallpaper styles now include designs for borders, half walls, whole walls and even mural scenes. Certain wallpaper borders have scalloped or fluted edges to add texture to a design. Small patterns in the wallpaper are best if you have a small kitchen. Large patterns make a room seem smaller and darker.
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Door Handles - Another small facelift can provide big and lasting results. If your cupboards are flat, try putting handles and knobs on them. If you already have doorknobs and handles, find a new design. Handles come in a multitude of colors and metals, including bronze, copper, gold, silver, pewter and titanium. Many styles ranging from ornate to basic can match the décor you add to your new kitchen theme.
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Cooking Gadgets - Every modern cook needs the newest cooking gadgets. Whether you use them or not is up to you, but displaying them may make you seem like more of a modern cook. One such tool is the corn husker. It is a square brush that fits in the palm of your hand with small bristles.The bristles are soft as to not damage the kernels of corn on a cob, but they grab the corn silk from between the rows before it can get stuck in your teeth. Cool, huh?
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Bar - An addition of a bar or center island will give you much more working space in your kitchen. It can be a place to cool cookie trays, hold mixing pans or store the mail from the day. A bar also works as a place to do homework or to have an evening snack. Whatever you use it for the most, it will make you have much more space in your kitchen. The island or bar usually has cabinets underneath for additional storage. A modern kitchen is a kitchen with lots of cupboards an cabinets!
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Rugs - A rug is a simple way to modernize your kitchen. If you have old, dirty and faded rugs, it’s time to replace them. If you’ve never had rugs in your kitchen, they are another avenue to add color and design to the room. Buy a large rug that covers the eating area or a runner for the high traffic areas. Rugs do more than just decorate; they can provide warmth over a cold kitchen floor and protect it from scuffs, nicks and scrapes. If your kitchen is carpeted, a rug will keep obnoxious spills and stains off it.
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Replace Old, Worn Towels - A quick way to modernize your kitchen is with a shopping trip. Throw out any towel that is ragged, worn or discolored and buy new. Buy new patterns and colors to match your décor or to compliment the wallpaper. Towels can come in different qualities of cotton, so make sure to read the tag. Not all blends have the best absorbency and you want to make sure yours do. Wash all new towels before the first use to get any residue off before using on your dishes.
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Pantry - A pantry is needed in your modern kitchen, especially if you have children. A pantry is a quick and easy way to store boxed and canned food for the long term. You could even hold a month’s supply if you had a big enough pantry! Pantries can be as little as two shelves or as large as a closet. Make sure to have adequate shelving to keep the contents organized and neat. If the cans are all just dumped in, you may keep buying what you already have. At the end of the year when you clean out the pantry, you may find eight cans of kidney beans. Yuck!
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Florescent Lights - Florescent lights are a great way to modernize your kitchen and improve its look. Florescent light bulbs are brighter than regular candescent lights and use much less energy. The florescent lights also give a more realistic color and are truer to natural light. Having brighter and more light in your kitchen makes it appear bigger and more spacious.
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Skylights - Skylights provide natural light into an otherwise dark area. Adding skylights to your kitchen is a major renovation, and one that should only be done by an experienced builder. Adding skylights can only be done in a house where the kitchen has no rooms above it. If you have a two-story, you’re out of luck. If you have a ranch style, prepare to knock out the roof and ceiling and rearrange the support beams. The skylights you add can have fancy features such as automatic shades, or covers or be just plain glass. Make sure they are installed by a professional properly so they remain airtight. A water leak can be hazardous to your new kitchen.