Your home is your palace, so you should put as much time into making it as comfortable and to your specifications as possible. With spring here and summer approaching, there’s no better time to make those home upgrades you’ve been putting off. The kitchen is the top choice for home renovations among American homeowners, followed by bathroom remodels. If you want some tips on decorative kitchen and bath updates, read on for further insight.
Update Your Windows
When creating decorative kitchen and bath elements, don’t forget about the importance of your windows. According to Statistica, the average American home was built before the 1980s. If you live in such an older home, you may still have old windows from that era. If so, you have outdated single-pane ones that may be causing energy loss. The energy loss can result in high energy bills. You may even have cracks or vulnerabilities in the window caulking that need repair. However, instead of repairing these outdated windows, it may be time to replace them with more modern, stylish, and energy-efficient ones. Double and triple-pane windows are the energy-efficient solutions to your outdated window needs. When you have these new windows, your next decorative kitchen and bath upgrades should include shopping for window fixtures.
From blinds to shades to curtains, there are many ways to enhance the windows in your kitchen and bathrooms. Many people use the kitchen window to look out into their backyard. You may have a sliding window over your sink. That’s the ideal place to have waterproof blinds so they won’t get dirty from the sink or food splashes. If you have a sliding glass door, you can enhance that with sheer curtains so you can always have a good amount of natural sunlight from the backyard.
Depending on the location of your bathrooms, they may not always have a window. However, if your foundation stability allows, you should install a new window in such bathrooms for proper ventilation and sunlight. Your bathroom is often the most humid room in the house, besides your basement, so ventilation is key to comfort and avoiding mold buildup. Enhance your bathroom windows with appropriate waterproof blinds. Or you may want shutters on your windows reminiscent of Mediterranean features.
Get New Hardware and Cabinets
Quality cabinets are essential in both your kitchen and bathroom. If you like your existing kitchen cabinets, you can always have them refurbished. Cabinet refurbishing resurfaces the outer layer, smooths it down, and further revamps it with protective sealant, staining, or painting. However, if you want a completely new look, you can have custom cabinets made in a more modern style. You may also opt for floating shelves, one of the biggest American Kitchen trends. Floating open shelves can be made from metal, glass, or wood, and allow you to showcase things you would have hidden away. Why not show off your beautiful dishes and glassware instead of keeping them behind closed doors?
Bathroom cabinets are essential for avoiding an overcrowded bathroom counter. It also allows you to not have to put stuff on the back of the toilet. You won’t have to rely on an exterior closet in the hallway because you’ll have the storage needed within your bathroom, especially your master one. More American bathroom renovations include the installation of vanities. Your bathroom vanity is another way to showcase beautiful countertop materials such as granite or marble.
You can have fun with decorative kitchen and bath updates with new hardware and fixtures. Modern fixtures are made from materials from wood to various types of metal. One of the more common fixture trends is copper or gold handles, backsplashes, and faucets. If you want a luxurious-looking bathroom, why not install a gold bathroom sink and shower head?
Hire a Contractor
If you’ve never remodeled your home before, you may not understand all of the decorative kitchen and bath options available. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire a professional who does this type of work on a daily basis. A general contractor acts as the project manager for your 2024 home renovation. During the consultation, you can explain the needs that you have in your home. Maybe you want more space or greater functionality in your kitchen. You may want to convert your master bedroom into your personal spa. In addition to listening to your needs, they’ll come up with their own ideas. Plus, they’re in tune with the kitchen and bathroom trends out there. For example, according to Forbes, painting your bathroom in a baby blue color can net an additional $5,000 upon resale. If your kitchen is large enough, your contractor can install double islands, which can act as a centerpiece for a large family or your constant entertaining.
In addition to handling the overall design, the contractor can manage all the other subcontractors needed. Your kitchen may need other utility upgrades, such as gas, and electricity. What decorative kitchen and bath upgrades will be complete without new countertops? Granite countertops last around 20 years with good maintenance. You want quality professionals who can install them, and your general contractor can find the right one. They may even suggest the use of marble or quartz.
Upgrade Appliances
When it comes to your home, most of your appliances are in your kitchen and bathroom. The point of your appliances is to make daily practices easier and more efficient. If you enjoy cooking, you may want to install a double oven in addition to a new overhead stove vent to prevent your kitchen from becoming too smoky. The use of Energy Star appliances can save as much as 15% of your monthly energy bills. The brand supplies appliances, including washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, HVAC units, and so on. You know it’s time for new appliances if they’ve begun leaking or have not been as efficient as normal. For example, your food may have begun to spoil or not be as cold as it should be if your refrigerator is on its last legs. You should also pay attention to your water or energy bills, as those can go up when your appliances aren’t working well. The use of metal appliances provides durability and can go with any other kitchen design features.
When it comes to your bathroom upgrades, you want to shower and bathe in comfort and luxury. If you still have an outdated shower tub combination, it’s time to break those up. Then, you can install your shower tiles all the way down to the floor. Enjoy a beautiful new shower door made from transparent, semi-transparent, frosted, or colored glass. Your shower door installation can be in any style, like a static half door, a double French style door, a sliding one, or an accordion mechanism.
If you already have a bathtub, maybe you resisted taking those baths you love so much because it’s stained, cracked, and in dire need of a makeover. Your decorative kitchen and bath updates can give your deep tub the revamp it needs. Bathtub refinishers can remove the damaged surface and reapply new materials such as porcelain, Chrome, or acrylic. The type of finishing material you use can affect how long it’ll last. These materials can also come in a range of colors. Most importantly, you’ll feel comfortable using your tub again so you can enjoy relaxing your muscles and detoxing with mineral salts.
Hire Specific Remodeling Teams
Increase your chances of having the right decorative kitchen and bath upgrade by hiring teams that focus on this work. After all, kitchen and bathroom remodeling is the top two remodeling projects in American homes. The level of work you can do in the kitchen or bathroom is very extensive. That’s why it’s easy to find a bath remodeling team or kitchen designers who only focus on those fields. Plus, one room in your home may need more work than the other. You may be focusing on revamping your master bathroom so it can be the home Oasis you’ve dreamt it could be. A bath remodeling specialist understands the benefit of an enhanced master bathroom and adds features you may not have known you could have at home. For example, they can enhance your regular bath and shower features to include a steam room, sauna, and hot tub.
Install New Light Fixtures
The kitchen is the site of a lot of prep work, cooking, and entertainment. It’s also where you and your family may hang out, eat, chat, and help with homework. Therefore, you need proper lighting to see what you’re doing. A local electrician can provide a range of LED light fixtures so you can have all the illumination you need. In addition to updating your overhead kitchen light, they can add smaller lights under your cabinets. They can highlight the areas, such as your kitchen islands. Maybe you want a spotlight on your dining table. Enjoy dimmable lights to create different moods.
Add New Counters and Vanity Tops
Gorgeous countertops are essential when considering decorative kitchen and bath upgrades. After all, your counter space is one of the standout features in your kitchen. Granite countertops are considered a symbol of luxury and are still the most popular counter material among American homeowners. Granite countertops can make it easier to sell your home in the future, especially if you maintain them. Granite is one of the hardest stones on the planet, is very durable, and no two slabs are alike. Even if every person you know has a granite countertop, they’ll never look the same. Marble, another natural stone known for its beauty, is equally durable and luxurious. Engineered stones like quartz have gained popularity due to their range of colors and designs. Maybe you want to go more rustic with wooden countertops or have a modernist style with metal ones. The same counter material you use in your kitchens can work in your bathroom. Therefore, when you’re installing your vanity, you can have it look even more appealing with a slab of marble or slick metal to act as a counter space.
Make Sure Water Runs Smooth
As you focus on your decorative kitchen and bath updates, don’t forget about proper functionality. That’s why it’s essential to get the necessary plumbing repairs you need. After all, these are two rooms in your home where you must ensure water is running smoothly at all times. You need to use your kitchen sink to wash dishes and do general cleaning. Of course, your bathroom is where you bathe and relieve yourself on the toilet. Before you do extensive decorating, a plumber should be one of the contractors who does a general inspection. A plumber can advise you on the new updates you need and make them for you. They usually have diagnostic software that can detect leaks that aren’t obvious. It’s important to detect weeks while still small before they turn into a bigger issue. After all, a crack in a pipe can later burst and cause a flood. Even if it doesn’t flood, those leaks will continue to trickle out over time and damage your foundation, drywall, and floors. If you make intensive renovations without doing the proper repair to your plumbing, you may have to do more renovations again before you know it. After all, water damage can destroy surfaces and create a health hazard by breeding mold. According to CNET, that mold can begin sprouting in a wet environment within 24 or 72 hours. The only way you can deal with it is by removing it. Save yourself time, energy, and health problems in the future by ensuring a plumber is one of the first people you call during your kitchen and bathroom upgrade.
As you can see, you have many options when making decorative kitchen and bath renovations. These are two of the most important rooms in your home, as they provide major functionality. From luxurious countertops to enhanced showers to Energy Star appliances, these are updates you can make to improve your home this year. Hopefully, this article will help you improve your home in 2024.