You probably don’t need a scientific study to tell you that the kitchen is one of the most used spaces in a family home. It serves as a hub for food, a communal space for gathering, and often a message center for family traffic. Some consider it the “brain” of the home.

Many homes have kitchens which are small or overrun by clutter. The mess can be a major barrier to enjoying the space, and without some systems in place to keep it organized, many may feel that the kitchen can be rendered almost useless.

Did you know that the kitchen is the most expensive room in your home to renovate? An article by Master Remodelers states that in upscale kitchen remodels in Pittsburgh, homeowners spend around $128,000! That’s a lot of money. In my experience, most individuals don’t have that kind of cash laying around.

So, what’s the solution? Does opening up your kitchen require a total renovation? Not always. Fortunately, I have some kitchen hacks to open up your kitchen, without you having to do a total renovation, and without you having to spend thousands of dollars.

• Hack #1: Hang it high. Long-handled pots, pans, and other utensils can be easily accessed with an appropriately-installed ceiling rack. Use your longest-handled pan as a guide and install a rack high enough above your head.
• Hack #2: Play all the angles. Corners are often wasted space, consumed by knife blocks that are mostly wood beasts. You might install corner shelving, or even place a magnetic knife strip near a convenient corner.
• Hack #3: Shelve it for later. Counters and cabinets don’t have to do all of the storage work. Nesting shelving in windows or even on surrounding back splashes and walls can be a great solution.
• Hack #4: Save the sink space. Seldom are you using the sink while you’re prepping veggies, so why not get a large cutting board and lay it across the surface? This way, you turn a sink into a temporary counter.
• Hack #5: See the studs. Open up a wall or two in your kitchen to access the recessed space between studs. Subdividing this space with shelves or hanging hooks can be a space saver. Properly finished, it doesn’t have to look like an eyesore!
• Hack #6: Jar it up! Take a mason jar lit and screw it to the underside of an existing shelf or overhang. Now, put items in the mason jar and screw the jar into the lid. Bingo! New hanging storage.

Of course, if no amount of clever hacks will open up your kitchen, it may be time to upgrade. I can put together a list of local homes with killer kitchens for you. Contact us at (928) 830-6976.

As a real estate professional, I am fortunate to tour incredible homes every day.  In my search, my goal is to find a home that ‘speaks’ to the buyer, and one that really grabs their attention.  But what is it about a home that catches a buyer’s eye? Why is it when two homes are comparable to one another, buyers go with the one that just “feels right”? Sometimes the difference is so small, they don’t consciously notice. I find that it comes down to the little touches that can give a home a major edge in the market.  Once again, my Mom was correct, paying attention to details make the difference.

In fact, here are five clever design upgrades which can provide your home with that indefinable feeling that it’s of higher quality than the competition:

1. Light switch plate upgrades. Homeowners always overlook their own dirty, chipped, or cheap-looking switch plates. If you spend a few bucks to swap out switch plates, any room in the house will seem a tiny bit fresher. Better yet: In the bathroom and kitchen, match the color of your new switch plates to the tile. Look at the accent color in the bathroom or the backsplash in the kitchen for inspiration.  If you want to take it one more step, Hobby Lobby has a fantastic selection of these types of accessories that can spruce up the look in your home.

2. Dimmers on major rooms. Bright lights are great for showing off a home, but there’s a little sense of luxury when the overhead lights in living, dining, family, and master bedrooms are on dimmer switches. This addition is easier than you may think.  In fact, Home Depot has a Youtube video that takes you step-by-step on how to add a dimmer switch.  For fixtures controlled by one switch, get single pole dimmers. For those controlled by two, you’ll need 3-way dimmers.

3. Tasteful crown molding. For rooms without crown molding, adding this touch can really make a plain room feel high-quality. Entryways and master bedrooms are good choices if you have a limited budget, but if you want to go all out, include the other bedrooms as well. The key is adding molding which doesn’t seem ostentatious or inappropriate given the size and existing decor in the room.  Better Homes and Gardens has a great tutorial on How To Transform a Room with Crown Molding.

4. Custom home address plaque. For between $50 and $100, you can have an address plaque created with the home’s number and the street name spelled out. Look online for inspiration and a design which fits your home. This is a killer upgrade and many homeowners overlook it when they’re trying to add curb appeal to their house.

5. New cabinet and drawer hardware. It’s astonishing how much modern drawer handles can work towards rejuvenating tired or outdated storage. At a minimum, concentrate on the kitchen, but if you want to go all out, look for options to upgrade the bathroom as well.  If time is on your side, shop around, there are several online options as well as local retail stores.  The Family Handman has a very informative article on how to install the hardware.  I put this tip as the fifth on the list, but I might argue that it could be the number one way to add an inexpensive design upgrade to your home.

You might not be able to quantify the exact return these clever upgrades will net you, but you can bet they will help your home stand out from sellers who won’t take the time to make some simple changes.  Again, like Mom said, success is in the details!

When you are ready to sell, contact The Plane Team at (928) 830-6976.

When buyers are touring a home, a stale bedroom with outdated style can be a deal-breaker. Is it time to freshen up your bedroom? It may be time to give your bedroom the “has it gone bad?” sniff test by checking for these common signs of stale design:

• Popcorn ceilings? Popcorn ceilings date a room, they are difficult to repair, catch dust easily, and hard to clean. This Old House offers three popular options to remove your popcorn ceilings to give your room a modernized look. The options include scraping, covering with a new layer of drywall, or skim coating with plaster to create a new texture.
• Mirrors everywhere? Mirrors can offer reflected light to make a bedroom look bigger, however, too many mirrors can create a fun house environment. Consider removing some of those reflective surfaces to freshen your look.
• Frills? Excessive frills can scream “Outdated!” Check those bed skirts, window dressings, and curtains. Toning down the frills will bring your outdated look up to date.​
• Outdated wall paper? Check the paper on your walls. Are they outdated patterns . . . it’s time for an update. HGTV offers options for breathtaking contemporary wallpaper design trends. However, getting rid of wallpaper can also create a clean fresh look. Don’t be afraid of the removal process, once again, HGTV provides tips for wall paper removal.
• Really flat bed?  Puff it up and make it cozy. Clean lines are one thing, an un-comfy bedroom is another. Ballard designs presents multiple possibilities to arrange your pillows to ‘cozy up’ your bedroom.
• Archaic alarm clocks, television, or stereos? Nix the flip-digit clocks, the wood grain television cabinets, and the over bearing boom boxes. Modernize or put them in storage to create an all-around fresh look.

Buyers can modernize a bedroom when they buy the house, however, expecting them to see past your bedroom’s outdated look is taking a gamble. Do a few simple things to freshen up that room to take it to the next level! If you need someone to evaluate your interior appeal, The Plane Team would be happy to share their thoughts and guide you towards maximizing your home’s appeal!

How The Plane Team Can Help

Dena Plane has served her clients and provided them with excellent service for over 15 years in residential real estate, both resale and new home sales.  She is licensed in both Arizona and California. With a passion for home building and interior design, Dena will help you get your home “show ready” and can easily guide and advise both buyers and sellers on the best practices for a successful outcome!

Dena and her husband Dave have teamed together to create The Plane Team. As your REALTOR’s, Dena and Dave will guide you through the buying and selling process and help you reach your real estate goals!