Bay Area Houston Magazine

Remodeling Your Kitchen

Kitchen and bath remodels continue to be two of the best investments that can be made in your home.  Kitchen remodels, if done wisely, can get at least an 86 percent return on the investment.

By Cathy Osoria

A newly remodeled kitchen can be enjoyed by the present owner while also being the deciding factor that helps the resale value so the home selling process is not prolonged. The layout of a kitchen can stimulate interaction with others, especially if the kitchen is opened to other rooms expanding the space. It seems as if everyone ends up in the “too small” kitchen. Some kitchen “must-have” features that will help make the space more functional and enjoyable are:

• Large islands—Kitchens are about socializing, and large islands can provide a place to congregate, eat, do homework, prepare a meal and possibly provide extra seating. A stove or second sink can be added into the island to help with the kitchen’s flow and function.
• Double ovens—Two ovens allow you to cook two different dishes at two different temperatures at the same time.  Two ovens can eliminate this hassle of food preparation.  The main oven may be used to cook the first dish, and a secondary oven may be used for warming and additional baking.
• Pot filler—This handy faucet is mounted high enough on the kitchen backsplash above the stove, and it provides  the water to fill a big pot for cooking soup or pasta without sloshing the water out of the pot or schlepping a heavy pot from the sink to the stovetop.
• Deep and full extension drawers —Deep drawers for pots, pans and dishes provide easy access when cooking and make the most of every square inch of storage space.  Pulling a drawer out allows greater visibility of the stored materials, and the utensils are much easier to reach than when they are stacked inside a standard cabinet.  Full extension drawers may have high or low sides, and the hardware attached to the drawer allows them to slide open all the way making it much easier to get objects in and out.
• Tray storage cabinet—This is an amazing space-saver used to store cookie sheets, trays and cutting boards within vertical dividers.  Tray storage may also be located in a deep pull out drawer so that the selection can be easily viewed.
• Warming drawers—This equipment is helpful for busy households or entertaining.  They keep prepared meals hot, warm plates and even help prep bread dough.
• Trash and recycling bin—A pull out trash bin mounted in an island or cabinet is convenient and  helps organize and hide trash.
• Built in refrigerator—A built -in provides a clean, custom upscale look while maintaining an optimal environment for keeping ingredients fresh.
• Hidden outlets—Required outlets break up the look of a beautiful backsplash. Under-cabinet outlets provide a smart solution and plenty of places to plug in appliances.
•  Instant hot water dispenser—This device provides boiling water from the tap and is perfect for tea drinkers or for removing stubborn food from dishes or utensils.
• Gas stove—Gas stoves are generally preferred over electric stoves by most professional chefs.  They provide more accurate cooking temperatures, evenly distribute the heat, have lower heat emissions and faster cooking times, and if power is lost … no problem. Splurging on a gas commercial-style range that is equally as stylish as functional would make cooking almost enjoyable for those who  dread preparing meals.