When you love to cook, your kitchen becomes your sanctuary. You want the very best and probably spend much time online browsing kitchen tips to improve your sanctuary even more. Whether you are planning a full-scale kitchen remodel or just want to update a few things, you can create a space you’ll love spending time in to create delicious meals for your family. You can stay at home more rather than be one of the estimated 44% of people who go to a restaurant once a week or more. Here are tips on how to turn your kitchen into a cooking haven.
Get A Home Inspection
Before you start any work in transforming your kitchen into a cooking haven, take some time to have a home inspection done to assess any structural issues you may be unaware of. A home inspector will look at your vents to make sure the air is ventilating properly. They will also inspect the wiring and plumbing for any defects and potential leaks. They can also inspect your appliances to make sure they are working properly as well.
Getting a home inspection first will ensure that there will be no problems in the future that can undo all your hard work in turning your kitchen into a cooking haven. You don’t want to waste your time and hard-earned money updating your kitchen and then having to fix major problems down the road. Make sure everything is okay first to give yourself peace of mind.
Give Your Floor a Fresh Look
Your kitchen floor can create a fantastic foundation for your new cooking haven. When it comes to updating, the style you choose will depend on your budget. This a project you can easily do yourself in less than a day and can be affordable for most budgets. Four inexpensive options for flooring include vinyl, laminate, ceramic, and cork.
Vinyl is the least expensive, most resilient, and easiest to clean option, but it can gouge and scratch easily. Laminate can imitate the look of more premium flooring options such as stone, wood, or metal at a more affordable price. Ceramic is a highly durable surface that is easy to clean but can stain easily, shatter dropped dishes, and feel cold on your feet. It can also be complicated to install. Cork is inexpensive and easy to install but can be damaged by pet claws and heels.
Update Your Cabinets
Your kitchen cabinets are probably one of the first things you’ll want to update after the flooring when turning your kitchen into a cooking haven. Your choice lies in whether you want to reface or replace kitchen cabinets you own. If you like your current layout and want to save money, you can choose to reface by only changing out the cabinet doors and hardware. However, it’s difficult to do on your own and you’ll need to hire a contractor willing to do it, which can be hard to find. It’s easier to replace kitchen cabinets yourself, but a bit more expensive and you have to be willing to do some heavy lifting.
The first step to choosing new cabinets for your kitchen is deciding what style of door fronts you want and can afford. There are four main types you can look at samples for. These include raised arch, modern, recessed miter, and recessed square. Once you have made your decision, then you can choose the type of wood and color that would work best for your cooking haven. Consider the overall design and functionality in order to keep everything in your kitchen organized and easily accessible. Lay down some rugs in high traffic areas such as entrance and in front of the sink to help protect your new flooring from wear and tear.
Kitchen Countertops
Kitchen countertops are a huge decision for any home chef. This is your ultimate workspace for creating your culinary masterpieces. The material you choose will depend on your household budget. Granite is the most popular, but it is also the most expensive and must be installed by professionals. If you still want the look and do it yourself, consider choosing granite tile or modular granite for your countertop surface.
Ceramic tiles are another good choice for inexpensive countertops. You can install them yourself and you can get them in various styles that imitate wood, metal, and stone. However, these tiles do stain easily and are prone to cracking. Laminate is the most affordable for homeowners that want to install countertops themselves but this material can peel easily.
Apply Fresh Paint
Interior painting can do wonders for turning your kitchen into a cooking haven. Before you begin painting, you will want to clean your kitchen walls thoroughly to remove grease buildup that has accumulated. You may also want to spackle any rough spots and sand down the walls as well to remove imperfections. When it comes to kitchen tips for painting, you will definitely want to cover anything up that paint can accidentally splash onto while you’re fixing up your walls. This includes floors, furniture, appliances, and cabinets.
You’ll want to choose the ideal paint for your kitchen walls, which will depend on the layout of your kitchen. Here are some kitchen tips for painting. If you have a big kitchen, you may want to use a satin finish on your walls, a flat finish for the ceiling, and semi-gloss paint on your trim. If you have a smaller kitchen, use a satin finish on all the surfaces to help cut down on moisture and grease accumulation.
New Cooking Equipment
Once you have the structure of your new kitchen complete with new cabinets and paint, it’s time to think about getting new cooking equipment to work with. Depending on your budget, you can either go out and buy new appliances or go through an equipment rental company and pay over time. What appliances do you absolutely need and can afford? Some of the big-ticket items for appliances for your kitchen include a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and garbage disposal system.
Before you start shopping, one of the best kitchen tips is to take measurements of the space where you will want your new appliances to go to make sure they will fit. Consider purchasing energy-efficient appliances to help you save money over time. You can find them easily by looking for an ENERGY STAR logo.
Cookware
You’ll also want to get some cookware and utensils to make your time spent cooking an absolute dream. When it comes to kitchen tips, one you will highly want to consider is to invest in a chef’s knife for cutting and dicing. The blade on this type of knife stays sharper for a longer period of time than other knives, which helps reduce the possibility of lacerations from accidentally cutting yourself while chopping up vegetables.
Some other fantastic cookware equipment every chef needs are a cast-iron skillet, dutch oven, sheet pans, cutting boards, nonstick saucepans, and nonstick pots. You may also want to get silicone utensils so you don’t scratch up your new cookware. Your kitchen may need new mixing bowls, colander, and measuring cups and spoons. You’ll also probably want new kitchen towels and pot holders as well. What you choose to get will depend on how much time you spend actually cooking and your overall budget.
Check Your Airflow
Having the proper ventilation can reduce the spread of bacteria and dissuade rodents from invading your kitchen space. Be sure to have your heat, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) system inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. An average unit typically lasts up to 15 years with the proper care. Other kitchen tips for improving your airflow and quality include adding window fans and a few plants.
One of the best kitchen tips for improving your kitchen’s airflow is to have a range installed that covers all of the burners on your stove. Many ranges have exhaust fans that simply circulate air through filters and then send that air along with grease back out into the kitchen. You want to make sure to have a duct installed that vents air outdoors. Use your exhaust fan every time you cook and use the back burners as much as possible.
Grow An Indoor Herb Garden
To make your kitchen a true cooking haven, nothing is better than having fresh herbs right at your fingertips. You can grow any type of herbs indoors, even if your kitchen space is small. Get some pots and fill them with dirt, organic fertilizer, and the seed of your choice. Some great herbs to try are basil, chives, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Lemon balm, marjoram, and mint also work well.
One of the biggest kitchen tips for growing herbs is to Make sure they receive plenty of natural sunlight by placing them near a window facing south. Your herbs will need at least six hours of light from the sun each day. You can also use grow lights if you are worried that they won’t receive enough natural light. Place saucers under your pots so that water can drain properly so your herbs don’t rot.
Kitchen Furniture
Set off the look of your new kitchen with some matching furniture. You can update your old dining room table by buying a new one or refinishing it to make it look new. Pick out some stylish and comfortable chairs that are easy to clean. You may even be thinking about installing a kitchen island to give yourself more workspace when crafting your specialty dishes for your family.
Now that you’ve turned your kitchen into a cooking haven, It’s time to celebrate all your hard work. Why not plan a formal dinner party and invite your family and friends over? It will give you an excuse to dress up and put on some fancy jewelry made from diamonds and gold if you have it. If you really want to impress your guests, consider placing some unique ice sculptures alongside the food you’ve prepared. You can show off your cooking haven and be proud of everything you’ve accomplished.
If you follow these kitchen tips, you will have the cooking haven of your dreams. Your kitchen will be a beautiful and relaxing space that you can’t wait to get to at the end of a long hard day to whip up a delicious meal for your family to enjoy. You can have fun trying out new recipes with everything you need right at your fingertips. Bon Appetit!