Kitchen & Dining Room Makeover Ideas & Tips
The kitchen and dining room are both primarily functional areas, but they can also be stylish centers that can increase the value of your home. Especially in the kitchen, makeovers that include new flooring, appliances, counter tops, window coverings and paint treatments can be a large investment, but they help to build equity in your home. If you are looking for ways to update the look of your kitchen and dining room, keep some design and improvement tips in mind. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Design Scheme
-
Your decor style can guide the look of the space. Some decorating schemes are modern, contemporary, traditional, country, cottage or eclectic. It is important to maintain smooth design flow from room to room to unify the spaces. Look to magazines, books and showrooms for design inspiration. Even a piece of fabric or a specific appliance, such as a retro-styled fridge or a sleek stainless oven, can be the source for your decorating style choice. You may already have a design scheme in mind, but if not, it is possible to find a jumping off point from one of these sources.
Layouts
-
When it comes to making over your kitchen, maintain a functional work flow in the space. While your kitchen can be a stylish room in your house, it also serves a purpose as a place to prepare and serve food. To create a functional work zone in your kitchen, emphasize the "working triangle" of the space. This triangle includes three points: your sink, stove and refrigerator. Whether your kitchen is a galley, L-shaped, island kitchen or U-shaped room, a work triangle that is free of obstruction from point-to-point should be established.
-
Decorating
-
Regardless of your budget, some simple decorating instantly enhances the look of these two rooms. Try a simple coat of paint, which unifies the two spaces and adds a fresh look to the rooms. Keep the design features and accessories, such as lighting fixtures, window treatments, linens and furniture styles consistent to create flow between the kitchen and dining room. For example, if your kitchen is industrial-inspired, stick to metal surfaces for your dining room tabletop as opposed to a rustic wood finish.
Renovation
-
One of the most effective ways to make your kitchen and dining room meet your needs is to renovate it. This may be a difficult task, but it can enhance the quality and usability between these two rooms. For example, if your kitchen is boxed off from the dining room, create a pass-through on the connecting wall, or remove this wall altogether to create a more open floor plan. If the layout of your kitchen inhibits your ability to work in the space, repositioning appliances to create the proper working triangle can be a real benefit to the usability of this room.
-
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
