Kitchens Gallery

  • General
  • Example #1
  • Example #2
  • Example #3
  • Example #4
  • Example #5
  • Example #6
Before and after kitchen

Kitchens

Kitchens and bathrooms are fixtures that come with the house. They take the most work to replace. But the return on a homeowner's investment in a properly designed and installed kitchen renovation is worth it. Renovating a kitchen provides one of the highest returns (if not the highest) compared with other home improvements. With increased value comes increased marketability. If a home looks dated, potential buyers can only imagine what outstanding costs remain to renovate to current standards. Businesses that renovate houses to re-sell for a profit seldom ignore doing the kitchen.

Contact Fix It 2 Sell It to arrange your kitchen remodel or makeover today. Our team of specialists and designers will turn your kitchen into the focal point of your home!

  • Select quality appliances.
    Use appliances that are more attractive, and more energy efficient. Make sure they match the quality of the kitchen: a bargain dishwasher and microwave don’t fit in the kitchen of a $600k home. Don't mix-and-match appliances - select appliances that have the same look: uniformity is the key.
  • Use quality materials.
    Quality drawer slides and hinges mean cabinet doors will stay closed and drawers won't stick. Stay away from drawers that are stapled together or made of particle board. For cabinet interiors, wood veneer is more durable than melamine, laminate, MDF or particle board. Buyers today watch the home renovation shows, do more online research than ever, and are thus more knowledgeable in quality materials.
  • Examine your cabinets.
    Cabinets can have a new look with a simple coat of paint and hardware change. If you think that the doors themselves look dated, you can always keep the cabinets but just change the doors. The inside of a cabinet is just a container: what people see is the outside.
  • Determine cabinet heights.
    If you’ve decided to change the cabinets completely, and you have eight-foot ceilings, choose cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling. They offer more storage, enabling you to use extra wall space for artwork or open shelves. If your ceilings are higher than eight feet, leave 15 to 18 inches above the cabinets.
  • Decide whether to paint or stain.
    Though stained-wood cabinetry is forgiving, most finishes date quickly and aren't easily altered. Brush-painted cabinets can lend a unique personality. Just remember to pick a look that is not too unique: you don’t want to alienate buyers with a kitchen that doesn’t fit their taste.
  • Select an elegant countertop.
    White Carrara marble (honed or acid washed and sealed) and stained wood add elegance and warmth. Buyers also like honed Kirkstone slate, soapstone and Wiarton limestone, and plastic laminate with a wood edge for a sophisticated look.
  • Don't overdo the details.
    Design accents such as pediments over stoves and plaster mouldings on cabinet fronts can represent decorative excess. Remember that the style of your kitchen should be compatible with the rest of your home.
  • Avoid maintenance nightmares.
    Natural surfaces with inherent texture - slate, terra-cotta, brick and tumbled marble - are more difficult to clean but camouflage the odd crumb. Smooth surfaces in light colours, such as white laminate counters or ceramic floors, are easy to clean but show everything. And as much as we love stainless steel, it's not easy to keep smudge-free.
  • Think about the buyers.
    You’re selling your home to buyers, and thus you want to have a design and look that will suit the majority of them. Trust your real estate agent to steer you away from a look that’s is too unique. Hire a designer / interior home decorator: they know what the trends are and how to get the most bang for your buck – i.e. return in investment.
Fix It 2 Sell It Kitchen example 1

A redundant wall is removed to create added space, and a complete makeover make this kitchen inviting and functional. The addition of a half-wall separates the kitchen from the living room, while keeping the open concept theme. Buyers now see a beautiful kitchen when they walk into this open space, and are already thinking about entertaining their guests here.

Fix It 2 Sell It kitchen example 2

This is a great example of best bang for buck: the cabinets and flooring were kept, but they were given a new life with a coat of paint to brighten the room up. The counter tops were upgraded to granite, and beautiful glass tile splashboard installed along with a new sink and gooseneck faucet. Even with the new appliances, this make-over had a low cost and a high return for the seller.

Fix It 2 Sell It kitchen example 3

The theme for this Kitchen is leave the dark ages behind and let the light in. The tall window above the sink was partially covered at the top, and is now fully exposed letting in lots of natural light. This is a complete kitchen gut-out and now beautiful white cabinets, island with table, bookcase and gorgeous granite counter tops everywhere invite buyers into this modern and spacious kitchen. This renovation came with a pretty big price tag, but an even bigger return on investment.

Fix It 2 Sell It kitchen example 4

The theme for this kitchen was get rid of the green! The ugly plain green cabinets were removed and replaced with beautiful white cabinets. These cabinets even came with door hardware! Notice the clever book case at the end as well as the extra counter space by relocating the fridge to the other side of the room. Not only did this place get a fresh new look, it got more functional space that buyers could imagine themselves living here - the first step in getting an offer!

Fix It 2 Sell It kitchen example 5

The real transformation here came with removing the peninsula, adding a bench and some cabinets at the end, as well as replacing the outside door with a glass door to let in lots of natural light. And the coup de grace is the beautiful hardwood flooring that reflects the newly-exposed daylight. Which room do you think helps sell the home better?

Fix It 2 sell It kitchen example 6

Here is another cost-effective example that brings new life to a dated kitchen at a fraction of the cost of a complete gut-out (see example #2). All the existing appliances and cabinets were kept. This return on investment is several times the cost of the renovation a very wise investment. And best of all, buyers feel like they are getting a whole new kitchen.