So, you’re ready to sell your home. The yard looks perfect, the paint is fresh, and everything smells great (at long last!). But don’t forget about one of the most important features in any home: the kitchen. An energy-efficient dishwasher and ample cabinet space may still not be enough to make yours stand out. If you’re looking for an extra exclamation point to list on your home’s features, consider replacing your kitchen’s flooring. Here are four steps to increase your home’s value with updated kitchen flooring.
Calculate cost
The primary concern of most homeowners is cost. Replacing flooring sounds expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Save money by skipping the full remodel and just focus on updating the kitchen flooring to add to the value of your home. Depending on your desired material and design, you could pay as little as $1 per square foot. However, it is worth investing in style and design details to ensure that you get the most bang for your buck when it comes time to sell.
Focus on function
What do you envision your kitchen being? Is it a large gathering space? Is it a sophisticated space to host get-togethers? Or, is it simply a place to cook food? What a kitchen is used for could dictate the best type of flooring.
Hardwood, for example, is durable, and best suited to open floor plans. Vinyl flooring is great for frequent cooking, easy to maintain and an affordable kitchen flooring option for those with a tight budget. Porcelain is ideal for that polished stone look and the most durable option. Cork flooring is softer, slip-resistant and Eco-friendly.
Consider color
Design focused on function is all well and good, but it won’t help a homeowner much if the color is wrong. The art of interior design is essential to catching a potential buyer’s eye. Is your kitchen sleek, high-tech and modern? Go with a darker color, such as espresso or gray. Looking for a brighter, more welcoming tone? Honey, white and whitewash are the top trending colors in 2018.
Determine design
As important as the type of material and color, the design is another essential element when considering kitchen flooring. Patterns are the name of the game: layouts such as herringbone, checkered, hexagon or chevron not only allow you to get creative but will also turn heads.
Style is also important when determining the design. Your kitchen style may be dictated by the home’s location, how much natural light the kitchen receives and how the tile ties in with the carpet or other floorings in the rest of the home. Some new favorites are farmhouse, coastal and contemporary. Farmhouse is more rough-hewn, favoring a hand-scraped or distressed look. Coastal is light and airy, while contemporary is clean, smooth and bold.
At the end of the day, the most important aspect of improving your kitchen flooring is finding the right balance between eye-popping design and durability. It’s bound to get messy, but if you follow these simple guidelines, the only thing you may have to pick up from your kitchen floor is visitors’ jaws.
If you’ve decided you’re ready to sell your home, but don’t have the energy or desire to upgrade to the kitchen of your dreams and not enjoy it – consider selling it to OfferPad, who can take on the responsibility to get not only your kitchen, but your entire home, “buyer ready”.