Merging The Kitchen With the Rest of The Home

<h2>Merging The Kitchen With the Rest of The Home</h2><span class="spacedtext">As a busy contractor serving the East Hampton area, I have seen first-hand the transformation a house undergoes when a kitchen is remodeled. As the old cliche goes the kitchen is the heart of a home – Because of this, it is often the first room a homeowner is willing to remodel. <p>There’s nothing that breathes new life into a home like tearing down an old, outdated kitchen and replacing it with a custom design that is truly worthy of being a home’s heart.</p><p><strong>Making small seem big</strong></p><p>Having remodeled homes of all sizes as a contractor in East Hampton, New York, I know how much value can be added to a home when a kitchen is remodeled. This is especially true for small kitchens. The openness created when a client agrees to knock down an adjoining wall to create one big open space invariably gives that home an entirely different feel. Knocking down walls gives the allusion of being in a much larger space even though the square footage hasn’t changed at all. </p><p><strong>Modernizing the outdated</strong></p><p>Although there are some marked differences in East Hampton real estate and <a href="http://www.elliman.com/new-york-city" target="_blank">New York City real estate</a>, there is at least one similarity that I can see as an East Hampton, New York contractor. There are many older properties with lots of charm that have just as many small rooms within them. And with the popularity of open kitchens which allow a family to connect with each other, many who own older homes with smaller kitchens are looking to update their kitchens while keeping the rest of the home’s character intact. </p><p>Today’s family makes an event out of preparing meals, they do homework, eat food and hang out in the kitchen and family room area and it needs to be a comfortable and inviting as possible. Imagine having a granite-covered island in the spot where a wall once separated the cook from the rest of the family. And if removing the total wall is not a possibility because it is load bearing, even creating a peninsula can open up the sight lines from one room to the next. </p><p>Trim is another big thing that most people forget about. If you’re not buying new, you may want to consider the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRCC4bQbDuw" target="_blank">color of your molding</a> or trim; this can have a tremendous affect on the “freshness” of a home. For instance, when I moved into my lovely East Hampton abode, all the molding was stained pine. As you’ll take notice in most new homes, the molding and trim is painted white. It’s even common for folks to paint their trim a separate color.</p><p><strong>Covering the details</strong></p><p>As a professional contractor in East Hampton, I am sure to cover those small details of a kitchen remodel that can really make or break the success of the renovation. For example, while my clients may not think about designing the flow of traffic for their new kitchen, it is a very important detail that can’t be overlooked in my mind. Not only will I make the kitchen visually appealing and functional, I make sure the circulation routes in and out of the kitchen do not disrupt any of the kitchen’s essential functions like preparing meals or doing dishes.  </p><p>Again, this may mean removing walls and flooring, but at least you’ll be taking preventative measures against traffic wear and tear. </p><p>The above are just a handful of suggestions about how to re-energize and open up your home via the kitchen. For more information on some sustainable initiatives, please check out this <a href="http://www.nikkifotheringham.com/reduce-home-water-consumption-and-go-green/" target="_blank">article</a>.</p></span>