Give Your Kitchen a Facelift

(Family Features) Ever hear the saying “Kitchens sell a home?” Well it’s true; the kitchen is the most important room in the home. Whether you’re considering putting your house on the market or investing in your home for personal long-term enjoyment, an upgraded and attractive kitchen can make your home irresistible.

While a well-designed kitchen incorporates elements of luxury and style, it’s also important to focus on kitchen updates that will make everyday life easier — so you can spend less time doing chores and more time making memories with the family.

A simple way to give your kitchen an instant facelift is to replace old, outdated or mismatched appliances with newer models. They are not only aesthetically appealing but they can simplify the cooking and cleanup process. Here are some key points to consider when purchasing:

Maintenance free stainless steel appliances

When potential home buyers walk into a kitchen, the first thing they will look for are updated and matching appliances. An appealing kitchen is one with a complete set of matching appliances for a modern and inviting appearance.

Many buyers love the look of stainless steel appliances but are reluctant to purchase because of fingerprints and watermarks. According to an EMA-NA Refrigeration Attitude & Usage Consumer Study 2011 conducted by Equation Research, 50 percent of consumers report a key pain point is their stainless steel refrigerators show fingerprints. To alleviate that concern, look for new technologies that resist streaks and smudges. Frigidaire Gallery® makes a line of Smudge-Proof™ Stainless Steel appliances that resist fingerprints and clean easily, keeping your appliances looking great while cutting down on cleanup time.

Maximizing time and space in the kitchen

When trying to maximize space in your kitchen, built-in and counter depth appliances are the way to go. In fact, counter depth appliances, like refrigerators give you back over four inches of kitchen space. Built-in wall ovens and cooktops increase countertop space as well as cooking capacity, not to mention a sleek looking kitchen and entertaining space.

Consider the different types of cooktops available too — gas, electric or induction. Induction cooktops are in high demand because they offer more precise and efficient cooking methods. A perfect example is the Frigidaire Gallery® Induction Cooktop that can boil water in less than two minutes yet stay amazingly cool to the touch.

The oven you select can also have a big impact on cutting down cooking and prep time in the kitchen. According to the EMA-NA study, 67 percent of consumers think their ovens take too long to preheat and 40 percent are dissatisfied because their food does not cook evenly. A new trend to help alleviate these concerns is a double wall oven, which provides the timesaving benefit by cooking multiple dishes at once. The Frigidaire Gallery® Double Wall Oven saves prep time and cook time with its quick preheat feature and true convection feature. Once the food is out of the oven, the quick self-clean cycle cleans the oven in just two hours helping Frigidaire take you through mealtime in no time, from start to clean.

Flexible storage options that can save you money

When it comes to purchasing refrigerators and freezers, it’s important to find something that allows for adjustable storage to meet personal, lifestyle needs. According to the 2013 Frigidaire Freezer Savings Study conducted by Phoenix Marketing International, approximately 60 percent of consumers indicate they don’t have enough storage capacity in their refrigerator’s freezer, causing them to make multiple trips to the grocery store each week. Owning a secondary freezer allows you to make 1 1/2 less trips to the store each month and saves an average of 60 hours per year at the grocery store, according to Frigidaire research. Overall, those who own a secondary freezer say it allows them to stock up on family favorite foods, and the extra storage space lets them take advantage of sales and buying in bulk.

As busy families are looking to streamline and save on meal time, a secondary freezer will not only pay for itself in a year according to the Frigidaire study, but will also make your home stand out when it’s on the market. The Frigidaire 2-in-1 Classic Slate Freezer or Refrigerator can quickly and easily switch between refrigerator and freezer mode, giving you the flexibility to prepare meals in advance and freeze them or keep extra beverages cold with the flip of a switch.

Making a few easy kitchen upgrades can add instant value and save you time, making your home more enjoyable for you and your family. For more information on the full suite of Frigidaire Gallery® appliances, visit www.frigidaire.com.

Additional Upgrades to Consider

Here are a few other simple, yet worthwhile, upgrades to improve the kitchen.

Pendant lighting

Add visual interest with a beautiful set of pendant lights. Ideally place them above a kitchen island so they don’t interfere with foot traffic.

Hardware

This is also an easy fix with a big payoff. Replace cabinet knobs and pulls with a fresh, modern set for a fast visual update and to help tie in the new appliances.

Kitchen faucet

As one of the most-used items in the house, this fixture has its fair share of wear and tear. Replacing the faucet is an easy and quick project that will make an impact.

Pull out trays

To eliminate the need to dig for pots and pans, install rolling trays in your cabinets.

SOURCE:

Frigidaire