Toronto Home Improvements

In the super-hot Toronto real estate market where prices are still climbing through the roof and beyond, style conscious home buyers are trying to get a certain look for less. By the time they purchase and move into their new home, their savings are often depleted, they’ve acquired some serious debt, and they have little cash left over to turn their new home into their dream house.

Renovation budgets are one of the first things scaled back after bidding wars and unforeseen expenses wipe out funds that were originally set aside for projects such as stylish decor, bathroom, and kitchen renovations.

Those in this situation who embark on a remodeling project should look for ways to achieve great results while maintaining a delicate balance between going on the cheap and and falling into serious debt.

A good mindset to have when starting the project is to save throughout the process, and have a bit extra to splurge at the end. A little bit of frugality and practicality at the start will likely save you from becoming overextended and reduce the risk of an abandoned half finished remodel.

If you’re looking at remodeling a kitchen with budget constraints in mind, here are some practical hints that will ensure that you stay within budget and achieve stylish results.

1. Buy it off the rack

The biggest cost component of a kitchen remodel is custom cabinetry. If you are on a limited budget and want high-end finishes, don’t even bother with custom cabinets. Head to your local big-box store or Ikea for cabinetry solutions that are stylish, of high quality, and affordable. Also, just because it’s not custom, doesn’t mean you can’t customize it to make it your very own.

There are dozens of door styles, sizes, and finishes. Although the door quality of their cabinets are not exactly on par with a custom kitchen, they are about a quarter the price of the more expensive ones. The money saved here can be spent on other parts of your kitchen, like that granite countertop, or mosaic marble backsplash.

2. Think like a European designer

European designers favor uniformity and repetition. They tend to go with lower cabinets made up of large pot/pan style drawers, full-height pantries with tons of storage space, and glass doored upper cabinets with lighting to allow for display.

Instead of breaking up the layout with small drawer and door combinations, go for large banks of drawers and doors.

3. Be a bit conservative

If you’re not entirely sure about what color to go with, white cabinets are usually a safe bet and can be dressed up to make an inexpensive kitchen look like an expensive custom one.

Some of the more bold colors and door styles might look great in the showroom, but cheap and trendy when they’re installed. You can play it safe and still give it some flare with accents and accessories. Most of all, you are less likely to regret a red kitchen accessory than a red kitchen.

4. Dress it up

The key to success with an “off the rack” solution is to avoid the temptation to buy everything at once, and from the same retailer. Sourcing some of your elements from other retailers will give your kitchen a signature look.

Designer lighting, door and drawer hardware, and accessories will dress up your kitchen and help you achieve a high-end look.

These hints can go along way in helping you achieve a stylish and modern look in your kitchen, without sinking you deeper in debt.