Irwin & Nicola discuss the options, expense, and resources you'll have when updating your kitchen. Get their insider decorating tips on how to give your kitchen a great look!

Video Transcription

[Music Playing] Irwin: Welcome to Design 2 Share Q&A, I am Irwin. Nicola: And I am Nicola. Irwin: Here is a good question, what should I change in updating my kitchen? Nicola: Well, I think should we indeed, that is the question, should you update? Should you completely change it? I mean is it worth basically, spending he money? And, I think we can probably say actually probably is with remodeling and someway if your budget will allow. Irwin: If the kitchen really is bare and it really needs to be changed, of course, change it. But, sometimes you can actually get a way with just doing few things, by refreshing the kitchen and updating slightly and you can get tremendous and not actually for relatively little money. Nicola: Right. So, you could just maybe change, change the hardware say or update the counter tops. It does not have to be a complete remodel. Irwin: And of course, the appliances and the cabinets. One could just paint the cabinets. Also, just change the cabinet doors themselves. One needs to be a little bit careful with it, because if they are sort of a light rail or there is a crown molding, then you cannot really update the--change the cabinet doors to such an extend, as you might have. Nicola: Yes. Irwin: Now what about keeping it green? Nicola: Well, I think today and today is—in today’s day and age, especially with global warming, we have to really start to think about that and try and incorporate that in your home. Irwin: So, I think some ideas might to have composition countertops. There are companies like Silestone and CeasarStone and so on. Having tile in the countertops as much--pretty much on popular California thing, the tile. Not so much on the east coast, but that certainly a renewable material rather than granites. Nicola: Right, that one sets, with the ground, it is non-renewable and it is lost forever. One or lost somebody sees on somebody’s countertop, but it is none renewable. Irwin: Also recycling, I mean we recycle cans and bottles, but we are using the same countertops, so just refreshing the kitchen actually quite a point of conservation. Nicola: Yes. I think also, floorings such as cork floors a great-- Irwin: Bamboo is another one. Bamboo is terrific. I mean the Japanese have used bamboo for years and years and that is really safe. Your island from using on the streets. Nicola: I think it is worth noting, but typically the kitchen is the heart of any home and it is a great Segway also, between the garages, the foyer. It is also a congregational point I think. You know any particular party you throw. Everybody is normally zooms in to the kitchen. Irwin: It is also a place to do home work. It is a place now with laptops and things and every thing -- Nicola: Right. Irwin: So many things wireless. Nicola: To multi functional. Irwin: Right. Absolutely and I think that having the kitchen in the center of a home open both in terms of the design and the layer. I think it works really well. Nicola: Yes. Irwin: In fact, in this kitchen we are standing, what is terrific is that the decorating of the kitchen is somewhat kitchen like and somewhat living room like. So, we are seeing that in the dry place, the wall treatments, and the colors and so on and it is looks terrific both in the kitchen and in the living space. Nicola: Yes. That is great that you can relate it to other areas in home and also, the trends where the appliances, such as the harvest gold colors and the 60’s and do you really want to get caught up in the kind of trends for today. Irwin: Yes of course. I mean there is the stainless and appliances and granite countertops, we should have almost accepted the fact that this is the way to, go but much like as you are saying by the harvest gold oven. You can-- that will extradite as well. So, just bare that in mind that it does not --do not see a kitchen as quite such a fashion statement and such a trend element in ones home. Pick something that or selecting to your -- finishes they just really going to work for you. Nicola: Yes. Irwin: What about the cost of doing the kitchen? Nicola: I think in a good figure probably is around 44,000 really, is what you are looking at, you know new appliances, new cabinets and you know materials. Irwin: I think you can also get a little bit more expensive sometimes. One gets -- can get a bit carried away, there are terrific appliances out there and of course, many people trying to sell them. Granite countertops are expensive, so are some of the cabinets and all the little details. I think one has to be a little careful about it not to over spend. In summary, we feel strongly that should a kitchen need to be changed, updated, fluffed, renovated, removed and replace, go ahead and do that, it does pay. The average cost of a kitchen is about $44,000.00 and the benefit in resell is actually pretty good. So go ahead, think about it, plan carefully and renovate your kitchen. I am Irwin. Nicola: And I am Nicola, thank you for watching Design 2 Share Q&A. [Music Playing] Here is a great tip to have your kitchen-remodeling job. Granite or natural stone for new countertops is using a limited resource. Try using some of the new materials that are more environmentally friendly and green up your kitchen. Irwin: Caesar stone and sile stone are composite materials that are natural stone, but the heaven stone look you might be going for. Rich light and stone countertops are made from recycled paper or paper from certified forests. Those forests are not slow growth hard woods, so they are renewable and sustainable resources. Nicola: Enviro glass and ice tone are composite material countertops made of recycled glass like chips of glass embedded in concrete. A very different and dramatic look indeed. Follow this tip to show and explore alternative green countertop options for your kitchen remodeling projects. [Music Playing]