Selecting materials for your kitchen or bath renovation

Kitchen and bath renovations can bring new function and beauty to your home. A well-executed kitchen or bath renovation can add value to your home, almost immediately. While hiring a qualified general contractor is essential to any successful remodel project, good design and the choice of appropriate materials can make or break the final product.

* Cabinetry: In kitchen and bath remodels, the largest single expense is usually new cabinetry. In some situations, simply reworking existing cabinets will provide an acceptable look and function, allowing you to use more of your budget for appliances, countertops, or flooring. If you are considering this option, you should have an expert examine your cabinets to determine if the amount of money involved in a cabinet “rehab” is really a good investment, given the age, condition, and function of your cabinets.

If you decide to replace cabinets, you will have the option to redesign the layout of the kitchen, to add or remove cabinets, or to optimize cabinet function with accessories such as rollouts, pullouts, spice racks, and blind corner trays. The price of new cabinets typically depends on how much quality construction comes standard: look for features like reversed raised panels on framed doors, dove-tailed joined drawers, soft-close drawer and door glides, and plywood box construction using environmentally- friendly “green” plywood.

Homeowners with environmental or health concerns should look for cabinetry made from FSC-certified hardwoods and formaldehyde-free plywoods and low or zero-VOC waterborne finishes. A cabinetry expert can help you understand and evaluate the differences between different cabinet options and identify the best choice for your needs.

* Appliances and fixtures: Many kitchen and bath renovations begin because major appliances or fixtures no longer function effectively. Just because an appliance or fixture still works doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t be advantages to replacing it as part of a larger renovation project. Newer appliances and plumbing fixtures often have energy or water-saving features that lead to cost savings over time.

Most remodels will require retrofitting the existing lighting plan to meet Title 24 codes. Beyond saving energy or water, new innovations in appliances and plumbing fixtures can also improve cooking or bathing efficiency and pleasure. Your design professional can help you decide whether to replace specific appliances.

* Countertops: The best type of countertop for your project will depend on the style of the kitchen, your budget, and that way that you use your kitchen. A design professional will help you to evaluate the available options. New larger format (up to 24”X24”) color body porcelain tiles can provide a functional, easy to maintain, and economical countertop. Solid stone slabs, especially quartz engineered stones like Caesarstone, Silestone, and Cambria, are more expensive, but offer better function and a wider range of design options.

Quartz countertops can mimic the look of natural granite (but with better performance overall). Other patterns recreate the look of other traditional materials (such as slate, marble, or limestone), again, offering better performance that the traditional materials. Color and simple, neutral patterns are also available. Materials can be mixed or combined (such as tile countertops or backsplashes with solid surface countertops or islands) to meet the design, function, and budget concerns of your specific project.

* Flooring: Many options for durable and sustainable kitchen and bath flooring now exist, even for homes with slab foundations. Cork, porcelain tile, natural linoleum, or engineered bamboo or hardwood all work well in different settings. A design consultant can help explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Luxury vinyl tile, which contains recycled material and looks remarkably like ceramic or wood, can be a great option even in rooms like laundry rooms and bathrooms, where water might be a problem.

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