Top 3 Kitchen Remodeling Trends for 2012

By Gillian Luce, Homes.com

Turning your house into a home often starts at the heart of it – the kitchen. Homes.com, a leading real estate listing site and complete lifestyle resource, has taken notice of the top trends in revamping and remodeling kitchens this year.

Going Green
The “going green” trend in home improvement is sticking around for the long haul. It has few downsides and packs a major financial punch. “Going green” encourages homeowners to renovate or replace items within the home that were already going to be updated with environmentally friendly products. The kitchen is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade to energy efficient appliances and reap considerable benefits. Energy Star appliances or products like concrete and bamboo can change the look of an outdated kitchen all while saving homeowners’ money. In addition to being fantastic for the current homeowner, potential buyers also appreciate ‘green’ updates which means your house could sell quicker if and when it goes on the market.

DIY Craze
It’s hard to watch TV or read magazines without seeing do-it-yourself home improvement options. Whether it’s the economic factor or simple pride in homeownership, DIYers are hitting the market hard and learning how to makeover nearly every aspect of their home. Many do-it-yourself enthusiasts look at their current home for ways to improve it, instead of upgrading to a bigger space. Investing time and resources means homeowners are able to transform their houses into homes they love. This trend certainly applies to the kitchen as more homeowners, paint cabinets, replace hardware and seek new ways to update the heart of the home versus hiring a contractor to do the job for them.

Technology – Adding more technology to your kitchen
Busy schedules have become the norm and having ‘high end’ spaces, such as a kitchen, takes second place to functionality. More and more people are putting money into spots like pantries and islands in the kitchen, which in turn add loads of storage. Customization is the key word as homeowners uncover options that will work best for them and their families. Simplifying and minimizing cooking is another technology which has seen a surge as of late. Internet enabled home appliances have been around for awhile but, smarter technology allows homeowners to save energy and money. Imagine being able to send cooking options to your oven while online at work. How easy would that be to start making dinner on your way home from work? We look forward to seeing more innovations in this sector as it’s sure to shorten time in the kitchen to offer for more time spent with family and friends.

On top of improving functionality for yourself, remodeling a kitchen is also the number one way to add value to your home. First and foremost take a look at current trends and determine what works best for you and your space. If you’re not a DIYer, then don’t feel the need to do a do-it-yourself project. The bottom line is, DIY projects can be fun, but don’t feel pressured into doing one and always make sure whatever renovations you do work for your needs and will improve the value of your investment.

Check out Atlanta Home Improvement’s Remodeling Planner for more remodeling tips and ideas.