It’s been said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Better yet, if you can’t stand the tile, the layout, the appliances or cabinets, consider these kitchen upgrades you’ll want when you move into your custom home designed just for you.
Working with local homebuilders offers a great opportunity to get the most out of the heart of your home. Layouts, trims, appliances and more will transition your kitchen from a working space to a wonderful space with ease. Here are some top requests to consider:
1. Appliances – Working with a custom home builder offers you a number of standard kitchen amenities, but did you know you can further customize your space to spec. One of the best finishing touches to maximize efficiencies are brand new appliances. At Madison Homebuilders, we want the best for you. These optimal choices are standard in our homes:
- Energy Star, multi-cycle dishwasher with NFC sani rinse system
- 5.3 cubic foot self-cleaning oven/range with digital display, solid surface ceramic glass cooktop and storage drawer
Choose from stainless steel, white or black. Additional appliances can be purchased through Madison’s appliance provider, Fergusons.
Additional appliance options to enhance your custom kitchen may include built-in wine refrigerators, coffee makers, ice machines, microwaves or warming drawers. Speak with the local home builders you are considering and discuss your dream home plans and their offerings.
2. Cabinets – Admit it. You’ve walked into a home and said, “I’m not buying it” based on the cabinetry, haven’t you? Even though it’s something that can be changed, many people can’t see past the material, color or style. Working with local home builders, you can select from our standard or upgrade options, or design your own. Some, like us, may even offer crown molding accents as part of your cabinetry package. A great upgrade especially if you are continuing the molding in other areas of your home.
3. Faucet and Fixtures – It’s been said that the kitchen faucet is “the jewel of the home”. So, do yourself a favor and consider for your custom home a jewel that shines! Many local home builders will provide a stainless steel, double 8″ deep kitchen sink with single lever faucets with a sprayer as the standard. This offers you a great space for daily efficiencies and when entertaining.
Perhaps you want to change from the double sink to a deeper, wider farm sink with an enamel finish, or an industrial stainless steel tub sink? Or, do you prefer a touch-less design, a pull-down sprayer, or a wall-mounted industrial model? These are all possibilities to discuss with your local home builder to bring your kitchen together in form, beauty, and function. Complement these with the cabinet and drawer knobs of your choosing to pull the room together – and never underestimate the charm of soft close drawers and cabinets.
4. Backsplash – Oh, the backsplash. It’s one of the first greetings your kitchen will offer you each time you walk into the room. Should you opt for tile, there is still the consideration of how you will lay the tile (straight across, vertical, herringbone pattern, etc.), or what color grout you’ll pick, how widely spaced the sections will fall, etc. The upgrade and customization options are as always, endless!
5. Countertops – The surface of your countertops should be more than a workspace. Popular materials include natural and synthetic, even some with antibacterial properties. Talk to your local home builder about their customizations, which may include marble, granite, quartz, stainless steel, tile, poured concrete or even a built-in cutting board. Some materials are better for withstanding direct heat from pots and pans (no trivet required!), while others are great for masking stains or fingerprints. And most have a broad range of colors and price points from which to choose.
6. Island or Breakfast Bar Add-ons – Some local home builders may offer a kitchen layout that already includes a kitchen island or breakfast bar, while others will enjoy the opportunity to expand their great design to add this feature. Be sure to consider if you will want an open shelf area to accommodate for seating, or if you’re seeking the feature to add storage space. Another option is to place your cooktop and a second sink on an island.
7. Lighting – Whether or not your kitchen will be flooded with natural light, the lighting can bring the room together and make it a more enjoyable space to cook and gather. Madison Homebuilders provides recessed lighting in your kitchen as a standard option. Recessed lighting provides great overall lighting with fewer shadows and glares. Then, all you need to do is add accessories to complement the space of an eat-in dining area or over island bar seating. Consider opting for multiple electrical configurations so that you can control how much light is on at one time, or add-ons such as under-cabinet lighting. It all sounds so easy, but there are thousands of options you can choose, from classic to industrial and everything in between.
Also to be considered are the choices of bulbs, such as CFL, LED or fluorescent. Make sure the lighting for each task (overhead, directional, accent) is durable enough to withstand the task intended.
8. Flooring – Whether or not your home will have an open floor plan, you may want to extend the flooring from your living room or dining room into the kitchen. Or, you may wish to keep the kitchen separate, placing a tile or cement floor that best reflects your style. A contrasting wood or manufactured wood floor in the kitchen is another option. Your local home builder may have styles available for your model, or a showcase of alterations to choose from.
Like any household design project, make two separate lists of wants and must-haves. Talk to your local home builder or contractor. Walk some floor models. And make your kitchen dreams come with the top upgrades in your custom home.