It’s worse than FOMO – the infamous fear of missing out – let’s call it FOLO, the fear of losing out. That fear of making the wrong decision in your pricey kitchen make-over that keeps you stuck. So what’s the cure?
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WORSE THAN FOMO
You know you should renovate your kitchen. You want to renovate your kitchen. You may even be totally sick of your kitchen. But FOLO is giving you renovation paralysis. Will today’s white kitchen become tomorrow’s avocado refrigerator? When a renovation can cost in the range of $20,000 to $60,000 and up that’s no small question. We’re not talking about a new sofa here! You want your investment to last a long time, at least 15 to 20 years.
HOW TO AVOID KITCHEN RENOVATION PARALYSIS
The first thing to decide is what you like. You’re the one who is going to live with it – you should definitely enjoy it! Do you like painted cabinets? Or do you prefer wood? Traditional or modern cabinets? Once you’re clear on what appeals to you then you have a starting place.
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Then think about current trends and resale value, if that’s important to you. Yes, white is popular now and probably will be for at least the next ten years because kitchen trends last a while. But if you don’t like it then don’t do it. There are lots of other options out there that you may like better that can still provide you with good resale value. BUT I LIKE WHITE KITCHENS Then do it! White cabinets are classic and even if another kitchen trend takes its place a few years from now your kitchen will still look beautiful. And you’ll probably still love it because you chose what appealed to you. MIX IT UP If you’re concerned about resale value then mix it up. Don’t do all white – put some color in your backsplash and/or countertop. You may want to avoid subway tile as it’s everywhere right now so may be out in a few years. The main message here is avoid slavishly following a trend down to every detail. Once something is everywhere then it will inevitably become passé. Notice that no one is building cherry cabinet and black granite countertop kitchens any more? It was overdone, thus guaranteeing its early demise.
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I LIKE QUIRKY. CAN I HAVE A KITCHEN THAT REFLECTS MY PERSONALITY WITHOUT IT NEGATIVELY AFFECTING RESALE?
Well, that depends . . are we talking reflecting your quirkiness in the cabinet style or in the backsplash? Something that’s unlikely to appeal to others and is expensive to replace is probably not a good idea in the kitchen if you want to maximize resale. But letting your freak flag fly with an artsy, unique backsplash that your ceramicist best friend made just for you can be a great idea. That way if you eventually put your house on the market and your realtor thinks it needs to be replaced it’s doable without a large expense.
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NOT QUITE ANYTHING GOES – YET . .
Kitchens are not quite anything goes quite yet (unless you want to, of course!) but I’m happy to say that the rules are finally loosening. I’m loving mixing cabinet finishes and all the new colors in painted cabinets that I’m seeing.
HOW TO GET STARTED Get your new kitchen juices flowing by creating a Pinterest page (www.pinterest.com/join) or a Houzz account (www.houzz.com). Start saving images of kitchens you love. You’ll quickly notice a pattern and you will get clear on what you like. Congrats – you’ve made your first step past kitchen renovation paralysis! From here, you can either finish the job yourself, or hire a designer (like yours truly – friendly smile and wave) – to help you with the details. In either case, you’ll be past your paralysis, and finally moving forward on your way to a kitchen you love. (Insert your own photo here!)
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