One of the most valuable home improvements you can make is a kitchen remodel. The kitchen is the heart of the home, where everyone tends to gather, and it's often the reason home buyers decide whether to make an offer or keep looking.

As always, the first step is coming up with the right design. You can review Moss's gallery of kitchen projects for some ideas or contact us to set up a free in-person consultation.

Design Considerations

Kitchen Work Triangle - the three main areas for meal preparation and clean-up are:

• Refrigerator - cold storage
• Sink - cleaning/preparation
• Stove - cooking

Each of these represents a point of the kitchen work triangle, which should be designed to minimize the number of steps the cook must take during meal preparation and cleanup. Too far apart, you waste a lot of steps. Too close together, you have a cramped kitchen with no place to work. Some rules of thumb:

• Each leg of the triangle should be between 4 and 9 feet
• The total of all three legs should be between 12 and 26 feet
• No obstructions (cabinets, islands, etc.) should intersect a leg of the work triangle
• Household traffic should not flow through the work triangle

Material Considerations

• Cabinets will set the style and tone of your new kitchen and choosing the right ones can satisfy many of your needs. If your old cabinet interiors are in good condition and you like your kitchen's layout, you may decide to simply reface your existing cabinets.
• For the sake of your budget as well as for specific performance needs, feel free to mix several different kitchen countertop materials in different areas of the kitchen.
• Tile backsplashes are low-maintenance, easy-to-clean, and offer another way to personalize your space.
• Coordinate the style and color of your walls with your cabinets. If you paint, we recommend an eggshell finish for walls, semi-gloss paint for trim in homes without kids and pets, otherwise high-gloss trim.
• Double ovens are perfect for entertaining. We can recommend appliance specialists and extend our discount to you.
• Accent lights can improve task lighting, unlike a central ceiling fixture that leaves the cook working in his/her own shadow.

Other design considerations:

• Is your kitchen large enough for your needs?
• Would you like to add an island for work space?
• Is there a wall we could remove to open up the area?
• Do you want wall cabinets to go to the ceiling?
• Could you use a pantry for storage?