Considering improvements to your home? Some of the most common feedback that we receive from homeowners is they want to update but aren't sure what to do. Often it is not how much, but how you spend to make the biggest impact in your home that will also help increase the value. Designer touches can be surprisingly affordable with a good plan.

Refreshing kitchen, bath and family living areas adds style, comfort, value, and livability to your home. Today's trends center on flexibility, openness, better use of space, more stylish lighting and updated easy-care surfaces. Is it time to upgrade or remodel your home? The experts share the most common inquires that they receive from consumers while offering advice to help you stay within your budget.

Bathrooms:

One of our most frequent requests from clients is replacing rectangular porcelain or fiberglass tubs and showers originally installed by the builder when the home was originally built. This room has become much more than a place to bathe. It is created to provide a relaxing even "spa" like environment. Many of the upgrades include soaking tubs, granite countertops and snail showers with built-in benches, multiple shower heads and water efficient fixtures.

Kitchens:

Tile and laminate surfaces in the kitchen are out and natural granite and compressed quartz are the newest trend. The colors, patterns and subtle reflectivity of these surfaces provide a warmer feel in what is likely the highest traffic area of the home. Today people want kitchens that are more open and incorporated into family activities and entertaining. The kitchen is often referred to as the "heart of the home." Islands with vented cook tops and breakfast bar seating are supplanting the kitchen table as more informal dining becomes the norm.

• Of course, updated lighting provides the perfect finishing touch.
• For cabinetry Arizonans prefer natural and stained solid wood finishes. European-style flush front cabinetry, hidden hinges, soft close doors and drawers and roll-out shelving are at the top of wish lists these days.
• Kitchen redesigns often have a built-in work desk.
• An area for planning meals and activities, sorting mail, or a place where internet access by younger family members can be supervised is a real benefit.

Budget conscious customers may consider refacing existing cabinets to refresh the look in the kitchen. However a word of caution; there can be drawbacks.

• The cost to reface cabinets can be close to or even more than buying new upper and lower cabinetry at the right price.
• With a reface all the doors and drawer faces must be removed for refinishing or replacement and everything visible in between needs to be matched.
• This is labor intensive.
• Sometimes cabinet boxes may not accommodate remounted hardware without additional rework.
• Another factor to consider is that the layout and configuration of your kitchen storage will likely remain the same.
• New cabinetry can increase storage and amenities up to 40%.
• Ask your contractor for advice and solutions to fit your needs within your budget.

Family & Living Rooms:

When we are consulted for a new design in the family living areas our most frequent request is to open up sight lines.

• Older homes typically have distinct rooms divided by walls while newer homes have a more open architecture utilizing wider entryways and larger windows to enable natural light to flow through the home.
• The effect is that rooms and the entire home feel larger.
• The family or living room is still the center of activity time and our clients are seeking better use of space.
• Hulking entertainment centers and big screen TVs are being replaced with large high-resolution wall mounted flat screen televisions with built-in surround sound systems.
• Eliminating large footprint furniture allows families to replace outdated couch and love seat combinations with sectional pieces that are more comfortable, stylish and make the room look much larger.