Looking beyond a kitchen’s glamor

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Published Date 6/13/2024

Kitchens are arguably today’s house jewelry — often the part of the house that makes you swoon when home shopping. Because kitchens are and always have been the heart of a home, it’s almost useless to usher guests out of it once they take a seat on that island barstool.

French doors to the patio? A shiny backsplash that leads all the way up to a skylit ceiling? That ample farmhouse sink that conjures fantasies of living a model home? Realtor.com’s Nina Malkin says while it’s understandable (even exciting) to fall in love with a home’s kitchen, flaws can lie beneath the glitz and the stainless steel appliances. She points out hidden issues first-time homebuyers often miss — easy-to-overlook blind spots to check, lest you wind up with some major regrets and costly renovations once you’ve moved in.

The first is an illogical layout. “Efficient workstations and smooth traffic flow are crucial in a kitchen, yet it might be hard for newbies to assess how well a layout will work for them,” says Malkin. “Will that peninsula, for example, be a helpful food prep station—or a clutter magnet? A galley-style kitchen may look fantastic, but if you’re constantly bumping into others as you prep for dinner, it’ll get on your nerves fast. Or if you need a ton of counter space, that tiny peninsula might not be enough for you and your kids.”

She advises focusing on how much counter space you use in your current home or would like to use when making a meal, bringing along a measuring tape when you tour homes. “In particular, scope out the kitchen work triangle where you’ll be spending the bulk of your time,” she says. “Ideally, the sink, fridge, and stove should all be within the same general vicinity to keep you from running to and fro.

Next is entertainment space. Yes. In the kitchen. Go beyond meal prep and imagine how you’ll really use the space. “A kitchen layout might be practical for everyday cooking but lack the entertaining aspect, like wine storage or a proper place to make drinks,” points out Virginia-based designer Allie Mann. Mann suggests you evaluate the basic layout, examining if that kitchen island has an overhang, which makes for more comfortable seating for guests. Would you need to knock down a wall to make room? Opening up a kitchen can be pricy or even impossible if the wall is load-bearing.

How about the kitchen’s surfaces? Those butcher block counters and rocky backsplash might look great at first, but how easy are they to keep clean? Unless it is sanded and re-sealed regularly, wood is porous and can stain, and some stone surfaces tend to absorb oils and cooking spatters.

Storage? While open shelving in kitchens is all the rage, it’s not particularly practical unless you’re an austere minimalist. All your dishes might not fit—or if they do, do you want them all on display, and on upper shelves collecting dust? If you’re swooning over open shelves, make sure there’s enough cabinet space elsewhere for your bigger or less attractive items such as pots, pans, and small appliances.

It’s not unusual for buyers to overlook a missing appliance here and there. Newbies often forget to confirm that there is a dishwasher, especially in an older home. Perhaps the previous owners dined out a lot and never bothered to put one in.

Appliance size is just as important. “Shiny appliances are always exciting, but don’t forget to think about their size, too,” says Malkin, who points out that buyers can be so enamored by the finishes of a kitchen that they don’t consider that perhaps the 30-inch stovetop is inadequately sized for their needs. Or that gigantic refrigerator might never be filled up if only one or two people occupy the house.

Your Realtor can help you with a checklist so that you can compare each house you consider on equal footing. And even if any of these issues exist, you know you will be going into the purchase with both eyes open.

Realtor, TBWS

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