Updating a Kitchen that has Soffits

Before the Transformation

There are many things that "date" a kitchen but one thing that broadcasts the fact that the kitchen is older is the presence of soffits. So, when you are selling your home - what do you do to offset these architectural wonders, other than an expensive renovation? Well - one thing you can do is to paint the entire kitchen a color that blends with the color of the cabinetry. If you have warm oak cabinets, paint the kitchen a warm, yellow/beige, for example. You want the soffits to recede - so don't paint them a contrasting color that will make them stand out.


We transformed these kitchen cabinets by using the soffits - but we added crown molding, paint and then did a faux oak woodgraining to match the already existing cabinets.

That's me, putting the first layer of woodgraining on the soffits

After we finished graining and matching the color of the oak cabinets (it was a bit hard because each cabinet had a slightly different tone of oak - probably from age), we then added a faux wood inlaid design on the soffit.

After: The cabinetry looks taller and more modern

With a little creativity, you can turn a negative into a positive. Before, these cabinets made the room look shorter - and the cabinets seemed shorter. This technique helps to "bring the eye up" and to bring a more modern feel to the room.

Welcome to My Blog and Why I Started it

Hi!

Welcome to my blog. I am new to this form of communication - but not new to helping homeowners transform their homes into beautiful spaces. What I want to share with everyone is some unique yet very simple ideas that you can use to make your home more marketable once you decide to put it up for sale.

I just heard some recent statistics for the New York/Long Island real estate market - for every day that your home remains on the market, you lose 1% of its value. That's an alarming number - and all the more reason to do everything you can to get your home in the best shape possible...so you can sell it more quickly.

Here are a few important things to consider when you are selling your home:

• Once you put your home up for sale, it is no longer your home...it's a product. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you will sell your home. Any product that appeals to the widest range of buyers has the best chance of selling. You may love your red painted walls - but not everyone loves that paint color. You may adore your teal colored carpet in your bedroom - but not everyone has furnishings that go with that color. You have to neutralize your color schemes so that they appeal to the most people.
• Make your home clutter free. The less stuff you have in a room - the more people can really "see" your home. For example - if you take the small appliances (toaster, canisters, coffee pot, dish drain etc) off your kitchen counter...potential buyers will be able to "see" that you have countertops. You want to sell your home - not your stuff.
• Improve your curb appeal: If your home doesn't look inviting on the outside - no one will want to come "inside"
• Make sure your home is Q Tip clean. From your front yard to your backyard...and from basement to the attic, make sure that every surface is spotless. Have a professional window cleaner make your windows shine.
  
• Make sure you have great photos of your home for flyers and for online marketing. Once you have de-cluttered, cleaned and painted, have your realtor take photographs (many real estate companies have photographers that they use) or, if you are selling the property yourself, have someone with a great digital camera take the photos - or consider hiring a professional. Important: 80% of today's buyers research real estate listing online first...before they even consider going to your open house. So - you must make sure that your home looks great online.