Kitchen Design Tips From Aditus Kitchens of Bridgwater

Cally Law reports in The Sunday Times that updating your kitchen or bathroom will pay off if you don't try to cut corners.

If you have the energy and cash to do up just one room, the kitchen is the one to go for. And be bold: knock out walls, let in light. Make this a room that the whole family wants to be in, preferably all at once, and you'll not begrudge a penny of what it'll cost you.

If you get it right, you should even make money out of it. Updating a kitchen or bathroom, more than any other room in the house, generally makes financial sense. As any estate agent will tell you, kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Even if you don't recoup the full cost of the work when you sell, it'll be worth it if your house is the one that's sold while others in the street languish on the agents' books.

Although planning a new kitchen or bathroom may be daunting, the basic rules are simple: spend 10% (and no more than 15%) of the value of your home on these room and you'll be quid’s in. The right kitchen and bathroom can add 25% to the asking price.

Make sure that what you plan is appropriate both for the architecture of your house and the neighbourhood - a flash Italian kitchen won't necessarily add value in a country cottage. And make sure you're adding something of a high quality. Cheap kitchens are a turn-off, so if you have a limited budget you need to be clever about what you spend it on.

It serves as a reminder that fashions change. Unless you plan to move imminently, it's best to go for a look that is not going to date too quickly. Retro (1950s Americana) and industrial (loft dwellers' cold steel) are both risky, for instance, whereas the Shaker look (simple wood fittings) seems set to go on forever.
Avoid gimmicky extras and too many character-killing units, but huge range cookers or American fridges can be good investments. Buyers like nothing more than the chance to own the sort of fancy equipment they'd never get for themselves. You will also add value to a kitchen (and create space for your enormous range) by removing the washing machine to a separate laundry area.
Source: The Sunday Times.