The Ultimate Guide To Mid-Range Kitchens in LA
There are some homeowners that believe remodeling a kitchen means installing an industrial stove that could service a Culinary Studies 101 Class. It doesn’t.
It’s 2017 and homeowners don’t want to deal with the monumental fuss of petty little luxuries that do nothing but inflate the cost of a kitchen remodeling job. Be smart about your new kitchen. Keep it understated. Effective. In other words - make it a Mid-Range Kitchen Beauty.
Now the next question is how much can you expect out of a mid-range kitchen?
Kithen Cabinets That Don’t Crack Like Peanut Brittle
At a low end-range you’re getting cabinets built from compressed wood, a laminate layer stamped to look like actual wood.
Mid-range cabinets are beefy, built from solid wood that can take the heat of a Los Angeles kitchen. You get doors with chiseled faces designed actual craftsman, which means nothing but possibilities for your creative design. That’s the nature of semi-customized cabinets designed from:
Oak Cabinets
Nearly 50% of all cabinets are constructed out of Oak because customers demand it. There’s something so specifically natural about Oak, how it turns otherwise unsightly wear into an aspect of visual character. Its grain goes deep.
Durability is part of the reason Oak has aged so well over time. Even at ‘builder’s grade,’ there’s no denying the strength. Oak sits at 1290 on the Janka scale. Rate all other cabinets by it.
Maple Cabinets
Fine grain rolls smooth with a creamy color. Inside of these swirls you’ll find what owners call a ‘bird’s eye,’ a nice darkened natural touch that gives Maple a signature look, a taste that makes it a little costlier than Oak.
As much as its white chocolate demeanor won’t let on, Maple is scratch resistant, ding resistant, crack non-conformist. At 1450 on the Janka scale it’s what a busy kitchen needs.
Cherrywood Cabines
Cherry wood is straight grain done in low rouge tone. Its consistent appearance allows for direct experimentation with the hues in its wood, palette shades that lead to beautiful highs and lows in spectrums of red - a look that darkens with age.
Cherry wood cabinets are durable without the militant toughness of Maple. At 950 on the Janka scale, you can expect a long use out of these cabinets. As I’ve said before, their appearance matures overtime, and you’ll want to keep them as they ripen.
These are the sort of materials homes are built on. Not only is a mid-range cabinet tough, it handles gently. Included within these doors is Bluemotion Light Technology which makes cabinet doors close with a tender *thumpf*, (a must in this housing market).
Countertops Not Made Of Laminated Trash Paper
The low-cost kitchen slouches on countertops, restricting the homeowner to laminate only, which itself is made from crushed paper, laminated over, which burns (as paper tends to) if a hot plate even touches it.
Mid-range kitchen remodels wouldn’t stand for that sort of quality. Demand -
Granite Countertops
93% natural stone 7% resin.
Granite is a look designed by mother nature that can’t be replicated as a stone cut straight from the earth and set into your kitchen.
It has the durability of a solid stone refusing to be all too fussy. In order to maintain this natural appeal all that’s required is a spritz of sealer every six months - a task so easy it can be finished with a drink in one hand.
Corian Countertops
Corian countertops defy convention, looking to redefine what a smooth surface is. Completely synthetically designed, it holds its own.
It’s the true meaning of flexibility. You want a seamless backsplash on the wall? Done. You want a variety of colors? All yours. Corian can take on the look of marble, granite, quartz, whatever little color your heart desires.
Quartz Countertops
93% natural stone along with a poultry 7% resin mixture.
Quartz isn’t just a stone sliced out of the ground. It’s an intricately designed masterpiece of a product.
When it comes to countertops, (and this isn’t a crown I like throwing around), Quartz is the absolute king of the kitchen. Unlike other shoddy attempts at smooth surface, Quartz is completely non-porous. Spills won’t leak into its structure, leaving ugly discoloration. Bits of food won’t stick and make the surface unsanitary. It’s everything you want out of a countertop laid out for you.
Whatever mid-range kitchen countertop you go for, understand that you’re essentially handling a slab of stone, which while sounds impervious, it isn’t.
An installer has the life of your countertop in his hand. If their countertop installation is shoddy, you’re going to end up with a product that wanders just past its warranty before it breaks. Trust me. Potential homeowners in Los Angeles will have warranty on their mind, so you’ll want to get a trusted countertop installer like Novel Remodeling to handle the job. It’s not worth cutting corners here.
A Kitchen Not Designed in 40 B.C (Before Cell Phones)
The wide majority of Los Angeles homes were built in the 1950s - 1960s and the kitchen is one of the last places you want as a historical artifact. With a low-range budget the nature of a complete kitchen makeover is a distant possibility. But not here.
Mid-range kitchen budgeting guarantees that you as a homeowner have the magic touch to make your kitchen just flow better. If you’ve ever felt that you’ve wanted a third arm just to deal with the kitchen - you know what I’m talking about.
For mid-range kitchens, Los Angeles homeowners have their favorites when it comes to layouts.
Single-Wall Kitchen
As name implies will be a common thread on all of these. Single-wall kitchens take up only the space they need, often under 8 feet in total. Costlier kitchens like to throw walls around to complicate things whereas single-wall kitchens knows exactly what it needs.
Nothing gets in the way of complete open space which allows for an excellent kitchen flow. A true walk-through kitchen. Considering that everything is kept to a single wall, integrating an island could not be easier. This open area could be home to a kitchen table. It’s all about maximizing space.
L - Shaped Kitchen
You’ve seen it often. One corner. Both walls countered and utilized for a fine workflow kitchen.
Don’t take that corner for granted. It manages a lot with a 12 - 15 foot length. With that sort of ground, any kitchen workload can be handled. And it’s not just about the space. An L-shape gives the kitchen a clear line of action which naturally enhances your work-flow. For a large family, this is exactly the sort of time saver you need, and with the increased space - maybe they need to get in and help with the kitchen too.
Peninsula Kitchen
Think of either the L - Shape or One Wall Kitchen then add a little bit of extra in the form of a countertop that hangs out all by itself.
This little space of a countertop makes a huge difference as it adds a divider between the dining room, establishing the presence of your kitchen. Some homeowners turn this into a sort of mini-bar, with chair to set up and chat with your guests as the final preparations of a meal are being put together. Or you could use if for what it simply is - another little extra space to make preparing meals all the less cramped.
Controlling the layout of your kitchen is an incredibly powerful too. What you cook, when you cook, your entire kitchen flow is a fingerprint - perfectly unique.
You’ll want to hire a professional kitchen remodeling contractor such as Novel Remodeling because we know how to infuse that personal touch into a kitchen. Make it a place that fits perfectly with you.
Smaller Touches That Make Life Beautiful
You thought that since we’re talking strict mid-range kitchens here that true luxury just has to go out the window and I can understand why.
So often we imagine a luxurious kitchen as an oversaturated (but pretty) mess of things we don’t need.
We rarely stop to think of luxury as making your kitchen functional.
Think of the following as a valuable layer of love for your kitchen.
Flooring That’s Not A Science School Project
At the lower end of the scale a homeowner might have to submit to the will of laminate flooring, which can’t handle anything but a smooth underbelly unless it wants to puncture. A mid-range kitchen remodel allows for a much deeper well of choice.
When you remodel your kitchen you don’t want to leave your flooring back in the dark ages of a kitchen-vibe you didn’t ascribe to. Switch it up to something you’re feeling right now. There are tons of options.
Vinyl: Long from where it used to be just years ago, vinyl has grown far past its once competitive sibling, laminate. It’s a durable flooring that can match the feel and look on just about any material.
Linoleum: Low maintenance, inexpensive, easy to maintain. It’s easy on the feet too. It’s color isn’t just stamped on, it goes all the way through meaning that wear never gets the best of it.
Porcelain: Stronger than the material that coat’s a doll’s face. Porcelain is clay fired into a tough materiel not prone to death by moisture. Although it’s pricier, it looks great.
Bamboo: Blond in appearance, bamboo’s vertical strength adds to a unique grain that homeowners will find themselves entranced by. When you tell them it’s bamboo, they’ll get it. There’s a reason bamboo has been called “hell on sawblades.” it’s tough, non-porous, which makes it water resistant.
Cork: An engaging choice that holds deep undertones without shame. Cork is a firm surface that livens up with a warm look. There’s nothing ‘designed,’ or predictable about this flooring which makes it a visual treat.
Concrete: Such a strong word for such a smooth surface that can be gently stamped with an eye catching texture. You know concrete. It’s strong. It stays cool in high climate. You just don’t know how good it looks yet.
When your kitchen boosts to first class, make sure to take your kitchen flooring mid-range with it.
A Sink That Doesn’t Hate You
Chances are there’s something you want to fault your sink for. Maybe the way it spits water at you is unkind. No matter the case, exchanging your faucet for another little way to bring your kitchen together with a variety of finishes.
Polished Brass: Slight gold, just that little bit regal.
Satin Brass: More understated but silken in appearance.
Oil-Rubbed Bronze: Traditional dark that wears its highlights in deep ochre.
Copper: Polished penny. Transforms wear and tear into character.
Satin Bronze: As smooth as it sounds.
Polished Nickel: Holds a deeper color than traditional chrome.
Brushed Nickel: Beautiful soft metallic look.
Chrome: Time tested. Fits anywhere anytime.
White: Statement piece. Porcelain yet not fragile.
A Kitchen That Looks Good With The Lights On
If unflattering lighting can make even you look bad, imagine what it does to your kitchen. Installing new lights for your mid-range kitchen can - like a coat of paint - bring out the best.
Pendant Lighting adds an extra bit of character to your kitchen. Hang a few to mesh with the style of your kitchen and give it another dimension of lightened care. There’s no need to be too subtle or too out there as the growing trend of big centerpieces has returned.
Rail Lighting uses a long steel rod, ceiling mounted, to put your lights all in a row. As opposed to hanging lights about the place, a rail gives your kitchen a line of direction - to highlight the places that need it most.
Recessed Lighting is incredibly popular due to its cost. In a way, no other method of lighting delivers the much sought after - full lit look of a bright kitchen. Wide with its reach, recessed lighting seems to push back the walls and give the kitchen a complete, full form.
The Mid-Range Kitchen Beauty Queen
Homeowners are always looking for the sweet-spot of every project, something that gets it done but also get it done right. In Los Angeles, any change you make to a home can feel so high-stakes, which is why you need a contractor who knows how to handle jobs of any size.
Novel Remodeling’s philosophy when it comes to kitchen design is never settling for less, always getting the most out of whatever budget is on the table. More than a free quote, we’ll give you the means to expect more out of your kitchen.
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