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More families and couples no longer just prepare meals in kitchens, they also visit with each other there and often entertain there as well.
That's why before homeowners decide to have their kitchens renovated, they should seriously consider having professional kitchen designers take a look at their existing kitchens first.
And the nice thing about hiring such designers is that they often will draw up an initial kitchen design for free, says a Winnipeg kitchen renovation expert.
Art Pauls, owner of Gateway Kitchen & Bath Centre, says it's important for homeowners to have a total plan and design drawn up for their proposed new kitchen before any work is done because kitchen renovations can prove to be expensive.
"People may get a price on a kitchen of $10,000, get into the renovation, and then realize after the work's started that the total renovation may cost $20,000 or $25,000," Pauls says.
"You really should go to someone who does a complete renovation package so that they can deal with your plumbing, your electrical work, your flooring, your painting, your cabinetry and all of the work that's required."
Wayne Barnett, a spokesman for Winnipeg's Kitchens Plus, says there are a variety of good reasons why people should consider having their kitchens renovated.
For one practical reason, renovations to kitchens and bathrooms -- more than renovations to any other rooms in homes -- add resale value to homes.
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"And people have their kitchens renovated simply to update the home itself," Barnett says. "In our area here in St. James, for instance, the decor in many homes dates back into the early 1970s and 1960s.
And they do date a house. If you put a new kitchen in your home, it will change the whole look of your house."
Pauls also says kitchens do wear out. Often, kitchens from 15 to 25 years old need to be upgraded or restyled, especially to accommodate couples' and families' changing lifestyles.
But perhaps the most important reason still has to do with people's good old-fashioned appreciation of their homes.
"I think kitchens are for people to enjoy," Pauls says. "I think the primary reason is because people are spending time in their kitchens and they'd like to enjoy that time."
That said, Barnett says when it comes down to designing a new kitchen, two things must take priority -- style and function. It must be enjoyable to spend time in but also be designed for practicality.
For example, refrigerators, stoves and sinks should still be laid out in a working triangle, so that people can move from one to another easily.
As well, counter tops should ideally be located on both sides of stoves and sinks for food preparation, and people should be well aware of the size, type and number of appliances they want to put in their new kitchens before any work is begun.