The unfortunate truth is the materials in your home such as your kitchen cabinets, countertops, and fixtures are not made to last forever.And given how often they’re used, it’s only natural that they’ll eventually need to be replaced. In fact, the longer you live in your home, the greater the possibility that you’ll need to not just replace an item or two,but will want to consider renovating the entire space. So how do you know when it’s time to refurbish the most functional room of the house?What’s the average lifespan of cabinets and countertops? These tips will help you know when to update the various components of your kitchen—and why.

Cabinets and countertops

When it comes to heavy-use items such as kitchen cabinets and countertops, wear and tear is inevitable. A sure sign that it’s time to replace your countertops is when there is functional or visible damage. Do they have permanent stains or major cracks? Is the material of a lower quality or is the style outdated?If so, it’s time to upgrade. A similar standard applies to cabinets. Do they show signs of any damage? Is the finish worn or the design outdated? Are you lacking storage space/ function? Do they lack style or clash with your desired style?If so, look into replacement. For best results, replace the cabinets and countertops at the same time, as new cabinet screate a solid foundation for whatever countermaterial —quartz, stone, wood — you choose.

Backsplash

The backsplash is a great opportunity to tie together all existing design elements (or desired elements) and colors within the kitchen space.Whether your space lacks a backsplash entirely or your current set up is damaged, outdated or clashing in style- the backsplash is where many like to get creative. Bring in texture, color, shapes, shine, and style through tiles, stone, quartz, and other materials. Often when updating other fixtures or features within a kitchen,other major/minor features will need to be updated for them to match the overall updated style or new look you are trying to achieve. The new next to old makes the old look even more outdated. That’s wear an upgraded backsplash helps to tie it all together.

Lighting&Fixtures

Manufacturers provide fixtures that come in many different shapes, sizes, features, and finishes so that you can conveniently choose a style that is consistent with the rest of the kitchen. Wanting a welcoming fresh and well-lit open space? Proper lighting can really take the ambience and appearance to the next level. Consider under cabinet lighting, adding can lights, and upgrading the dusty chandelier to something cleaner and more modern. Choose to make a statement with your light fixture or add some simple pendant lighting over the island. Brushed nickel, oil rubbed bronze, polished silver, antique brass, matt black, and chrome are just some of the many finishes that can be used to match your fixtures to your cabinet hardware finishes within a space.

Flooring

You don’t often think of it, but your kitchen flooring undergoes a lot of trauma over the years as it is often the central gathering location of a home. From the inevitable outdoor elements, to food, spills, kids, pets, or just overall time your flooring has seen it all. If there are cracks, scratches, warping, or the floor just consists of outdated materials/finishes- upgrading your kitchen flooring to something more durable such as luxury vinyl or ceramic tiling would be something to consider. There are endless styles, colors, textures, and looks that come with durability in today’s technology provided by manufactures. With that being said, you don’t have to sacrifice function for style or visa versa.

Design scheme

While an old and outdated materials are hard to ignore, many homeowners overlook the style of their kitchen. How do you know if your kitchen’s overall look is outdated and worthy of an upgrade? Should you stick with a decades-old design, or is it smarter to update it with a fresh look? While there is some flexibility here, if your kitchen visually presents as tired or old-fashioned, it probably is. It also is likely to turnoff potential buyers should you ever want to sell. But in deciding whether to proceed with a kitchen renovation, maybe the best question is whether you like its current look. If you’re ready for a new kitchen, that’s a valid enough reason to upgrade.

You know that old saying — the kitchen is the heart of the home? If you want your residence to truly shine, this hub of family life is usually the perfect place to start. Whether you’ve moved into a new home with an outdated kitchen or you’ve lived in yours long enough to see it deteriorate from hard use, it’s probably time to renovate. So why wait?

Author bio: Sara Scimeca is Marketing Coordinator for Synergy Builders, a stress-free remodeling company. She has two years of experience in the industry and manages Synergy’s marketing plans including creation of content for newsletters, brochures, advertisements, videos and more.