How To Select The Ideal Kitchen Design For Your Rented Home Or Flat
How To Select The Ideal Kitchen Design For Your Rented Home Or Flat
Choosing the ideal kitchen for rental property might feel very different from making decisions in your own home, regardless of whether you are a landlord looking to replace the kitchen in an existing property or have purchased a house or flat as an investment and need to build a kitchen.
When choosing kitchen fixtures for a rental home, it’s important to keep in mind that while you should always choose solutions that will look excellent, there’s no need to go overboard with spending and fittings.
The majority of tenants prefer apartments with efficient kitchens that are well-equipped.
It’s important for landlords to keep in mind that they should choose kitchen equipment that will be strong and last during tenancies.
In light of this, let’s look at how to choose the ideal kitchen for your rental home.
What qualities to consider while choosing a kitchen for a rental property
The kitchen often serves as the centre of the house, and tenants are no exception. It’s likely that the kitchen will be one of the most frequently used rooms in your house, so durable cabinets, flooring, and accent pieces are important.
Instead of having kitchen cabinets made to order, use standard sizes so that you may easily replace the doors in the future and avoid having to spend money on a brand-new kitchen.
Choose soft closing hinges for drawers and cabinets to prevent the wood from being damaged or chipped. It’s also a good idea to spend money on minor details that will keep your kitchen protected from damage for as long as possible.
Even though kitchen trends come and go, you should always take the local demand into consideration when choosing a kitchen style for a rental property. Think long-term when choosing your kitchen cabinet types rather than being drawn into the newest kitchen trends. It’s always a good idea to stay on the side of safety.
Think about your target market
It makes sense to consider who is most likely to rent your property when choosing the kitchen for it.
Professionals who prefer a modern-looking kitchen are far more likely to rent an apartment in the city core. Consider handleless kitchen doors and high gloss coatings.
However, a rural home might work well with a more traditional style.
Think beyond aesthetics when evaluating who is likely to rent your house. You may find tenants more quickly and prevent vacancy loss by including some finishing touches that will appeal to a tenant without breaking the budget. Small improvements, like a wine fridge or stylish decorations, can elevate your home’s appeal above the competition.
However, keep in mind that you must maintain what you give, so stay away from expensive furnishings that might need to be replaced while tenants are still occupying the space.
Replacing the kitchen doors in a rental house
If your kitchen’s carcasses are in decent shape, it’s worth wondering if you can simply replace the doors.
You can change the appearance of the kitchen in your rental property at a fraction of the price of replacement thanks to the wide selection of kitchen doors we have here at My Beautiful Kitchen.
When your current kitchen is structurally solid but the style has fallen out of favour significantly or the current doors are not performing at their optimal levels, replacing the doors might be a great solution.
Electrical equipment
However, adding extras like integrated microwaves and drying machines—whether they’re a standalone tumble dryer or part of a washer dryer—is growing in popularity.
White goods prices can vary greatly, so it pays to browse around to find a decent offer. But durability is important, just like the rest of your kitchen. Even if you find a deal that is extremely affordable, if it does not hold up over time, it will probably cost you more in the long run and won’t keep your tenants as pleased as you would like. Decide on the best options after reading reviews.
As part of your duties as a landlord, keep in mind that any electrical appliances will need to be inspected on a regular basis.
Will a kitchen increase the value of my rental property?
Both yes and no are the answers to this.
An appealing kitchen will increase the probability that tenants will choose your home quickly, increasing your rental income and lowering vacancy times. Vacant periods cost more than just lost rental income, as you will typically be responsible for paying the property’s bills, such as the council tax and electricity.
However, if the rental price is out of line with the rental market, it’s unlikely that tenants will pay much more for a home with a luxury kitchen, so it’s always important to make sure that you stay within a realistic budget.
A high-quality kitchen, however, can increase your home’s worth by up to 10% if you plan to sell the asset.
What kind of material is ideal for a kitchen in a rental home?
The ideal kitchen materials, as was previously discussed, are durable. If maintained properly, a kitchen in a rental house should typically last 15 years.
It can be tempting to choose solid wood kitchen cabinets since they are durable and frequently have a timeless appearance, making them desirable even as trends shift. Although solid wood kitchen cabinets are more durable than their chipboard counterparts, upgrading to solid wood kitchen cabinets doesn’t have to be expensive. At My Beautiful Kitchen, we have a large selection of solid wood kitchen units that are excellent for rental homes.
But if your rental property is more contemporary in style, acrylic or gloss units can be a better choice because they have a more modern look.
Remember that storage space is one of many renters’ top priorities when choosing kitchen cabinets, so make sure to incorporate as much as you can into the layout of the kitchen. By integrating higher units and corner units where there would typically be wasted space, more kitchen cabinets can be installed.
Adding innovative kitchen devices that increase the amount of storage in the already-existing kitchen units is another way to be creative.
Which colour is best for a rental kitchen?
Think about your target market when choosing the colour of the kitchen in a rental home.
It’s always a good idea to keep neutral colours since while one tenant could love dramatic dark colours or brightly coloured kitchen cabinets, another may hate them. Additionally, a single tenancy often has a much shorter lifespan than your kitchen.
However, this need not always be the case. Keep in consideration the design of the other rooms in your house, especially if the kitchen is open concept. In an open-concept home that is being offered unfurnished, the tenants will prefer a kitchen colour that does not compete with their furniture.
However, choosing some traditional blues or greys may help the rural home you are renting blend in with the surroundings.
Although there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to colour, choosing a fairly neutral hue will probably make your rental home more appealing to a wider range of tenants.
Kitchen worktop ideas for tenanted properties
Your worktops must be sturdy, just like your kitchen cabinets.
Even while it would be ideal if every tenant maintained the kitchen well, this isn’t always the case. For this reason, it’s advisable to stay away from kitchen worktops that require regular cleaning or are susceptible to stains from water or food spills. As a result, natural wood is probably best avoided.
If you have the money, choosing a hard stone, like quartz, can give you a countertop that is durable and has an elegant look.
There is also a wide choice of high-quality laminate worktops that are perfect for rental properties.
Which type of flooring should I choose?
When choosing kitchen flooring for tenants, you want something that is both aesthetically beautiful and long-lasting. The last thing you want to deal with between tenants is the time-consuming and expensive process of replacing flooring.
Because it’s simple to maintain, generally durable, and nowadays can be manufactured to resemble real stone flooring or a hardwood board, vinyl might be a fantastic alternative for kitchens. However, as furniture is brought in and taken out, be mindful of the possibility of rips and tears. As a result, choosing vinyl tiles might be a great decision because they make easy replacement between tenancies possible.
Another great option is high-quality floor tiles, which resist water damage and often have a very long lifespan. Although they could take more time and money to install, they do provide a wonderful, long-lasting option for your kitchen floor.