A good kitchen design can can greatly increase the value of your home. Let’s be real, your selling your kitchen, not your house and having a kitchen design that appeals to the majority of buyers is key. Below is a list of dos and don’ts when selecting finishes or designing your kitchen layout.

Do: Create symmetry. It is one of the things you wouldn’t necessarily think about when you see a kitchen, but it just looks or feels nicer than a kitchen that does not have symmetry. Our brains are programmed to easily recognize symmetry and it feels familiar.
Don’t: Use dark, wood cabinetry. It can make your kitchen feel closed-in and smaller. A full wood kitchen can feel dated and lack contrast. While white might not seem exciting, it goes with almost all design styles and is the most popular. Added tip: If you personally love wood cabinetry, consider doing the island or the island and lower cabinetry in a wood tone with the rest of the cabinetry in white.
Do: Spring for a walk-in pantry. Walk-in pantries are high on a buyer’s list of wants. Kitchens can quickly become cluttered and everyone knows a walk-in pantry creates space for you to store those extra essentials and keep your kitchen looking like one from a magazine.
Don’t: Get wild with your backsplash. Similar to your kitchen cabinetry, your backsplash should be somewhat neutral. Keep it universally appealing and express your style with texture vs color so others can envision the space with their items. Light and airy kitchens sell homes.
Do: When it comes to kitchen islands, go big or go home. Buyers are not interested in small islands or breakfast bars. They want a large island for entertaining and cooking prep. Skip the island stovetop but apron sinks are popular among buyers young and old.