The Upgrade That Love It Or List It Says May Not Work For Every Home
Those who have purchased an older home typically have one thing stuck on their mind: renovation. They'll walk through their residence taking note of every detail that needs an upgrade in order to calculate a budget for their overall project. Home updates typically include new countertops, flooring, paint colors, and lighting, however, some new owners find themselves focusing on major wish list ideas such as additional windows, drastic floor plan changes, or new custom cabinetry. What if we told you there's a highly desired home upgrade that some properties would be much better off without?
Real estate agent David Visentin and interior designer Hilary Farr, co-hosts of "Love It or List It", believe there's once such feature that many homeowners may think they need but could actually end up being a big mistake. Based on their combined expertise in helping homeowners renovate their homes and decide whether to stay or sell (via IMDB), we believe in their ability to help you avoid a renovation disaster.
Not everything is as practical as it seems
Although an exterior door that leads from the kitchen to your yard may seem like a good idea, Hilary Farr and David Visentin are against it, per Realtor.com. In one episode of their show, Farr calls the idea dreadful because it could end up ruining the entire flow of the kitchen. "[Installing a door] interrupts the cabinetry, it interrupts the counter," Farr notes. "Plus, it's expensive. You've got a masonry exterior." For this particular house, the exterior wall outside of the kitchen is made of brick, which could cost the homeowners a pretty penny to break through. Per Angi, exterior door installation averages $1,1160 but can run as high as more than $1,800 before you're finished.
Instead, Farr uses her interior design expertise to focus on creating an open floor plan in the kitchen that features a large island with plenty of seating and storage (via Discovery Plus). She accomplishes this by removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room, as well as a wall blocking the hallway. Next, she rearranges the cabinetry and fridge, which ultimately creates a perfect flow between the two spaces.