Many people who decide to build a house find themselves balancing budget against size. They want a home that is large enough to not only meet their current needs, but also meet future space needs. On the other hand, the larger a house is, the more costly it is to build simply because it requires more materials and labor.
This leads most home builders to either giving up higher-end fixtures and additions or reducing the amount of space they have. But giving up space can mean you choose to move at a later date, because the home no longer meets your needs. Giving up your little luxuries and extras doesn’t seem fair, either, and you could end up spending more money later for remodeling.
There is a way to better balance these two needs. When you incorporate some of the newest space-saving solutions to keep the cost of your home under budget, it allows you to splurge a little here and there. Maximizing your usable space and making sure that you take advantage of every inch will create a house that can meet all of your needs without being overly large. Here are some ways to achieve this.
Hidden Range Hoods
One of the things that takes up a good amount of space on the kitchen wall is the range hood. This is especially true if you go for the six-burner range or other larger range. But what if you could move that hood? Some people like to put their range hood over their island.
One new kitchen trend is to build these hoods directly into the ceiling. It keeps a very low profile since it’s built-in, but it allows you to put cabinets or shelving in that space above your range. The built-in hood can still suck up any hot air and gas from the range (and from anywhere in the kitchen, really), plus you gain that wall space for another upper cabinet or another form of storage. It may not seem like a huge deal, but every inch of storage is important, especially in the kitchen.
Narrow Refrigerators
When it comes to the refrigerator, almost everyone agrees that the more space you have the better, right? While it’s true that refrigerators have been getting larger and larger, one interesting new space-saving idea is the narrow refrigerator. These appliances are about a third smaller than the average fridge. For those who don’t cook as much and often don’t fill up their refrigerator, this could be a great way of reclaiming some space for shelving or for a small kitchen cart.
Shallower refrigerators are another space-saving trend. They don’t stick out as much as standard size ones do, giving you more room to walk around. These shallow refrigerators may also fit better in other spaces, allowing you to transform that nook meant for the refrigerator into a pantry or other storage. For those building a home, using these narrower or shallower refrigerators gives you a lot more flexibility in designing your kitchen and maximizing its space.
The Induction Cooktop
Induction cooktops make use of magnets to heat up pans. If you use a pan that doesn’t have a magnet in it, it won’t get hot. This also means that you can touch the surface of the induction cooktop and not burn yourself. This means you can use these flat cooktops as counter space when you’re not cooking. If don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen for an island or other large workspace, an induction cooktop gives you extra flexibility.
Stackable Washers and Dryers
Stackable washers and dryers are no longer for small apartments or tiny houses. They’re becoming popular in homes of all sizes since they provide more space in the laundry room. Today’s stackables are more energy-efficient and have overcome some of the issues that once plagued stacked units. You’ll find that more and more stacked units are full-sized washers and dryers, too, so you’re not sacrificing on size.
They’re also very useful in homes that have a second-floor laundry. There’s often not much space to sacrifice to a laundry room on the second floor, so a stackable unit gives you extra room for a counter to fold laundry or for an ironing board. Another option is to place your stacked units directly in your master closet or in a hallway closet. This means you won’t have a dedicated laundry room, but instead your washer and dryer are tucked away out of sight.
These are just several of the newest trends in saving space in the home. You may find that a few of these solutions work perfectly for you and your home.
