4 Kitchen Upgrades That Don’t Actually Add Value to Your Home

When renovating a kitchen, owners tend to ask themselves a lot of questions. They wonder which countertop to choose, what paint to put on the cabinetry, and whether or not to install an island or hardwood floors. And while many of the decisions will come down to personal styles and budgets, owners tend to listen to other outside opinions from the likes of real estate agents and their clients.

“Fortunes have been made by scaring homeowners into feeling insecure about their homes, so many people feel compelled to erase themselves from their renovations lest they face others’ judgement when it’s time to sell,” says architect Nicholas Potts, founding principal of a namesake studio in Washington, D.C.

Whether we all have internalized the before-and-afters of makeover shows, or we simply want to ensure that our investments pay off in the long run, it’s common to think of renovations as a way to appeal to the ghosts of future sales. But, what if the choices you make to maximize profits don’t pay off like you expected them to? Potts and Cindy Chen, a licensed real estate salesperson at Compass in New York City, have worked with homeowners to strike a balance between what works now and what will pay off later, and they’re sharing the kitchen upgrades that don’t actually add value like you think they do.

How to Define Your Kitchen’s Value

Renovating your kitchen and trying to balance your tastes with those of future buyers can be, well, tough. What works for you may not be on the wishlist of a future buyer, but overall, there are steps you can take to find as close an equilibrium as possible.

“A well-designed kitchen is one that stands on its own, is a pleasure to use, and has everything where it needs to be,” Potts says. “That has much more value over time to the owners, and that’s what matters. Design is not a transaction, and even if it were, putting up with mediocrity for years to get a couple thousand extra dollars down the line is no bargain.”

Nevertheless, if you plan on selling your home in the next three to five years, then it might be worthwhile to at least consider a broader buyer in your plans—even if that prospective person shouldn’t take precedence over your present needs. That’s what Chen would do.

“Set a budget, and don’t overspend beyond what similar homes in your area justify,” she says. “And before gutting anything, talk to a local real estate agent to see what buyers value more, and what renovations or upgrades will have more returns on investment down the road.”

Kitchen Upgrades That Don’t Actually Add Value

A kitchen is the most expensive room in a home, and likely the place where you’ll spend the most time. When undergoing a renovation, your moodboard may reflect plans to better use this square footage—and it should! But don’t forget that these dreams may not be realistic for your present budget and potential future sale. Here’s what Potts and Chen wouldn’t invest in to make the most of your kitchen renovation now and later.

Specific Customizations

Let’s say you’re a baker who wants to devote cabinetry to racks of cookies and cakes, or you dream of making home-cooked pasta using specific gadgets. The pros want your needs to be reflected in your renovation, but if future value is also a concern, then be careful about how much your hobbies are showcased in the layout.

“Specialization always comes at the cost of flexibility,” Potts says. “There is infinitely more value in designing for multiple uses rather than a single defined task.”

Potts has had clients who ask for speciality drawers or appliance-specific cabinets, and installing them tends to limit long-term appeal. “My team and I find that it’s more valuable to put the space or cost that might go into these myopic ‘hacks’ to use in more flexible cabinetry and more—and better quality—work surfaces,” he says.

Luxury Appliances

Don’t worry, everyone gets excited by the thought of using smart appliances when shopping for new options at a box store. Who wouldn’t want their refrigerator to tell them they’re out of milk? But Chen advises against this splurge if you’re thinking about a renovation that actually adds value.

“Spending more than $15,000 on professional-grade appliances rarely pays off unless the rest of the home and neighborhood support that level,” Chen says. “Also, it’s more expensive to maintain those appliances, so that may not always be attractive to buyers,” Instead, she’d stick with stainless steel. “Most people like stainless steel appliances from reliable brands, and they are well suited with most designs,” she says.

Trendy Backsplashes

Most renovators know that cabinetry should be kept classic—heck, you might not even like an abundance of open shelving in a few years—so a backsplash is often thought of as the spot to experiment with personal taste. But don’t go too far into trends, Potts suggests. Not only will it date the room if you plan on staying put, but it’ll likely turn off future buyers, too.

“Replacing surfaces can be a great investment, even if you’re not replacing the cabinets,” he says. “Having the same material on the countertop folding up into a full-height backsplash is always going to look more unified and elegant than using dissimilar materials, often with a negligible uptick in the amount of material from doing just the countertop.” Keep it natural and mostly neutral, and you’ll create a timeless backdrop.

Island-Focused Layouts

When you think of a modern kitchen, an island will likely come to mind. But just because they’re popular doesn’t mean they’ll add value to all kitchen renovations. “Everybody wants an island, but trying to fit something where it doesn’t belong is a recipe for an unusable surface or a traffic jam,” Potts says. “Fighting against basic geometry is a battle you will always lose.”

Focusing on your upgraded kitchen’s layout is a foundational detail that Potts and Chen would both prioritize, and sometimes, that shouldn’t include an island. “Reconfiguring for better flow or adding storage often provides more value,” Chen says. You might forego an island for a peninsula, or swap that extra surface space for storage.

“If changing cabinetry is on the table, there is nothing more valuable than a full-height pantry cabinet—these multiply the storage of a standard lower-upper cabinet configuration and are a great way to ‘bank’ storage space for less density elsewhere,” Potts says. There’s no way a future buyer wouldn’t appreciate this addition, too.