Hardwood Floors and Cabinets Add Elegance and Value to Kitchens

Savvy home owners are looking at upgrading their home decor as a way to improve the value of their most prized possession - their home. The #1 home improvement is the kitchen with a whopping 94% return on your investment. Even if you are not planning to sell in the near future - upgrading your cabinets and flooring will add years of value to your personal enjoyment.

One of the best ways to bring the element of luxury into any kitchen is with hardwood floors and upgraded cabinets. For anyone looking to add style and value to their home, the timeless appeal and warmth of hardwood will pay dividends for years to come.

A natural place to start when planning a kitchen upgrade is deciding which hard wood type best reflects your home’s character, and what color will provide a timeless look. Below are a few relatively new and classic wood types popular among homeowners today:

Cherry: The wood is creamy white and the heartwood runs a rich red to reddish brown. Can be stained and polished.

Maple: The wood is creamy white with a reddish brown tinge and the heartwood varies from light to dark reddish brown. Can be stained and polished.

Northern/Southern Red Oak: The wood is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish, reddish brown. Can be stained and polished.

Lyptus: A new, environmentally responsible wood harvested from Eucalyptus trees. This hardwood features a grain similar to mahogany with color similar to cherry. It also can be stained and polished.

Cork: Harvested from the bark of the Cork tree, this environmentally friendly flooring is fast becoming very popular in the North Americans market place. A popular flooring choice in Europe - cork floors are available in sheet or tile, and they feel like you are walking on air.

No longer are monochromatic color schemes the norm for todays home decorators, wood finishes in a variety of colors are dominating the kitchens, with dark colors offset by light cabinets - or vise versa. Anything goes!

Hardwood floors come in a wide range of colors and with the introduction of cork tiles every pattern imaginable is available.

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