Choosing Homes to Rent With the Best Kitchens
As the U.S. housing market continues to decline, more and more people are turning to apartments or rental homes for their housing needs. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that as much as 40 percent of the country is essentially renting living space.
But while this doesn’t allow the same kind of freedom as owning a house might, there’s no reason why a rental property can’t become a home.
And of course, one of the integral spaces in any home is the kitchen. If you’re looking to rent, but still want to be able to craft your famous home-made recipes with the ease to which you are accustomed, you’ve got to be prepared to find homes or apartments with the right amenities.
Here’s a look at some aspects of the best kitchens in homes for rent across the country.
Quality Appliances
The most expensive parts of furnishing and maintaining a kitchen are the appliances. The age and condition of the appliances in the home you rent will tell you a lot about whether you’re likely to run into problems and how soon they’ll need to be replaced.
Even if you have a landlord who bears the burden of maintaining appliances, you’ll still be left waiting on repairs. So make sure you open the refrigerator and ask questions about the age of the dishwasher before signing a lease.
Also check to see if the kitchen contains perks like a pull-out cutting board or a food disposal.
The Kitchen Cabinets
The value of kitchen cabinets lies both in aesthetics and functionality. You don’t want a home with cabinets that look like lacquered up crates—they’ll barely last you 10 years.
Instead, the best kitchen cabinets are made like other solid furniture—all pieces visible from the front, drawers cut from a single piece of wood, and screws driven from the inside out. When it comes to shelving, shelves should be adjustable and supported by metal brackets, not cheap plastic ones that will break as soon as they’ve been adjusted.
The Sink
Your sink is an integral part of your kitchen. The sink is used both to help prepare meals as well as clean up after them, so you want to look for a sink that’s built to last.
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, a quality kitchen sink has about 15 years of life before it will start to wear out. Multi-bowl sinks are the best option because they allow you to wash the dishes in one bowl while you wash produce in the other.
When it comes to faucets, single-handled models and pull-out spouts are the most practical. The spout, which should swivel at least 180 degrees, will help you get your dishes as well as your produce clean.
The Floors
If you’re looking at a rental home that’s been built or occupied in recent years, there’s a good chance the kitchen floors will be hardwood. Hardwood is popular in the kitchen mainly for its visual appeal, but it’s hard to beat good old-fashioned tile in a working kitchen.
Tile bears kitchen accidents, food, water, and grease much better than does hardwood. It’s also much easier to clean—scuff marks lift right off of tile, but scratches in wood are not so simple to fix. If you’re bringing young children with you, that may be another reason to opt for a tiled kitchen.
Color Scheme
Functionality is great, but a kitchen should feel homey, too. One of the easiest ways to determine whether a rental kitchen is going to be a pleasant space for you to work in is by examining the color scheme.
If your kitchen is small, low contrast color schemes like white or olive can go a long way in making your space feel larger than it is. These colors make the walls recede and leave the eye looking for something to rest on. When it can’t find it, it concludes the space is expansive.
Glass cabinets, slender furnishings, and access to light are also important in making the most out of your kitchen space.
Renting a Home
Of course, you’ll have to be flexible when it comes to selecting the right rental home. Not every kitchen will be 100 percent up to par, so make sure to talk to your landlord about the possibility of future improvements.
If you’re still in the market for a rental property, you can find thousands of houses for rent at RentalAds.com.