Picture it: you’ve poured the perfect cup of coffee (perhaps at your new coffee bar!), grabbed your phone or tablet, and headed to your cozy, built-in bench by the window to read your morning news. As the sunshine beams in, you’re not only kicking off your day with a burst of vitamin-D, but also a potential boost in home equity!
How, exactly?
As it turns out, built-in breakfast nooks are making a comeback, and new home buyers are willing to pay a bit extra for such an amenity. To learn more about built-in breakfast nooks, and how they could help increase your home value, keep reading!
What is a Built-In Breakfast Nook?
Breakfast nooks, or “eat in kitchens” are exactly what they sound like–a designated space for dining. Depending on a home’s design and structure, breakfast nooks can offer everything from additional seating to counter space. It’s no wonder why DIY-versions of cozy breakfast nooks are popping up on social media feeds around the world!
However, when it comes to home value, the term “built-in” becomes the key differentiator in whether or not the nook applies. To pay off in equity, a built-in breakfast nook, or “breakfast corner,” must be just that–built-in to the home. This can come in the form of built-in benches and seating, and even a built-in “corner” of your kitchen with its own entryway, shelving, or wet bar. All of these amenities increase a home’s resale value.
So, depending on the exact design and materials you choose, adding a built-in breakfast nook could boost your home value anywhere from 30% – 60% (the range for any kind of kitchen refresh or renovation).
Three Ways to Add a Value-Boosting Breakfast Nook to Your Home
1/ Maximize Your Square Footage
If you have a current nook in your home that doesn’t quite meet your needs in terms of space, there are ways you can maximize your minimal square footage without having to undergo any major renovations.
Get creative with shelving by utilizing all of your wall space for storage. Add a slim built-in bench or booth for seating. Perhaps invest in a chandelier or sconces that match your home’s aesthetic. All of these simple additions are bursting with value-boosting opportunities.
2/ Add Counter Space
Adding counter space to your dining area helps provide more space for food prep and hosting, and also helps boost your home’s resale value (depending on how much space you have, and the specific countertop materials you use, of course).
We suggest working with your preferred contractor to install countertops that line a wall or two in your dining area for maximum functionality and ROI. Just be sure to secure a permit, first!
3/ Fill an Open Floor Plan
Most modern homes are equipped with open floor plans, which means breakfast nooks can be a challenge to define. To help overcome that hurdle, homeowners can break up the space that can otherwise sometimes feel a bit cold.
Add built-in cabinetry with shelving as a space divider to make a dining area feel a bit more secluded. You can also add in built-in room dividers as a way to divide a space without having to build an actual wall. Another favorite option of ours is to line a wall with a bench or booth to make a more defined dining area.
Remember – before deciding to invest in a breakfast nook for home value’s sake, the most important thing is that it’s a project that will add functionality and value to you. Have you added a built-in breakfast nook to your living space? We’d love to see it! Share a photo with us by tagging #HouseHacksTips on social media.