Upgrading your home can be a smart investment, especially in today's Portland  housing slump. The kitchen and bath are the most essential rooms in your home. You want these spaces to be comfortable and welcoming while reflecting your lifestyle and personality. And these rooms typically deliver the best return on a remodeling investment.

Here are some questions to keep in mind when remodeling your kitchen or bath:

Do the latest gadgets for the kitchen have functional superiority? Kitchen faucets that are easy to use, conserve water and prevent the spread of bacteria are more than just a pretty upgrade. 

Are you tracking current trends in kitchen and bath styles? Visit showrooms, go online or peruse kitchen and bath publications for the latest forecast.

Is your bath as "green" as it can be? Look for lavatory faucets that are WaterSense certified by the EPA to be water-efficient. Brizo's RSVP lavatory faucets flow at 1.5 gallons per minute and conserve 30 percent of water.

Are you giving up an experience by going the earth-friendly route? Shop for a shower head that saves water but doesn't compromise the shower experience. Body sprays in the Brizo custom shower line feature H2O Kinetic Technology and flow at 1.6 gallons per minute while delivering the experience of 2.5 gallons per minute.

Are there opportunities to carry a faucet style though the kitchen or bath with coordinated accessories, such as bar-prep sinks, towel rings or bars, tissue holders and robe hooks? Accessories don't have to match identically, just be of a coordinating style.

Does the style of the faucet or shower suit the style of your home? Don't buy a traditional style if your home is contemporary. When in doubt, a transitional style is best. You can find inspiration in many styles at www.brizo.com.

Are you getting the best advice? Designers can help you save time and money in the remodeling process. Local design schools can be a great resource as well.

Is your style reflective of trends in fashion and art? Often, home design trends imitate them, as well as nature, technology, decorative objects, cityscapes, upholstery and instruments. For example, Brizo's RSVP design inspiration is a graceful woman in a floor-length evening gown.

Are you taking advantage of the current gender trend? Recently, men have become more knowledgeable about home design and want to personalize their own spaces. Product designers incorporate a more formal and traditional tailored feel, coupled with symmetric forms, to appeal to a man who truly wants a space to call his own.

Are you getting the benefit of state-of-the-art appliances? Brizo's Belo Pull-Down kitchen faucet features the exclusive new DIAMOND Seal Technology, which prevents water from touching lead, brass, copper and other contaminants, keeping it as pure as when it entered the faucet. It also eliminates leaks and is easy to install.

Courtesy of ARAcontent