Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid
If your home is like many people’s, tons of activities take place in your kitchen. It’s somewhere you eat and drink. It’s also space where many people socialize with family and guests. No matter what kind of kitchen design style you prefer, layout and organization are two things to consider. Whether building an all-new kitchen or adding some custom built-ins, there are a few design mistakes you should be aware of before you start.
Obstructing the Kitchen Triangle
The kitchen triangle is composed of the refrigerator, sink, and stove in your kitchen. It’s also where most of the kitchen activity occurs, so it needs to be designed to offer unobstructed access to each element. The sink is typically used the most and should be a priority, but easy access to your refrigerator and stove should not be ignored. It’s also an excellent idea to ensure sufficient access to all your countertop workstations. When adding custom built-ins, this is something to keep in mind.
Not Taking Advantage of Storage Space
Most kitchens are filled with tons of things. In addition, the items found in your custom cabinets can be of strange shapes and sizes. Having a space for all of your appliances to reside while making sure they stay accessible can be a challenge for anyone. Custom built-ins can help add storage space, as can extra shelving and large upper cabinets. By incorporating these things, you should have no problem finding space for all your appliances.
Having Too Little Counter Space
One of the most significant complaints you will hear about kitchen design is a lack of counter space. When so many of the things that are done in a kitchen incorporate a countertop, you want to have access to as much of it as possible. You also have to consider that appliances are often permanently located on some of the counters, so extra space is never a bad thing. If you’re looking for a way to add additional counters, custom built-ins like an island or breakfast bar can go a long way.
Adding in Inappropriate Lighting
Poor lighting isn’t something that can be used in a kitchen. It’s a bad design choice and it can make the atmosphere dreary and hard to work in. Since you’ll be using sharp knives and other tools in the space, having proper task lighting is essential. In addition, when you incorporate more light into the area, you can show off the design more easily.
Your kitchen should have each of the following types of lighting:
Accent Lighting
General Lighting
Task Lighting
Take a look around your kitchen and find the work areas. There should be lighting above each of these places. Pendant lights work well over sinks and breakfast bars, while under-cabinet lighting can help keep counters lit up while you handle typical kitchen tasks.
Avoiding the Addition of a Backsplash
Sometimes when you’re planning the design of a kitchen or going through a remodel to add custom built-ins, you might forget to consider the backsplash. While this can be an option to save money in the short-term, it can also create more work and take up more of your time later on if you don’t install a backsplash.
Just consider all the water, steam, and grease that is found in the kitchen, and it should immediately explain why having a backsplash over your counters and cook-tops is essential. It’s a great way to keep your kitchen clean without a lot of effort. It’s going to be much easier to remove grease from a tile, plastic, or metal backsplash than it will be to get it off of wallpaper or paint.
Not Factoring in Proper Ventilation
Even if you have the most beautiful kitchen design in the universe, it pales in comparison to stinky odors in the space when you are cooking. Have you ever stepped into someone else’s house and immediately noticed the smell of fish that was prepared the night before? This is precisely why you have to think about proper ventilation in the kitchen.
While an inexpensive hood for your range can remove some odors, it also tends to circulate stale and dirty air. A higher-quality ventilation system will help improve the quality of the indoor air in your kitchen and the rest of your home. This can create a cleaner kitchen which will extend the lifespan of all of your appliances. A top quality ventilation system may be an investment, but it also makes the kitchen a more pleasant place to be.
Selecting the Wrong Type of Kitchen Island
A kitchen island offers extra space for serving, preparation, and storage in your kitchen. However, a kitchen island can also waste a large amount of space if it’s in the wrong spot or you choose an inappropriate island. This is especially true if the island is found in a work area with a lot of clutter.
If the island obstructs traffic to the refrigerator, sink, stove, or primary workstations, it’s not doing the job that it should be. Also, keep in mind that in most cases, the island should be four feet long and two feet wide at a minimum. Experts in renovation recommend avoiding an island altogether if your kitchen isn’t larger than eight feet deep and 12 feet long.
Not Bringing in Kitchen Professionals
Many people choose to start a kitchen design project and implement custom built-ins to save money and streamline the space. However, doing something in the wrong way can actually result in spending more money, taking more time, and requiring more of your energy. When you work with experts and install custom furniture, you can more easily determine your needs and come up with a plan that provides that.
Need custom cabinets or custom built-ins for your kitchen to shine? The experts at Knotty Nuff Wood offer a wide selection of options that can transform your kitchen. We do work in areas like Orange County and Los Angeles County, as well as Newport Beach, Malibu, and Burbank. You can get a free consultation today.