Do you know which kitchen design mistakes to avoid in your home? If not, you need to step back and take another look at the kitchen space you have available. The kitchen is not only the heart of a home, but it is also one of the most practical spaces in your home. A poorly designed, improperly laid out kitchen area can impact how you feel about preparing your meals, spending time with family, and more. To help you, we have listed some of the most important things for you to avoid when building new or remodeling.

Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid Cluttering

In small kitchens, this may be the hardest challenge you will face. We all tend to want massive amounts of countertops and storage areas. Often, we get it by cramming more in space than we should. If you have a galley style kitchen, do you really have room for an island in the middle of it? No. You have to find other ways to maximize the space that is available to ensure that you do not bend over to get something out of the oven and bump into the counter behind you.

To maximize space without cluttering, you may add open shelves on the counter or wall areas that you do not make use of often or put a small cabinet where there isn’t one against the wall already. 

Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid
kitchen-design-mistakes-to-avoid

Consider Your Triangle

Let’s imagine that you have a huge wrap-around style kitchen that is filled with cabinetry on three sides and open on the fourth. This may be ideal for an island addition or a dining room table, but you also have to consider where the three main appliances in your kitchen are located. The triangle. Can you imagine having to walk from one side to the other around an obstacle to get between your stove and your sink, or the stove and your refrigerator? It can make meal preparation more complicated than it needs to be. 

In a perfect kitchen layout, you will have only 4-9 feet of space between each of these appliances with nothing in between them. This way, when you are preparing your meal, you can take a few steps to the refrigerator or sink and easily return to preparing. 

Beauty Over Functionality

When remodeling a kitchen or building a home, we often put a lot of thought into how it looks. You should avoid trendy designs that will make your kitchen look outdated in only a couple of years unless you enjoy changing it up often. You should also resist the urge to go for beauty rather than functionality. The decorative drawer handles that look great in the store, may not function well in your kitchen when your hands are wet or you are trying to prepare dinner. 

Inside your cabinetry is also important. Just because a cabinet looks great on the outside, it does not always mean you have everything you need inside. Would you rather have a drawer that is one big space or several compartments for keeping things organized? The same goes for cabinets and whether they should have one shelf or several for you to keep it clean inside. 

One thing that you should never skip out on is the backsplash. This can be both beautiful and functional. It adds style to your kitchen space while also protecting the walls above your stove from excess moisture and stains.

Wasted Space

As much as overcrowding is a problem, it is also an issue to allow your kitchen to have wasted space, especially if your kitchen is small in size. You can add cabinets to the ceiling if you need extra storage. You can add cabinets in areas that are empty. If you have a bar that you do not use, what can you do to turn that space into something useful? Open shelves can be added virtually anywhere. 

For this, every kitchen is different. There is no “set in stone” way to maximize your space. You simply have to step back and look at what areas you have available. 

Poor Lighting Choices

Have you ever tried to prepare a meal in the dark or been blinded by an overabundance of light while trying to eat your breakfast? Neither one of these things is ideal. You need to consider your lighting and the mood for specific areas in your kitchen. Above the area where you prepare your meals, you will want to have ample lighting. The same is true above your sink. In your breakfast nook or over your dining room table, more calming lights can be used. 

Create the Perfect Kitchen

Consider these kitchen design mistakes to avoid to create a perfect kitchen for your home. Every home has a kitchen that serves different purposes. The style that may work well for one family may not work as great for yours. Although it is important for you to consider the kitchen mistakes to avoid, it is also important that you create a space that works well for you. When everything comes together, you will be happy to have your kitchen be the heart of your home.

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