There’s a lot of thought that goes into a kitchen renovation project. Read this article to discover the most common kitchen remodelling mistakes and how to avoid them.
Renovating a kitchen is no small feat. It requires a lot of time and money. It also requires a lot of thought.
Countless elements go into a good kitchen. Cabinets, countertops, flooring, appliances, and more need to be taken into consideration as you plan your design.
Whether you’re only making a few simple changes, or you’re completely gutting your kitchen and starting over, there’s a lot to think about.
The average kitchen remodel will cost you thousands of dollars, so make sure you do it right. Keep reading for ten common kitchen renovation mistakes you’ll want to avoid.
1. Sufficient Counter Space
While designing your kitchen you may be caught up in fitting all your appliances in or making enough room to host all your friends. In the jumble of focusing on everything else, don’t forget to consider counter space.
Countertops provide your work area, your food service area, and more. You don’t want to be caught without the space you need and want. Make sure you keep your countertops in mind while planning or you may regret it later.
Consider what you’ll most likely use your counter space for. Will you be rolling out lots of pie crusts? Do you like to spread food out for others to grab instead of putting it out on the table?
Keep your needs in mind to ensure you end up with what you want.
2. Make the Essentials Accessible
What do you use the most in your kitchen? Chances are, your refrigerator, sink, and stove are on the list. Make sure these things are easy to access, or you’ll definitely wish you’d gone with a different design.
You should have easy access to any of these while working at one of the others. Consider the direction cabinet doors will swing out and the placement of islands and bars. Don’t obstruct the path you’ll often be taking.
3. Don’t Skip Helpful Storage Add-Ons
You may not think that drawer dividers, extra shelves, and lazy susans are that big of a deal, but you will later when you don’t have them. Installing simple features such as these can really make a difference in the level of convenience your kitchen provides.
If you think you’ll want to add any features like this now, don’t wait. Add them while you’re renovating to save yourself some money in the future.
4. Keep Storage Practical and Unique
Do you love open shelving? If you do, make sure it doesn’t make too much of an appearance in your design. While it’s okay to have some items openly displayed, you really don’t need to show everything.
Choose a space that will accommodate the items you’d most like to show off. Then, limit yourself to only display a few items.
Having every dish and pantry item visible will make your kitchen look cluttered. But displaying some items will show off your tastes and items that are most important to you.
5. Make Sure Everything Opens the Right Way
By the right way, we mean think about the direction all your drawers and doors will open. Cabinet doors shouldn’t be hitting each other, and drawers shouldn’t be running into islands.
Before implementing your design, make sure everything will fit and the way they open makes sense. You should be able to have multiple cupboard doors open at a time.
Make sure you consider your appliances, too. Your oven shouldn’t open into a walkway, and your refrigerator should open up into the kitchen, not away from it.
Keeping door and drawer directions in mind will keep your kitchen much more functional.
6. Include Enough Storage Space
Let’s face it, a lot of stuff gets stored in the kitchen. And some of that stuff is awkward and bulky.
Large pots, griddles, popcorn makers, bread pans, hand mixers, and other items that aren’t used all the time need somewhere to go. And you don’t want them packed away in your garage or in some other far-off location.
Keep everything you need in your kitchen by making sure you have enough storage. And while you’re at it, make sure your storage makes sense. Don’t make all your shelves small if you know you have larger items that need to be stored.
7. Choose Practical Island Placement
Kitchen islands are great for serving and preparing food, but they can get in the way. If you want to add an island to your kitchen design, make sure you think it through.
Do you really have enough space for an island? If so, where is the best location for it?
Make sure you have enough room to move around and that the island adds functionality to your kitchen instead of hampering it.
If you’re adding a sink or stove to your island, make sure the placement of each thing makes sense.
8. Make Sure You Have Access to Power
You’ll heavily rely on electricity in your kitchen, so don’t skimp on the electrical outlets! Don’t just make sure you have them in the right places for your appliances. You’ll need them for other things, too.
What electrical items do you tend to have out on your counter? A Kitchen Aid or other stand mixer may be there. How about a toaster or electric can opener?
Most likely you have several things you’ll need an outlet for, so don’t only give yourself a few options. Make sure plenty of outlets make it into your design so you’re not constantly unplugging things to make room for something else.
Make sure your outlet placement makes sense, too. Place them where you’ll use them, in workspaces, not in cramped areas or near sinks.
9. Protect Your Space
As you’re working on your kitchen, don’t forget to protect anything that could potentially be damaged.
If you aren’t updating the floor, make sure it’s covered to prevent dents, markups, and paint drips. If you have an adjoining room, make sure the flooring, furniture, etc., are covered and protected from your kitchen construction.
Also be wary of any light fixtures or other kitchen accessories that could be damaged while you’re working.
10. Seek Professional Advice
Even if you’ll be renovating your kitchen on your own, it’s a good idea to talk to a professional.
While you love your design, you may have missed or forgotten something. Reaching out for professional advice will ensure you don’t miss anything really important.
Seeking professional help doesn’t have to break the bank. Some places off free consultations.
If you’re looking for help throughout the entire process, check out Holland Homes kitchen renovations.
The Perfect Kitchen Renovation
Chances are your kitchen renovation won’t got completely perfectly. There may be some bumps in the road, but you can certainly avoid a lot of problems by following these tips.
Don’t forget to take your own specific needs into consideration as you work. Keep functionality in mind as well as design, and you’ll be much happier with the end result.
Are you still deciding which materials to use in your new kitchen? Check out our article on incorporating natural materials into your design.