Attractively designed kitchens should stand the test of time; following interior design trends shouldn’t be taken as an indicator for the space’s function or durability. Doing otherwise can create long-term headaches.
There are a few kitchen layout mistakes you should try to avoid when planning your dream kitchen.
Not Taking Advantage of All the Available Space
When designing a new kitchen, it is crucial to take all factors into consideration that could influence its final result. While small details might seem unimportant at first, overlooking them could result in serious repercussions later. Avoiding kitchen layout mistakes is another key element of success.
An effective kitchen depends on having an ideal layout. This means ensuring there is enough space to cook, clean and store items without feeling cramped or congested. Also essential: leaving enough walking room in order to prevent congestion or overcrowding in your workspace.
One of the key kitchen layout mistakes is failing to allocate enough storage space, which can quickly lead to an disorganized and difficult-to-navigate kitchen. Luckily, there are various storage solutions that can help alleviate this problem; open shelving or tiered pantries give more storage room for belongings.
An unfortunate kitchen layout error involves failing to allow enough room for electrical appliances. It’s essential that there be sufficient space between each appliance so they can be easily connected without risking overloading your circuit or becoming overloaded with connections. This also applies to sink and oven areas where cooking utensils should have sufficient room to be stored away safely.
One common kitchen layout mistake is failing to utilize color correctly. There are various ways that color can be added into your kitchen space, including choosing paint that complements its environment or adding splashes of hue through accent pieces – but it’s essential that you select colors carefully as this can have an enormous impact on how your space appears overall.
Failing to Create a Focal Point
Focal points play an integral part in creating the design of any kitchen. Focal points serve to draw attention and add an eye-catching splash of color or style; these may be found anywhere from your island, backsplash, cabinets, sink, window etc. A well-designed kitchen will incorporate multiple focal points while still fitting seamlessly within its space.
Multiple focal points may work, but it’s essential that one be established early on in the planning stage. This gives your designer direction while freeing you to select eye-catching materials, finishes and fixtures that complement your chosen area – otherwise you risk creating too many elements competing for attention and making the room appear disorganized.
Lighting is another key element that’s often neglected during kitchen design, yet often neglected when planning properly. One common error involves prioritizing aesthetics over functionality by choosing too bright recessed lighting or installing pendants or sconces on one circuit – leading to harsh and oversaturated illumination that makes an open plan kitchen appear harsh and overstimulated.
Failing to consider your storage needs properly can have dire repercussions; too much focus placed on open shelving or glass cabinets can create an overwhelming kitchen that’s difficult to use. By taking time to consider all your unique storage requirements and design cabinetry accordingly, ensuring all essentials can be easily stored while making life simpler in future years – it will eliminate some of the most frequent kitchen layout errors!
Not Considering Your Unique Storage Needs
Assuming you don’t consider how you plan to use your kitchen when planning, if could lead to an ineffective space that fails to meet all your expectations. This mistake is often made when dealing with limited or open-plan spaces where multiple uses and storage needs must be considered simultaneously.
Homeowners frequently overlook incorporating a bin for recycling, food waste and general debris in their design plans, leading to buildups of debris quickly that fill entire rooms with their foul smell. Furthermore, sufficient cabinets and shelving should be available for storing bulky or awkward-shaped items like stock pots, antique serving dishes or fine glassware.
One of the more frequent kitchen layout errors is not providing enough electrical sockets for all of your appliances. Without enough outlets, you may end up sharing sockets with appliances like kettles or toasters, leading to increased frustration.
Finally, it’s vital that your kitchen has ample storage for crockery and tableware that could otherwise occupy too much floor space. Installing extra shelves or cabinets in your kitchen may be the ideal solution to house these extra items while clearing your countertops of clutter.
Avoiding these common kitchen layout mistakes will help create an efficient and beautiful kitchen space that makes cooking and entertaining a pleasure rather than a chore. Before planning your renovation project, keep these common mistakes in mind and you are guaranteed a successful result!
Ordering Wrong Size Appliances and Cabinets
Homeowners and kitchen designers often misjudge this step of the process, ordering incorrectly-sized refrigerators, ovens or cabinet doors can create an atmosphere that makes your kitchen seem smaller than it really is – impacting how you function daily! Therefore it’s vitally important that an inventory be taken of both appliances currently owned as well as those you may wish to add later so your storage needs can be accommodated for. In addition, it would also be wise to list your cooking equipment, pots and pans, cutlery and any miscellaneous items so everything has a designated home and saves you from searching time spent hunting!
One of the more frequent kitchen design errors is not having enough electrical outlets strategically placed throughout your space. This can cause an overload and increase energy costs significantly; so be sure to plan ahead by consulting your electrician when designing a new kitchen.
Not considering how to navigate around your space can be costly when designing a kitchen layout. All major elements should be easily accessible – for instance leaving at least four feet between sink and hob and placing the fridge equidistant from both. This allows you to cook efficiently while not having to waste precious movement space when moving items like pots, pans or appliances around. Also take into consideration where trash bins or recycling bins will go, especially without sufficient storage – otherwise this could mean placing them underneath counters or blocking windows with cupboards; both actions reduce natural light!
Not Having Enough Circulation Space
Kitchen design or remodeling projects shouldn’t be taken lightly. Many details must come together seamlessly, with even minor errors having an effectful ripple-through on the space as a whole.
As tempting as it can be to get caught up in choosing the perfect kitchen splashback ideas and colors for paint jobs, there is more than meets the eye when planning a new kitchen space. Layout, plug socket placement and accessibility of refrigerator are all vital aspects that may easily get overlooked when planning for food preparation purposes.
One of the key mistakes kitchen renovators make when redesigning their space is failing to leave adequate circulation space, leading to cramped spaces which limit how many people can utilize them at one time and making opening appliances like the fridge and dishwasher more challenging due to limited room around them.
Jenefer Gordon of Eat Bathe Live’s interior design firm suggests creating at least four feet between each countertop in your kitchen, to help prevent circulation issues as well as accidental bumps into appliances or items in the way. Doing this can also help avoid accidental injuries to both yourself and other family members who could use assistance while cooking in their space.
Make sure your kitchen features custom nooks or cabinets designed to house large appliances without taking up counter space, thus eliminating their visual presence in the room while making them easier for you to access when necessary. This will avoid them becoming an eyesore and allow easy access.