The 8 Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes

Here are 8 kitchen mistakes to avoid….

Kitchen Mistake #1: Doing things in a rush

Poor planning and rushing through the initial design process are the main reasons behind most disaster laden kitchen renovating projects.

Kitchen Mistake #2: Using inferior hardware & fittings

Good-quality hardware and accessories, such as drawer dividers, soft-close runners, pull-out corner units, and most importantly (and often overlooked) the  door hinges, often get overlooked (or cheap alternatives are settled for) in kitchen designs because of budget constraints.

But this is a false economy in the long term as elements like these will make a huge difference to your kitchen, boosting its potential for storage, and making the kitchen space more pleasant to use.

Kitchen Mistake #3: Forgetting practical considerations

The majority of people get so caught up in the look and design of the kitchen they forget about the practical features, which can result in a kitchen that’s less functional than it should be.

Kitchen Mistake #4: Tiling Choices

Tiling is an important aspect of the kitchen. Common mistakes people make when tiling their kitchen come from a lack of preparation before the tiles are laid.

A good example is not ordering the right amount of tiles. This is a costly mistake in terms of time and budget. A greater problem that could potentially happen is that the 2nd order of the tile could come from a different ‘batch’ which will potentially result in the tiles not matching 100%. It’s a rule of thumb that you order 10 per cent more square metres than the area to be tiled.

Kitchen Mistake #5: Choosing the wrong type of tiles

Another common mistake is laying the wrong style of tile for the space. Choosing a tile with a slippery surface or using floor tiles on a wall look fine when they are being laid, but you’ll soon notice problems when you’re living in and using the space.

Kitchen Mistake #6: Furniture style clashing

People tend to forget about their existing furniture and other finishes they have in a room when selecting the kitchen finishes. For example the floor tiles can be a beautiful way to finish a floor, but not if they clash with other elements in a room.

Kitchen Mistake #7: Misplaced lighting

Installing lights above the kitchen walkways and not over the countertops (where they’re actually needed) – is one of the most common mistakes people make during a kitchen renovation.

The result is you end up with shadows over your prep areas and sink, making it a harder space to work within both at night and during the day.

Kitchen Mistake #8: Choosing hard, cold, clinical light

When a kitchen has a cold, uninviting and commercial feel to it, it often is due to the poor lighting choices.

The kitchen is the heart of your home, so it’s important to choose a warm light that will create a welcoming feel.