The kitchen is one of the most important areas in the house. It’s also one of the most used. You use your kitchen every day, not just for cooking and eating, but for socializing as well. Therefore, it’s common for most homeowners to commit to at least one kitchen remodeling project. Considering that the kitchen is one of the most crucially functional rooms in the house, you cannot afford to make mistakes. So, here are several common kitchen remodeling mistakes to be aware of and avoid when you redo your kitchen:
Not Leaving Enough Space for the “Kitchen Triangle”
In case you don’t what the “kitchen triangle” is, it’s the area that collectively encompasses the sink, refrigerator, and the stove. This kitchen triangle experiences the most traffic in a house. Therefore, this area should be very carefully designed. Make sure you are leaving plenty of space for people to move between the three points. Some remodelers sacrifice triangle space for something else, like storage or the kitchen island. Avoid doing that. The kitchen triangle should not be obstructed by anything. There should be enough space, especially around the sink where you would end up doing a lot of washing work. There should also be a lot of space around the stove, mostly due to safety reasons. The fridge door should be able to open easily without hitting anything. Typically, a kitchen triangle layout between 10 and 25 feet, regardless of the layout shape of the kitchen, is sufficient.
Not Thinking about Integrating New Appliances
When you design the kitchen, you will have to pay close attention to how large appliances can be integrated into the overall design. While you would leave space for essentials like the fridge and dishwasher, it’s important to think about others as well. Could you end up buying a new large appliance in the future? If so, there should be some space left to install it properly. Also, what if you upgrade the dishwasher? You might not always be happy with the dishwasher you have right now. There are desirably new dishwashers that are available in the market that come in various colors, and of course sizes as well. It’s important to think about large appliances in advance when remodeling your kitchen to leave enough space.
Not Utilizing Proper Storage Space
You will be storing a lot of items in the kitchen, so it requires a lot of storage space. So think beyond the regular cabinet storage space. The kitchen should be designed to be as space efficient as possible. Always look over your design layout to make sure you are not leaving any spaces that could potentially be used as storage space. You would be surprised how some areas of the kitchen can be used to store things. You know that space between the bottom row kitchen cabinets and the floor? That space can be remodeled as drawers to store things like trays. Do not waste any nook or cranny that can be used as storage.
Poor Lighting
The kitchen should never be a dark place. When you install light fixtures, make sure you have the whole kitchen in mind. Are you sure the overhead light fixture can sufficiently illuminate all parts of the kitchen? The kitchen needs overall lighting, as provided by ceiling lights, as well as task and accent lighting. These are the lights that go near the stoves and under kitchen cabinets to illuminate spaces that the overhead lights might miss. Keep in mind that keeping the kitchen well lit is not just an aesthetic quirk, but actually a safety issue. When you cook at night, you should be able to see everything clearly to avoid nasty accidents.
When you redesign your kitchen next, make sure you pay attention to the above mistakes and avoid making them.
