Kitchen Design Fatal Flaws
When it comes to designing a kitchen there are a few kitchen design fatal flaws that can be made. Do not stress, we are here to help you through your design issues and guide you in the right direction.
1. Cabinets that don’t go to the ceiling
Most people get overhead cabinets which is undeniably the most logical place to have cabinets in a kitchen, however, more often than not the cabinets don’t go all the way to the ceiling. If your cabinets stop before they reach the ceiling they become a breeding ground for dust. It is not a place that is easily cleaned and often neglected. A gentle breeze in the kitchen and your food gets a light sprinkle of dust. No thanks! To save the extra labour of cleaning above your cabinets rather extend them all the way to the ceiling. A huge upside is the extra storage space
2. Don’t overdo it when it comes to design
Some things you can never overdo, counter space, glasses of wine but you can definitely overdo design. Keep it simple. Keep it classy: Think of an elegant design and stick with it. If you’re looking for a wood theme, stick with wood. It gets a bit over the top if you mix wood, granite and glass with green red and blue, not exactly a look you want to go for. Pick your favourites, for example, wood and blue. Stick to those design elements and keep the design clean.
3. Avoid a clutter of stainless steel
Having stainless steel in your kitchen gives it an elegant look and feel, you just need to know where to place it and where you should not. Having bits and bobs of stainless steel cooking utensils here and there and everywhere starts to make things look cramped and a bit too busy. Rather place them in one area and if the amount if a bit overwhelming, hide it in a cupboard. That’s what they are there for.
4. Don’t hide every corner with cupboards
When you are dealing with a lot of kitchen appliances and not a lot of space your first reaction is to add more storage space, wrong. Closing up your walls with cupboard after cupboard creates a busy, stuffy feel to the room. If you have a lot of wall space, keep it. Rather extend your cupboards up to the ceiling like we discussed above and use your storage space wisely to make everything fit. If you still don’t have enough space consider what items you may not actually need in your kitchen.
5. Buying cheap cupboards to save on budget
There are a few things that you should never skimp on when it comes to your kitchen and one of those things is the material your cupboards are made of. You may think that you are saving but a few years down the line when you need to replace all the cupboards you will be regretting you didn’t spend a bit more. Hardwood with a good finish and some heavy duty hinges is all you need. They may cost a bit more but you won’t regret it in the future.
6. Make sure you have plenty of counter space
One of the most important things that is often forgotten when it comes to kitchen design is counter space. You can never have enough of it. When it comes to wall ovens, one of the biggest mistakes that you can make it not have counter space on either side. We promise you one thing, if you forget about counter space, you will regret it.
7. White flooring
Although white flooring looks attractive and great, but it won’t last. Very often this advice is taken with a pinch of salt and it is very much regretted. White flooring gets dirty with great ease and is very easily stained.
8. Not having enough storage
When it comes to kitchens there are so many elements that are needed to make the kitchen functional and that need to be stored away. Built-in cupboards are often quite expensive and therefore often bypassed and not considered. One of the biggest design mistakes is not having enough storage. You need to consider what you have in your kitchen and what you may want in future. If you have a small collection of cooking utensils and kitchenware you’re in luck and don’t need a lot of storage space, however, if you are an extravagant chef you may have quite an overload of items. If that is the case, sufficient storage space is essential. You have two options, either cut down on your kitchenware or spend an extra buck and have everything neatly packed away.
9. Having the wrong kitchen island
Kitchen islands are an incredible asset to a kitchen. They are a promise of more storage space, extra prep space and even serving space, however, having the wrong island in the wrong place can be an absolute disaster to your kitchen. The golden triangle in the kitchen (the space between stove, sink and refrigerator) needs to be kept open. If anything blocks this work space, it will create nothing but hassles for you. One solution would be to have one of the workstations, either a stove or a sink, on the island itself. Make sure that if you do have an island that there is space for storage as well. The last thing you need is a massive island taking up more space without being able to use it for storage.
10. Ventilation is key
Walking into a kitchen that smells like last night’s dinner is not something anyone wants to experience. Regardless of how good the meal was. Good ventilation is a necessity. If plenty of windows is not an option, invest in a ventilation system to refresh the air.
Have you had any kitchen disasters? Let us know what happened and how you fixed it.