After the living room, the kitchen is another common area where a family will often gather and spend time with each other. Be it through cooking together or sitting behind the breakfast bar, having multiple members in the kitchen can quickly create chaos due to a lack of design practicality. Don’t let the lack of attention ruin your kitchen’s functionality. Instead, take a look at the tips we’ve laid out for you, that will help you avoid the most common kitchen design mistakes.
Choose the color of the cabinets wisely
Are you a fan of white interiors? While that color works well in the living room and bathroom, it will be a nightmare in the kitchen. A high-gloss finish on white cabinets will radiate a cold vibe and sterile look. On top of that, due to cooking steam, your previously white cabinets will quickly become sallow and very unappealing. Wooden hues such as beige, brown, and grey will look much better in a kitchen. Even if you decide to sell your home one day, those are the neutral colors that will attract every homeowner and make the house more inviting. Add a variety of colors that will create interest and make the kitchen look layered and dynamic.
Make lighting one of the priorities
Well-positioned, quality lighting is essential in a kitchen. You need to have a clear and shadow-free look over your meat, veggies, and everything simmering in the pot. That’s why you need to think about the positions of your lighting fixtures very carefully when designing a kitchen layout. Consider installing pendant lights above the kitchen island that can do double-duty and function as task lighting. Most homeowners need extra lighting under the cabinets, so consider recessed lighting for added luminance. Let your kitchen live up to its full potential by adding multiple lighting sources throughout the kitchen, such as pendants or sconces.
Design a kitchen for more than one cook
Does your kitchen have only one counter with enough space for one person to cook? If so, you’re going to have to make more room in your new kitchen. That’s especially true if you plan to start living together with your partner or you’ve already moved in together. Spending more time preparing foods and beverages will require enough space for both of you to do their tasks without being in the way of each other. Just think how frustrating it is to take turns and wait for your partner to fix themselves with their smoothie because you have nowhere to chop your veggies for lunch that you’re making. Adding more counter space is vital to allow a better flow in the kitchen.
Invest in quality appliances
Skimping on appliance quality is a big no-no when it comes to kitchen design. You need to have reliable ovens, gas burners, and fridges to be able to make and store your food well. So, when you start shopping for cooking appliances and cookware, make sure you only shop for the items from renowned manufacturers. Everybody needs a state-of-the-art gas burner that will make their soups, stakes, and broths taste like they just came out of a Micheline star restaurant. Always check the warranty on the appliances and test them immediately when you buy them to make sure they’re working properly from day one.
Leave enough room on the counters
When you have enough counter room and plenty of space to prepare food, even with all the appliances lying around, you can quickly get carried away and overcrowd the kitchen. Before you know it, cooking will become a nightmare because you won’t have enough room to knead the dough, chop, whisk or work the rolling pin. We know that every delicious meal requires you to use an array of appliances, but not all of them have to take up the space on the counter when idle. So, ideally, you’ll build a storage space for all of them to stay in when you’re not using them. Be it under the sink or on the shelves, as long as they’re not in the way of your cooking, they’ll be in the right place.
Measure appliances before you install them
If you think this should go without saying, you’d be surprised how many people make the same mistake. They trust their better judgment instead of the meter. While some people get lucky at estimating the size of their oven space or fridge area, the majority of others will guess it wrong. That will later result in you buying an oven that’s too big to be built inside the designated space in the kitchen. Don’t risk not being able to open your kitchen door because the fridge is blocking half the entrance. Measure every spot and take the right measurements of the appliances before you order them. That’s especially important if you’re shopping for appliances online. Website photos can often be deceiving, so trust the info below the photo more than the representation itself.
Rethink your kitchen island
Kitchen islands are one of the favorite parts of the kitchen design for many homeowners. The island can be an ideal addition to the kitchen cooking space and a place for everyone to gather and spend time if it doubles up as a breakfast bar. However, not every kitchen can accommodate the island and retain its full functionality. So, if your kitchen area isn’t spacious enough, don’t include an island. Inspect the area well and imagine everyone circulating around it during breakfast and dinner time. Will everyone be able to move freely without being in anyone’s way? Will you be able to open the dishwasher and the oven with convenience? Take all of those factors into consideration, before you include an island and break the entire kitchen layout.
Create the kitchen work triangle
Did you know that a good kitchen workflow requires an ideal distance between the stove, the sink, and the fridge? The kitchen work triangle offers a seamless flow between those three areas so that the cooking is done without any fuss, time after time. Allow four to nine feet between each of these areas so that the workflow can be continuous and cooking a true enjoyment, day in day out. That way, you won’t feel like everything is too close or too far from each other. Cooking, cleaning, and storing food needs to feel like a unified activity that’s done quickly and conveniently. You’ll achieve efficiency and functionality in the kitchen only with the kitchen work triangle layout. Are you rethinking your kitchen design? Don’t start any new project, before you evaluate the space thoroughly and take all the measurements. Not every kitchen needs pricey décor and statement pieces to look nice and make for an ideal cooking area. You will, however, need adequate lighting and seamless workflow through the main food prep zone. Poor choice of lighting can quickly break an entire layout, so choose your recessed and pendant lights wisely. Always invest in state-of-the-art appliances and don’t skimp on quality. You’ll want a fully functional kitchen that will be a great and comfortable place for an entire family to gather, cook and eat together.
