5 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN DESIGNING A KITCHEN

The kitchen is popularly referred to as the heart of the home. If you happen to get the design of this room wrong, you risk restricting the flow of your entire household.

To help you get the balance right, here are the five most common mistakes to avoid when designing a kitchen:

1) Create paths of least resistance  
When waking up for the midnight snack run, you do not want to be tripping over poorly positioned islands or stumbling from one end of the kitchen to the other in a drowsy attempt to piece together supplies. The age-old rule of thumb still applies: design your kitchen to form a triangle between your sink, refrigerator and stove to ensure the best flow of traffic through the space. Also, think carefully about where you position the pantry cupboard, cutlery drawers and other storage units. You don’t want to have to walk too far to pack away your crockery from the dishrack each night, nor do you want your cutlery stored too far from where you prepare your meals.  

2) Skimping on storage
Towers of Tupperware, pots, blenders and let’s not forget that unused coffee machine you bought last Christmas: these are just some of the bulky items that you’re going to need to store in your kitchen. Too many homeowners forget how much storage space they need to make the space functional. Forget any impractical minimalistic designs with open walls sans overhead storage and make use of every inch of available space for creative storage solutions. Trust us – you’re going to need it.  

3) Counterspace Conundrums
Preparation space is one of the most overlooked aspects of a kitchen design. Ensure that there is enough space around the stove to put wooden spoons and other pre-chopped ingredients. There also needs to be some space near your oven where you can put hot dishes. The choice of countertop is also of importance. It might be worth splurging on quality here as some of the cheaper options are prone to warping, chipping and scratches.    

4) A Current Concern
There are several electrical appliances in anyone’s kitchen that need access to plug sockets. Consider where you are going to place things like your toaster and kettle and make sure that there is a plug socket within reach. The last thing you want is extension leads dragging along your kitchen counters.  

5) Underestimating the Project
These builds often run overtime and over budget, so it would be wise to have room to work with in these areas. The level of disruption a kitchen renovation can cause is another aspect you need to factor in. You’ll be forced to prepare meals in a temporary kitchen for the duration of the build which can make life quite uncomfortable. As difficult as it might be to live with, do your best to remain patient and not cut corners just to help the build go faster.   

Of course, you could always choose to avoid all of this and find a home with your dream kitchen already installed. Get in touch with your nearest RE/MAX office today to start searching for a new home.