Kitchen Design Choices Most People Regret Immediately
Sure, designing a kitchen can be a handful, not to mention how expensive it all is! So, you’d want to make it perfect, wouldn’t you? If so, continue reading to uncover 35 popular design choices that people eventually regret.
Tetris Cabinets
Tetris is one of those, well… unique kitchen cupboard designs that you’d either love or hate. For the majority of people, it’s definitely the latter. How are you supposed to remember where you put something when each drawer looks like a puzzle piece?
Support Beam
Deciding to have a seemingly randomly placed support beam is possibly one of the most confusing design choices on this list. Not only does it serve no real purpose, but it is also surely a safety hazard.
Moldy Tiles
Believe it or not, folks, this style of flooring was once extremely popular in kitchens. From a distance, it just looks like an off-brand marble floor, but when you take a closer look, it looks even worse - like a huge block of moldy cheese!
Keeping The Refrigerator Exposed
The refrigerator should always be enclosed on both sides, rather than being placed anywhere it fits; this makes the kitchen look incomplete. Installing an end panel with the same paint as your cupboards is the most effective way to achieve this.
Choosing The Wrong Paint Finish
It can ruin your entire kitchen aesthetic if you paint the walls with the incorrect finish. Although flat or matte paint looks good on many surfaces, it is not the best choice for kitchen spaces. For simple spot cleaning, an eggshell or satin finish looks ten times better.
Only Focusing On Decorative Lighting
For a kitchen to be practical, the lighting is essential. The use of decorative lighting in kitchens has grown significantly; however, since the kitchen is a job area, many decorative lights don't provide enough light for tasks and instead create atmosphere.
Picking The Wrong Materials
Selecting the incorrect materials for important surfaces, such as backsplashes, flooring, and countertops, is one of the most common mistakes made by homeowners. Although it can be tempting to choose materials solely for their aesthetic appeal, longevity and ease of maintenance are equally important factors to consider.
Tiled Countertops
Although it's not surprising that the tiled kitchen countertop fad from the 1970s and 1980s is making a comeback, it's disheartening because trends tend to resurface. Tiled countertops are harder to maintain and almost impossible to keep clean, making them incredibly impractical. The grout lines in particular!
Hanging Dinky Pendant Lights
Steer clear of pendants that are too tiny for the size of your island. Inappropriately proportioned light fixtures are the epitome of builder-grade. If the room is limited, you should use two larger pendants rather than three smaller ones.
Too Many Bright Colors
A home's kitchen is likely to have the most clutter because it typically sees the greatest activity. Imagine art projects hanging on the refrigerator, magazines, handbags, or children's schoolwork on the kitchen table or island. A kitchen with a gentle color scheme will better absorb these things and won't appear so disorganized and disorienting.
Insufficient Storage
Cooking is not the only use of kitchens. They also deal with food and appliance storage. A poorly planned kitchen often results in less storage space, leading to clutter. And there’s nothing worse than a cluttered kitchen - cooking is stressful enough!
Poor Kitchen Triangle
Top tip: the refrigerator, sink area, and stove are the three primary components of the kitchen work triangle. These three components should be positioned equally in a well-designed kitchen, as they enhance convenience and workflow.
Bad Ventilation
Kitchen odor? That is absolutely not acceptable! You don't want the smell of stale food to permeate your entire house, and poorly ventilated kitchens can do just that. Ensure there is sufficient ventilation in your kitchen.
No Space For Garbage
It's important to dispose of kitchen garbage properly. Recycling and proper waste management are essential components of effective waste management. Make sure there is enough room in your kitchen to accommodate the rubbish, or else bad smells and bugs will make your kitchen their new home.
Budgetary Issues
Remodeling a kitchen can be costly, primarily because you may need to install new appliances, make the room more flexible, or maximize the use of the available space. The general rule of thumb for designers is that the kitchen should cost around 20% of the value of your house.
Outdated Styling
Are you excited about a certain print, pattern, or color that's popular right now, and incorporating it into the design of your kitchen? What if that trend ends quickly? Remodeling once more will be an enormous undertaking. When creating a kitchen design, consider using muted colors.
Choosing The Wrong Layout
Making sure the workspace or work triangle is in place is another crucial aspect of having a functional kitchen layout. Additionally, the arrangement of your things will determine how comfortable your space is. You won't want to go into the kitchen again if it's poorly laid out!
Blocking Windows
Blocking windows or open areas in kitchens with appliances or storage is a common design problem in kitchens. Instead, attempt to design around an open window rather than obstructing it. This will also guarantee adequate ventilation and lighting.
Single Lighting
It is one thing to have bad lighting, but it is quite another to have single lighting. Three types of lighting are commonly found in kitchens: accent lighting, task lighting (such as lights over a stove), and general lighting. You may also need lighting in your cabinets or other storage areas.
Dead Corner Spaces
Although many kitchen nooks are inaccessible, they can be transformed into useful areas. Utilize rotating accessories in corners, carousel units, or concealed spice racks to expand your storage capacity.
Lack Of A Pantry
Every kitchen needs a pantry, regardless of how often you stock up on food and other essentials. This helps you maintain everything in one location and facilitates access to these products.
Old-Fashioned Chimney
Any kitchen would be severely hampered by the absence of a chimney. Please keep in mind that windows do not function as chimneys while constructing your kitchen. Purchasing a good chimney is crucial, and it looks cool!
Over- Or Undersized Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands are fantastic, but only if you have enough room for them. If a kitchen island doesn't fit in with your kitchen plan, don't try to cram it in. If you do, then it will just look like a random block in the middle of your room - not ideal!
Small Appliances
Consider acquiring more portable and compact appliances if your kitchen is small and you don't require many of them. This will utilize the available space more effectively. The last thing you want is a cluttered kitchen, and large appliances with little space will make it look that way.
Wrongly Sized Countertops
Make sure you have a large countertop when remodeling or installing a new kitchen. You can operate more effectively and efficiently if you have enough counter space. Consider this: your countertops are used for multiple purposes, so make them large.
Having The Wrong Gadgets
One area of the kitchen where one shouldn't make any cuts is gadgets and appliances. Modern appliances are preferable to subpar ones that break down with frequent use, as you will be using them on a daily basis.
Ugly Ducting
The majority of modular kitchens come with adequate exhausts or kitchen ducts; if not, ensure that one is added. This aids in eliminating airborne pollutants such as smoke, grease, and fumes. What’s more is that it makes your room look cleaner and organised - it’s a win-win!
Prioritising Style Over Function
Focusing solely on style without considering the kitchen's practicality is one of the most common mistakes people make. Despite the allure of an Instagram-worthy kitchen, it's important to make sure it serves your functional demands.
Not Enough Island Space
Make sure there is at least one meter of space around the island if you choose to include one in your kitchen design. This makes it easy to walk about and keeps the kitchen from feeling claustrophobic.
Oversized Pantry Cupboards
Tall, full-height pantry cabinets can take up a lot of room in a tiny kitchen, despite their aesthetic appeal. Take into account the amount of work surface area that is available and choose storage options that use less space.
Ignoring Proper Extraction
A clean and healthy kitchen atmosphere depends on proper extraction and ventilation. Because of their aesthetic value, don't overlook these components - that would just be a silly, yet obvious, mistake!
Not Enough Plug Sockets
Make sure there are enough plug sockets in the layout of your kitchen. To keep your countertop clutter-free, think about your small kitchen gadgets and set aside a dedicated space for charging cell phones away from the area where food is prepared.
Not Enough Task Lighting
Don't undervalue task lighting when designing your kitchen's lighting. Under-cabinet lighting and pendant lights over the food prep area can improve safety and visibility by providing targeted illumination for particular operations.
Lack Of Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is essential for establishing a comfortable ambiance in your kitchen, in addition to task lighting. To give general room lighting that goes well with other lighting fixtures, think about adding LED ceiling lights - there’s nothing some LEDs can’t fix!
No Dedicated Waste Bin
It is frequently forgotten to designate a specific area for recycling and trash cans. To maintain your kitchen eco-friendly and organized, think about incorporating them into your cabinetry or designating a certain space for a freestanding bin.
