Easy Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a New Kitchen
Designing a new kitchen can be hectic. There are so many things to take into account, and learning how to avoid kitchen mistakes can almost feel like a mind game.
However, the return on investment you’re going to get from this remodel will be well worth it in the end. Not to mention, you’re going to be left with a beautiful new kitchen!
Keep reading to learn about easy kitchen mistakes to avoid when you’re remodeling.
1. Not Planning Enough Space
In this context, we mean walkways. While you probably don’t want your kitchen to take up the entire main space of your home, you do want there to be enough space to walk and work.
Ideally, you’d have about 4 feet of space to create a comfortable walkway. If you’re working with a small kitchen, aiming for 39 inches is the ideal number, but going higher is always better.
Finding a kitchen planner online that you can plug measurements into is the best way to design your kitchen online.
2. Leaving Out Your Work Flow
Before you do anything with your kitchen remodel, you need to think about how you work when you’re cooking.
Where do you set your cutting board? What would be the best place for your refrigerator? Do you even want to move your appliances around?
At the end of the day, you have to consider how you work best in the kitchen and go from there. Things might be different if you’re remodeling a kitchen for resale, but even then… you should consider how a home cook works when they’re making dinner.
Looking at a 3D kitchen design online is the perfect way to get some ideas. You can then use these ideas to design your own kitchen.
3. No Measurements
Whether it’s appliances or cabinets, you need to measure before you install in order to avoid new kitchen mistakes.
A few inches off could lead to an unnecessary protrusion in your kitchen, and plenty of trips or bruises. Small appliances can even cause an issue and unsightly clutter on your countertops.
If you’re using an online kitchen planner, be sure to measure so you can plug everything in when it comes time. Planning a 3D kitchen design can save a lot of time and headaches in the future.
4. Unplanned Lighting
Lighting is another thing you should plan ahead of time. If you don’t place lights above the workspaces in your kitchen, you’re going to be doing a lot of things in the dark. Finding a kitchen design software that allows you to look at different lighting options is a great way to plan your lighting.
Not only does general lighting matter, but task lighting does as well. Lights underneath kitchen cabinets or in the corners of your kitchen (especially if it’s L-shaped) can make a world difference when you’re chopping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning up.
5. Do You Actually Need That Kitchen Island?
If you have a small kitchen, is an island really necessary? If you really want one, could you install a rolling kitchen island that can be easily moved out of the way?
If you do have space, another issue is the placement. Similar to how you should measure to make sure there’s enough space to move around your kitchen, you should measure to make sure there’s enough space to walk comfortably between the island and other countertops.
KitchenWhiz will make sure you have enough corridor space around your island!
Another thing to consider is whether or not you’re installing a sink, stove, or other appliance on the island. If that’s the case, you should measure out about 47 inches. If that’s not the case, you could go as small as 24 inches.
6. Poor Positioning
If you’re not pragmatic when planning cabinet door and appliance placement, doors and walkways could end up being blocked. Remember that apartment with a drawer that wouldn’t open without hitting a wall? That’s what you’re trying to avoid here.
Again, be pragmatic in your planning, especially if you’re creating an online kitchen design. Take into account all of the cabinet doors, drawers, oven, dishwasher, and refrigerator when planning your layout.
It could mean the difference between cabinet handles clashing with the dishwasher and having space for everything you need.
7. Misusing Vertical Space
Vertical space is especially important if you’re making the most of a compact kitchen. placing cabinets all the way up to your ceiling, or leaving enough space between them and the ceiling, could make or break your storage solutions.
If you like having some appliances and other things on display, then leaving space between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling is the perfect solution for you. If you like to keep everything nice and tidy, then having cabinets that run from floor to ceiling might be your best choice.
You can even use the side of your kitchen island to install a plate rack, or the open side of a cabinet to place a whiteboard or some other open shelving solution.
The choices are endless when it comes to your vertical space, and there are ways to make it functional without creating clutter. Use it to your advantage.
Remember These Tips When Designing Your New Kitchen
Remember these 7 kitchen redesign mistakes when you’re planning your remodel to yield the best results possible for your space. Remember to take the time measure, and then use software like KitchenWhiz to design a kitchen online.
Try KitchenWhiz Today
With our simple-to-use tool, you can auto-magically generate your kitchen plans in 2D & 3D. It was built to help you design the perfect new kitchen for your space. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to renovate or built a new kitchen, everyone can benefit from a perfect kitchen space, and KitchenWhiz was made to help.
There are packages available for any price point, and our programs don’t come with any contracts or difficult setups. If you have any questions or issues, every plan comes with 24/7 access to chat support.
Check out our pricing options today.