Not only are kitchen renovations a big investment, but as the heart of the home, they're a space that you're guaranteed to spend a lot of your time in. The last thing you want when designing a new kitchen is to make mistakes that can cost you a lot of money to fix later on. That's why I have put together 5 mistakes to avoid to help you get that new kitchen design 100% right:
1 | Not spending enough time on the floorplan
There is no point spending a long time selecting amazing finishes and fixtures if the kitchen floorplan isn't functional. Often, clients want to keep the same layout as they have because it's what's familiar to them or they don't want to move things to save on costs. However, we always suggest to prioritise functionality - even if it means giving up the higher category benchtop just to add pocket doors to your appliance cupboard! Taking the time to really play around with your current layout could make a huge difference and allow you to make it more practical and efficient. We have a post all about getting the floorplan right which you can read through the link below:
2 | Not thinking about how you use the kitchen
Not only should your new kitchen be functional and practical, but it should also cater to the specific needs of your family. You need to consider if and how you entertain, who uses the space, how you use the space, if open shelves or cupboards work best for you, and so much more. We have some posts to help you understand what you and your family need from your new kitchen which you can read through the link below:
3 | Selecting low quality finishes, fixtures and appliances
Kitchens are high traffic areas that get a lot of use every day. Ensuring that your flooring, cabinets, benchtops and appliances can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life is incredibly important. It may seem like a big and often unnecessary expense to select high quality finishes and fixtures when first designing your new kitcen, but it will save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run!
4 | Not paying enough attention to heights
Whilst there are standard sizes that will determine things like benchtop and splashback heights, it's still good to double check that the heights will work for you - especially if you're particularly short or tall! I always recommend to plan out where things will be stored and then using a tape measure to check the heights, ensure that you can comfortably reach all the important cupboards. If you're tall, I recommend a shallower integrated rangehood that can be hidden in a cupboard over a deeper exposed rangehood that you may hit with your head.
5 | Having inadequate or insufficient light
Light is a vital part of a Kitchen to ensure that the cooking and cleaning experience is as safe as possible. Evenly lighting a Kitchen can be achieved through a combination of ceiling lights (like LED downlights), decorative lights (like pendants over an island bench) and integrated strips (on the underside of overheads and/or inside appliance cupboards). Natural light is also incredibly important, and I would suggest to consider adding skylights if not possible to have windows within the Kitchen area.
I hope this has been helpful for you! If you are planning to build or renovate and want to get in contact with us, you can do so by filling out the client contact questionnaire below,
Hope you have a wonderful week,
Nina xx
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