Don't make these kitchen style mistakes

The kitchen is a vital room in your home. Used to create meals and store ingredients, the kitchen is the soul of your home. That’s why it’s so important to make sure it looks the part. Here are 10 styling mistakes you don’t want to make.

Not having a professional take a look

It can be worth every penny to get a kitchen designer to come in and take a look at your kitchen. They can recommend improvements and elements you might not have thought of, as well as being able to suggest reputable tradesmen to work on your kitchen.

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Forgetting functionality

The kitchen is the busiest room in the house and needs to be able to function properly. Placing the most used sections, such as the refrigerator, sink and stove, in easily accessible areas will benefit you as you navigate your way through the room. Make sure that the layout allows for the flow of traffic to pass through the kitchen.

Kitchen islands that are too big or too small

It's important to review the shape and flow of your kitchen before deciding on an island. Do I need an island? How big does it need to be? Would a kitchen peninsula work better? Marble or granite benchtop? What’s my budget? These questions will help you to narrow down your options and lead you to choose the island suitable for your kitchen.

Cabinet doors opening into others

If your kitchen isn’t laid out properly, sometimes cabinet doors will not be able to be opened at the same time. This is annoying and isn’t ideal for a high traffic kitchen. Make sure that you check the doors and cabinets before deciding to purchase, or if you are renovating double check the layout plans before going through with your actions.

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Blowing your budget

This is too easy to do. Make sure that you have all your elements and their pricings listed out before taking any renovating action. That way, you know exactly what you’re paying for. Get detailed quotes from designers and tradesmen before you begin work and make sure that their work is completed and your requirements met before finalising payments. Planning your finances can be invaluable in kitchen renovations, so be sure to know your budget.

Reducing storage space

Some kitchen renovations forget or overlook how much storage space is needed in the kitchen, leaving you with the problem of having less cabinets to store your plates, glasses, pots and other appliances. One solution could be open shelving, but consider how much space you’ll need on the shelves for your items.

Overdoing a colour or material

Decorating your kitchen with too much of one thing can make it appear boring and monochromatic. One example of this is too much stainless steel, which is very easy to do since a lot of kitchen appliances are now made of the material or have stainless steel exteriors. Don’t try to go for the ultra-modern look and fall into the trap of using stainless steel for everything. Remember that your kitchen will be the warm heart of your home. Try in-built concealed refrigerators and wooden cabinet doors to change the atmosphere of your kitchen.

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Not enough electrical outlets

This is an important aspect of your kitchen. Most kitchen appliances (if not all) will need an electrical outlet meaning you’ll need multiple outlets spotted around the room. If you’re inspecting a house for an eventual purchase or renovating your current home, make sure that there is a sufficient amount of electrical outlets for your appliance use. If you don’t want them to be visible, you can have them built under the tables or in cabinets, hidden out of sight.

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Poor lighting

Lighting is crucial in your kitchen. If you want to get really technical, there are supposed to be 3 types of lighting existing in your kitchen: overhead (for a general illumination of the room), spot (used for specific areas/tasks) and accent (draws attention to your centrepiece or showy design elements in your kitchen). Cool lighting should generally be used for brighter spaces around your kitchen. For dining spaces, consider using a warmer light in order to tone down any harsh features and promote a more intimate feel.

Forgetting to ventilate

When you finish cooking your kitchen is flooded with delicious smells. This can be nice while you’re eating but gets old quickly. Remember to fully ventilate your kitchen as food smells can soon turn stale. Remember to add enough windows and add a hood or a ceiling fan to propel smell out of the room.

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