What not to do if you want to create a beautiful and useful cooking space.
You have no doubt invested time and effort into choosing beautiful countertops and elegant finishes for your kitchen.
However, there is a lot more to think about than just those aesthetic issues.
As thinking these up by yourself may prove difficult, we are publishing this blog post on the most common mistakes in kitchen interior design.
Common kitchen interior design mistakes that you should avoid
One of the most important qualities a kitchen can have is efficiency.
And the entire issue of “kitchen design and decor mistakes” is to increase efficiency and also make the kitchen look elegant.
In preparing this list, we have considered the many things to consider when designing or renovating a kitchen interior – appliances, cabinetry, kitchen islands, lighting and so on.
- Poor circulation
- Unplanned layout
- Choosing the wrong kind of cabinetry
- Not opting for function-based design
- Inadequate lighting
- Not using available vertical wall space
- Not adding visual beauty to the kitchen
- Adding a kitchen island even if there isn’t space
- Buying appliances and cabinets that aren’t scaled
Poor circulation
You need to be able to move around your kitchen freely.
This is even more essential if your kitchen is used as a pathway to move between other rooms.
If free circulation around the kitchen is not possible, the kitchen design is not up to the mark.
Reduced circulation will make a kitchen feel cramped and restrict how many people can use the kitchen simultaneously, which will become a major problem for larger families.
Unplanned layout
An unplanned kitchen layout will destroy the utility and aesthetic appeal of the kitchen design.
Remember, food preparation involves a lot of processes including cleaning ingredients, prepping them and ultimately cooking. All of this takes place at different places and requires use of different appliances.
Kitchen layouts should be planned as per the workflow
Unless you plan the layout based on your workflow, your kitchen design will be an inefficient use of the space.
- Consider how you use your kitchen.
- Store your spices and oils near the cooking area.
- Store cutlery and dishes near the washbasin/dishwasher.
Choosing the wrong kind of cabinetry
According to many designers, kitchen cabinets are the most expensive items in a kitchen. They’re certainly among the most useful items.
You should make these cabinets durable and easy to maintain.
Examine the cabinets when you buy. Or clearly explain the requirements to the maker if you’re getting them custom-made.
Solid wood construction, good joinery, and well-finished surfaces are among the more important characteristics.
Finally, if you like keeping up with current trends, avoid boldly coloured cabinets. This is so existing cabinets can be easily replaced with more contemporary designs.
Getting kitchen cabinets custom-made is more and more in fashion. Get in touch with a good furniture maker/designer to get your kitchen cabinet custom-made!
Not opting for function-based design
One of the most common examples of kitchen design that isn’t function-based in not thinking of the kitchen’s busiest areas – the stove, the refrigerator and the sink – in conjunction with each other.
In other words, functionally these three areas form one unit. You will need to transition between them effortlessly.
So your kitchen design better account for that and make it easy to move easily.
Choosing cabinets and appliances
Going back to the cabinetry, make sure that their doors allow for sufficient clearance for free movement.
In other words, if you keep your cabinets open, people should be able to move freely around the kitchen. Also, you don’t want the doors of different appliances and cabinets to hit each other if you have to open them at the same time.
Sometimes, scaling back on appliances and cabinets is the only feasible option to reduce the feeling of getting cramped.
Inadequate lighting
A kitchen just can’t live up to its full potential without proper lighting.
Poor lighting will make people who’re trying to prepare food unable to work easily and cause frustration.
Multiple light sources to ensure sufficient lighting may be a good idea.
Some lighting types you can consider
- Pendant lights above the counter as task lighting.
- Recessed lighting, especially in under-cabinet areas, for better visibility.
- Overhead lights for illuminating the entire kitchen when it’s not in use. Using them during cooking may not work as they create shadows.
Kitchen lighting tips and tricks
Prioritise functionality. A pretty looking light that doesn’t illuminate well is not a good choice for the kitchen.
Position lights to be in front of the person rather than overhead or behind.
Not using available vertical wall space
With ingredients, spices and oils, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery and so on…
The requirement for storage space in any kitchen is always high.
And one of the textbook tricks to expand storage capacity is to utilise available wall space (vertical space) to its full capacity.
This will become especially useful in a small kitchen.
Tips and tricks on using wall space effectively
- Build cupboards up to the ceiling.
- Install overhead cabinets and open shelves.
- Mix closed cabinets with open shelves to make the overall look interesting.
Not adding visual beauty to the kitchen
Any time you’re designing or remodelling a kitchen space, not adding art and colour is a missed opportunity.
Yes, I know.
When thinking of art, colours and visual beauty other rooms like the living room and the bedroom come to mind. Not the kitchen.
However, there is an aesthetic element in kitchen interior design as well.
A kitchen is another room in your house and guests will enter it. So it better look impressive.
Moreover, a good-looking kitchen creates a positive frame of mind which makes the cooking process enjoyable and easier to deal with.
So, try to add some art to the walls and/or see the potential for visually striking window treatments in your kitchen.
Adding a kitchen island even if there isn’t space
Kitchen islands are not just stylish additions to your kitchen.
They’re actually pretty useful at improving your cooking experience and increasing storage space.
However they can prove useful only if you have adequate space to install them.
If, for example, you have a small kitchen, a kitchen island may turn out to be a waste of space.
Have adequate clearance on all sides of the island to allow for free movement around it.
Also, make sure your island is in the wrong spot.
An island that’s poorly placed can make free circulation difficult and obstruct your food preparation workflow.
Buying appliances and cabinets that aren’t scaled
What do I mean by “aren’t scaled”?
It means that they are not in tune with the dimensions of the kitchen – that is, they are of the wrong size.
In our experience as interior designers in Bangladesh, buying appliances and cabinets of the wrong size is one of the most common kitchen design mistakes.
From refrigerators that are too big to inadequately large cabinets – there are all kinds of sizing problems that many home owners make when ordering.
So, how do you avoid these mistakes?
Measure your available space properly and choose what you’re buying accordingly.
Double-check dimensions to make sure everything fits in your kitchen layout.
And remember “clearance” – that is, make sure you’re making measurements to account for appliance and cabinet doors being open.
Avoiding common mistakes in kitchen design
The time we spend in our kitchens can vary.
However, one thing is clear.
With so much of precooked food (like instant noodles which hardly takes a kitchen to prepare) and food delivery services available, cooking is more and more becoming a pastime rather than a requirement.
In other words, we are now cooking more for pleasure than out of necessity, to prepare food for the family.
So, the act of food preparation better be enjoyable.
And that is where good kitchen design – and avoiding these mistakes in kitchen decor – become important.
Hopefully this blog helped you plan your own kitchen remodelling and interior design better so you can have a pleasurable cooking experience in your kitchen.
