Having dreamt about your new kitchen for so long, there would be nothing worse than to finally realise your dreams and notice some flaws. Your kitchen needs to work for you every day and new kitchens don’t come cheap. Make small mistakes in your kitchen design and they could be ones you live to regret.

There are so many decisions to be made when you are considering a new kitchen. From the overall style, to the type of countertops, storage, appliances, flooring and lighting, you’ll have to decide exactly what you want and where it goes.

With so many things to think about, it’s no wonder that kitchen redesign mistakes happen. Consulting a kitchen design company will add to the cost of your project, but it will mean you won’t fall foul of simple, easily overlooked mistakes or full-scale design disasters. Many kitchen design companies, such as The Brighton Kitchen Company, will work with you to make sure you get a kitchen that works practically for you, as well as wowing in style. It could be an investment worth making.

If you’ve decided to go it alone, take a look at our 9 most common kitchen remodel mistakes. Avoiding the common pitfalls will make sure you don’t end up with a kitchen you find hard to live with.

1. Giving up counter space

You may find yourself drawn to the idea of a spacious and minimalist kitchen, but don’t be too quick to cull counter space. When it comes to the practicalities of prepping food in your kitchen, the last thing you want to find is that there’s just not enough counter space. Think carefully about how you work in the kitchen and plan counter-tops accordingly.

2. Too much open shelving

Open shelving is big in kitchen design, especially in contemporary and industrial chic spaces. No one can deny that open shelving looks cool. It creates an artistic space to display your smart kitchen items. But in the real world, shelves invariably become a magnet for accumulating stuff. Unless you are absolutely disciplined, and have a collection of understated dishes, those open shelves will soon end up adorned with all manner of kitchen clutter. And that’s not a good look.

3. Forgetting about the rubbish bin

How many kitchens have you seen with the rubbish bin (albeit a nice Brabantia or Simplehuman one) stuck out on a limb, not quite fitting into the nook or cranny they are pushed against? Tsk – a zillion times. Don’t forget a sleek little hideaway for yours. Plastic bins on display lower the tone.

4. Stainless steel overkill

It’s not unusual for the modern kitchen to have stainless steel appliances, and they can in many cases add something to the kitchen style, creating a sleek look. But, if your kitchen design isn’t an edgy industrial one, stainless steel can do an awkward job, breaking up the flow of your kitchen space. It needs a fair bit of TLC to keep clean too. 

5. Not enough electrical points

You won’t believe how often people forget to plan for adequate electrical points when remodelling their kitchen. It’s not just hidden electrical points for appliances that you need. Don’t’ forget you’ll be using your blender, kettle, coffeemaker and ice-cream churn, along with a whole gamut of other electrical kitchen items. Be liberal with your electrical points so you can plug in anywhere, but heed electrical safety advice.

6. Not enough types of lighting

Kitchen lighting is a tricky one to get right and is often one of the great advantages of using a kitchen design company. Layering lighting in the kitchen is a really fabulous and practical idea. There will be times when you are working in the kitchen and need a bright light. There’ll be other times when you’d prefer a softer glow.

7. Making cabinets or drawers open into other things

It may seem obvious, but it happens all the time. Think carefully about your kitchen cabinets and appliances and which way doors open and where they could meet drawers. Trust us. Get it wrong and this design fault will annoy the hell out of you.

8. Forgetting about ventilation

A lot of water gets released into the air when you are cooking (up to a pint when cooking for a family of four). Ignore ventilation and you could end up with a mould and mildew problem. Good ventilation in the kitchen is essential to protect the integrity of your home.

9. Playing it too safe

So much is written about the saleability of homes and keeping kitchens and bathrooms as neutral as possible. Gaudy, loud décor appeals to the minority. But unless you are planning on selling up anytime soon, don’t get overly hung up on playing it safe. Be brave and bold. If you want to make a style statement, you could regret keeping it too plain and simple.

Good luck. We hope your new kitchen is fabulous.