We love designing kitchens over here at MGD. They’re the heart of the home, and for many of our projects, they’re the first room we design with our clients. If you’re embarking on a kitchen remodel of your own, we wanted to share 7 kitchen design mistakes that we see all too often so you can avoid them in your project! From storage to stylistic details, keep scrolling to read more from our senior designer on the common kitchen design mistakes you don’t have to commit.
Mistake #1: Not Enough Closed Storage
One of the most common kitchen design mistakes we see all too often is not considering your unique storage needs before diving into the design. Open shelving and glass cabinets are beautiful, but having too many can lead to a cluttered space. Make sure you have enough closed cabinet space first, and then add open shelves or glass cabinets if you can.
Mistake #2: Not Considering Countertop Appliances
In the same vein, don’t forget to account for small countertop appliances in your overall kitchen design. We’ve all seen it before – A beautiful kitchen countertop cluttered with appliances from wall to wall. While we love a stand mixer and toaster oven as much as the next person, we’d recommend thinking ahead and including functional small appliance storage in your kitchen design. One solution we often opt for is an appliance garage! If you’re able to include a walk-in pantry space, that can be another great place to include countertop appliance storage.
Mistake #3: Outlet Overload
If you use your aforementioned countertop appliances every day, as we often do, you’ll need outlets that are easily accessible. However, a mistake we often see made in kitchen designs is outlet overload! A bunch of outlets scattered over your beautiful backsplash can disrupt your kitchen design and take away the impact you’re trying to make. Really consider where you’ll need outlets, and be strategic about where you place them. We’ll often hide them beneath upper cabinets or in a corner where we know we’re going to keep canisters or decor to keep them out of direct sight.
Mistake #4: Disregarding Overall Home Aesthetic
When we’re beginning a new kitchen design for one of our projects, we always take into account the architecture and overall style of the home. A mistake to avoid when planning a kitchen remodel is completely disregarding your home’s overall aesthetic. For example, an overly sleek and modern white kitchen in a more traditional home would feel out of place! Make sure that your kitchen design feels like an extension of the rest of the house and not something completely different.
Mistake #5: Too Much Stainless Steel
If you have a smaller kitchen footprint, too much stainless steel can take your kitchen design from homey to commercial in a heartbeat. This is one reason that we often opt for panel-ready appliances, especially for refrigerators and freezers. It’s an investment, but if you can swing it, it goes a long way in making your kitchen feel welcoming, not industrial.
Mistake #6: Opting For Trendy Over Timeless
A timeless design is always one of our goals when working on a new kitchen design for our clients. When you’re investing a lot of time and money into a new kitchen, you want it to be something that you’ll love for years to come! For example, a busy patterned backsplash tile may be eye-catching at first, but you may tire of it quickly. However, timeless doesn’t have to be boring! A unique cabinet color or beautiful hardware can add touches of your personal aesthetic without sacrificing lasting style.
Mistake #7: Not Considering Workflow
Last but not least, keep your unique workflow in mind when designing your overall kitchen layout. One solution we often use is creating zones that each serve their own purpose. For example, keeping your spices and oils in the same area where you’ll be cooking can make food prep a breeze. Similarly, including your dish and flatware storage near your dishwasher will make cleanup that much easier. Think about how you plan to use your kitchen, and create zones to help you do just that.
Are there any kitchen design mistakes that we missed? Let us know in the comments! For more must-read content before you remodel your kitchen, check out our post on where to splurge and where to save. We’ve also shared tips for how to mix metals, how to choose lighting, and some of our favorite kitchen tile combinations! Lastly, head to our affiliate shop or to our Costa Mesa showroom when you’re ready to start accessorizing and adding those finishing touches to your kitchen space. Thanks so much for following along, and we hope to see you back here soon!