5 Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home – a space for family gatherings, entertaining, and cooking. A well-designed kitchen can add significant value to your home. On average, a new kitchen can increase the value of your home by between 5% and 12%. 

Designing a kitchen is an exciting process, but it can come with common pitfalls. Here we outline our top 5 kitchen design mistakes to avoid.

1.       Not Considering Costs

Considering costs at the outset of the design process helps you to plan a kitchen that is proportional to the value of your home and that avoids unplanned outlays. The cost of appliances, materials and accessories can vary wildly. A good designer or architect can help you maximise your budget by recommending cost-effective materials, optimising layouts to avoid expensive changes, and by working with trusted suppliers and contractors.

How much will my kitchen cost? Well, for a medium sized bespoke kitchen you will be looking at starting from £20-30K upwards (the sky is the limit here) excluding appliances and installation labour. Cheaper solutions are available from high street vendors, but these do not match the quality and flexibility of a fully bespoke kitchen design.

2.       Minimising the Multifunctional

Now more than ever a kitchen needs to be multifunctional. Many people use their kitchens to work from, to socialise and to share family time. While it is easy to be lured into choosing finishes, materials and appliances for their visual appeal, don’t forget functionality. For example, glossy finishes may show fingerprints easily, and open shelving may require constant cleaning. When selecting materials and design elements, consider their durability, ease of maintenance, and suitability for your lifestyle.

3.       Sidelining Storage

Avoid cluttered countertops and inaccessible utensils by prioritising storage. A common mistake in kitchen design is underestimating the need for purposeful storage. Poor storage makes a kitchen harder to use, harder to clean and less visually appealing. Maximise your kitchen's storage potential by incorporating deep drawers, pull-out shelves, and vertical organisers. Consider using every inch of available space in line with your specific storage needs, including corners, under cabinets, and above appliances. Custom cabinetry and pantry solutions can further enhance storage and keep your kitchen organised.

4.       Poor Ventilation

A good extraction system is essential in preventing cooking smells from travelling beyond the kitchen or lingering long after the meal has ended. In order to marry practical function with aesthetic appeal, consider how the extraction system visually impacts the overall design of your kitchen. There are many options out there from classic extractor hoods to downdraft extraction hobs and pendant extraction smart systems.

5.       Overlooking Lighting

Lighting is crucial in a kitchen, but it's often an afterthought. Insufficient lighting can make food preparation difficult and diminish the kitchen's aesthetic appeal. We love a layered lighting approach that includes task lighting, ambient lighting, and accent lighting.  Under-cabinet lights can be used to directly illuminate work surfaces. Pendant lights are a failsafe way to make a design statement while adding brightness over islands, and recessed lighting offers general room illumination. Don’t forget to position light fixtures strategically to minimise shadows and glare.

A good designer or architect can help you understand what you want from your kitchen: how you want it to function and how you want to feel in that space. Get in touch with OVS today to see how we can help you craft your dream kitchen and add value to your home.