FeastHome – Home remodeling always comes with its own set of needs. There are different design techniques to figure out when deciding which layout works best for each room. When designing the kitchen, functionality and the use of space are crucial.
Whether it’s a family dinner, a quick snack, or a social night with loved ones, we use the kitchen for numerous tasks. Because of this, kitchen design is essential to understand. An expert home remodeling contractor in Cherry Hill has let us know four of the more common design mistakes to avoid when renovating your kitchen. Using these four tips, you can create the perfect kitchen for your home.
1. Not Enough Lighting
When we imagine a kitchen, we visualize an area where people can cook and move around freely. This means well-lit routes and surroundings. You want enough room to prepare your food, while also handling items like knives and heavy cookware safely. You’ll also want to ensure that you can interact with whoever is in your kitchen.
To prevent the problem of insufficient light, try different forms of lighting within your kitchen. The functionality of ambient lighting, also known as general lighting, is highly useful. Chandeliers and recessed lighting can be installed in your kitchen, which can keep entries and paths in your kitchen delightfully illuminated.
Ambient lighting provides a solid layer for your kitchen’s brightness. You can then use task and accent lighting to emphasize more specific elements of your kitchen. Pendant lights, for example, are an excellent choice for brightening up the area around a kitchen island.
Meanwhile, if you have artwork in your kitchen or hanging cookware that you want to emphasize, you can choose accent lighting. Wall sconces or picture lights can be excellent options to feature these areas in your kitchen.
2. Forgetting the Kitchen Triangle
Developed in the early twentieth century, the kitchen triangle theory is one of the most essential architectural rules in home renovation. It states that there are three main areas of the kitchen: the refrigerator, sink, and stove. These should form a “kitchen work triangle” that is easy to move around.
To be more specific, each leg of the kitchen triangle should be between four and nine feet. The triangle legs’ total distance should not be less than 13 feet or more than 26 feet. This helps lessen the possibility of having too small an area for rotational movement. It also helps you conveniently grab items from the refrigerator while cooking.
The kitchen triangle theory is highly beneficial, and using it can significantly help design your home’s kitchen layout.
3. Neglecting Vertical Storage Space
Often, homeowners will make the mistake of only using horizontal storage space for their cookware and other kitchen items. Using vertical storage space can significantly reduce the amount of area to store ovenware and other utensils.
For instance, you can use a vertical shelving unit to organize your pots, pans, and other houseware. These convenient storage accessories vary in size, allowing you to customize where you put them and how much you want them to hold. You can also install under-the-shelf baskets within storage cabinets, which are ideal for maximizing storage space.
If you have great cookware that you want to hang, then a wall-mounted pot rack is an excellent choice that also uses vertical storage space. These usually come with mounting studs and anchors to allow for easy installation.
4. Having the Wrong Appliance Measurements
When it comes to renovation, we all want to have the best kitchen possible while also saving money. Nothing is more troublesome than ordering an appliance for your kitchen only to find that it doesn’t fit your preparations.
Ensure that you’re correct with your measurements before making your final orders for dishwashers, stoves, and other appliances. This means getting that ruler out and measuring specifically down to 1/16th of an inch. It may sound crazy, but those specifications can be the difference between a perfect fit and sending back an appliance you were excited for.
Make sure that you also leave a proper amount of space to allow for appliance installation. This will also make it easier for future painting on its surrounding cabinets.
Home renovation always takes dedicated work and preparation. But sometimes homeowners make mistakes when it comes to designing their kitchens. If you know what to look out for though, you can get past these errors and create a beautiful kitchen that will enhance your home’s appearance.
About the Author
Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey. She frequently works with home services and lifestyle clients, like GoldLeaf Designs.
