Avoiding kitchen mistakes can be done to ensure that the kitchen space is catered to be well performing and efficient. Here are 4 best ways to ensure home owners avoid making any kitchen mistakes.

Avoiding Kitchen Mistakes #1: Skimping On Storage

One of the common mistakes new home owners tend to make in the kitchen is to underestimate what they may need to store. When planning a kitchen design, it is easy to focus on aesthetics and layout with the very important element of storage often being overlooked. A kitchen that has poor or no good storage becomes a messy and cluttered space pretty fast and cannot serve its purpose well. 

There is probably one thing that people tend to underestimate most of all — how many pots, pans, utensils and gadgets one may acquire over time. This means fewer cabinets or shelves than needed get installed and in time, the cooking space reduces and becomes disorganised. In order to not make this mistake, one should consider his current and future storage needs while in the planning phase. It also helps in organisation by adding different kinds of storage — deep drawers for pots and pans, pull-out shelves for easy access, o clever uses of the vertical space to keep wall-mounted racks or open shelving. 

Install corner cabinets with lazy Susans or pull-out trays for maximum utilisation of what can be regarded as tough spaces. It is also important to make plans for a specific space dedicated to the pantry to store dry goods, appliances and other kitchen supplies. Specific areas should be created for seasonal items such as holiday baking supplies which are going to require more storage at certain times of the year. 

In conclusion, well-planned storage solutions help to keep the kitchen organised but also add to making it more pleasant space to work in. The kitchen design will have storage in priority — that way, new home owners can create a space that is functional as well as aesthetically pleasing, keeping all the utensils for easy workflow in their culinary space.

Avoiding Kitchen Mistakes #2: Little To No Focus On Functionality

One of the biggest mistakes a new homeowner can make in designing their kitchen is selecting style over functionality. While aesthetics are important to offer a great overall look, too much emphasis on style sometimes presents issues in functionality that make the place difficult to work with on a daily basis. For instance, sleek, open shelving may be in beautiful but it often becomes a nightmare of dust gathering that needs cleaning and rearranging regularly. 

Furthermore, fancy backsplashes can be a nightmare to clean in order to keep it looking great and maintaining them is really a headache — these are prone to discolouration from all of the splatters from cooking. Other examples are when home owners selects fancy kitchen islands or bar stools that are uncomfortable and poorly designed without any storage. These make meal preparation and entertaining less enjoyable and sometimes uncomfortable. 

Home owners may also be blinded by an appliance simply because it is considered trendy for a particular design theme only to find their functionality lacks or they no longer meet one’s cooking needs. The bottom line is that when style becomes more important than practicality, frustration and inefficiency can emerge in daily chores. In avoiding this, the key will be finding balance between style and functionality. In that respect, home owners are to make decisions regarding how they will use their kitchen and with those intuitions of cooking and storing, they can begin to visualise habits of selecting design elements. 

By focusing on materials that are durable, practical layouts and ample solutions for storing things, this will be the foundation for creating a kitchen that is not just good looking but practical for its purpose. By making thoughtful decisions that combine style and practicality, new home owners can create a kitchen that is as functional as it is beautiful — which will finally enhance their cooking experience and daily life.

Avoiding Kitchen Mistakes #3: Underestimating The Value Of Quality

One of the most significant mistakes first time home owners make in their kitchen planning is attempting to economise on quality, particularly when it comes to appliances, materials and fixtures. There is a big temptation to spend less  by purchasing cheaper versions but this approach could lead to large expenses and distress over the long term. 

While cheaper appliances tend to reduce preliminary expenses, they usually lack their resistance to wear and tear and efficiency — they have to be replaced and fixed rather often. Quality appliances can increase functionality and lower utility bills by making appliances work better and more efficiently. Similarly, using low quality materials for cabinetry or countertops means that home owners skimp either on aesthetics or functionality  in the kitchen. Such materials tend to wear out — chipping, warping or fading and these are conditions that may require pricey renovations. 

Moreover, faucets and sinks should not be of such poor quality as it can cause leaks or malfunction — causing further water damage that comes with very expensive repairs. Quality fixtures function well and add elegance to the overall design. Quality craftsmanship is another critical aspect of the kitchen as well. Poor installation of cabinets or countertops can cause uneven surfaces, further complicating cooking and food preparation. 

Though saving money may seem like a smart move in the early stages of renovating a kitchen, usage of quality materials, appliances and craftsmanship is important in developing a durable yet functional and good looking space. Quality should always be the priority over the cost. Frequent replacements and repairs can be avoided and the kitchen will remain a beautiful and efficient heart of the house for years to come.

Avoiding Kitchen Mistakes #4: Undermining The Importance Of Lighting

Poor lighting in the kitchen is among the most basic mistakes that new home owners make with the result of either affecting functionality or atmosphere. A well-lit kitchen is the most important thing to ensure safe cooking and food preparation. Some of the accidents one would incur while in poor lighting conditions include reaching for a sharp knife or burns on the skin from not being able to see. 

Among the most undervalued home lighting tools is layering which typically consists of ambient, task and accent lighting. Ambient lighting refers to overall illumination and is usually achieved through ceiling fixtures or recessed lights. Examples of task lighting which are also very important include under-cabinet lights and pendant fixtures above workspaces. Shadows are reduced and the light will be focused to give better conditions for chopping vegetables, reading recipes or cleaning up spills. Accent lighting can also dramatise architectural features or decorations — adding visual interest to the kitchen. 

One of those features that most new home owners do not think about when building a new home is putting in dimmer switches to allow them to have flexibility in adjusting light levels according to the time of day or occasion. Moreover, poorly located fixtures can also produce shadows or glare that will further impede the functionality of the kitchen. Thoughtful lighting design should be a priority when planning kitchens to ensure that all areas are well-lit and the ambiance is inviting. 

You will also find that a well-lit kitchen is much safer and far more efficient than others — making it warm and welcoming, one where family and friends gather. In not having made this very common mistake with bad lighting, new home owners may enjoy a beautifully illuminated kitchen that meets both practical and aesthetic needs.