Throughout our 30 years in business, we like to say that we’ve seen it all: successes, and of course, cases where a little foresight could have saved a lot of time– and money.
Below, we discuss a few common kitchen design mistakes we’ve seen over the years, and how to avoid them. Let’s dive in.
1. Not allowing enough space for walkways
One mistake we see all the time is not leaving enough room for walkways. As kitchens are high-traffic areas, you’ll want enough room for people– including children and pets– to move around comfortably. But knowing how much space to leave can be tricky if you’re just seeing the dimensions on paper, not testing it out for yourself.
2. Incorrect budgeting
Just one example of what our demo process might look like.
One pattern we’ve seen over the years is misinformation about what things cost. We’ve encountered clients who have initially shied away from certain choices, fearing high costs, only to end up spending ten times more later on. A common example of this is demolition. Clients often fear taking down a wall or leaving in incorrect lighting because they perceive demo as highly expensive. As a result, finding appliances that fit the space they’ve left up ends up being pricier than if they’d taken the wall down in the first place. See what we mean?
According to Randy, however, “it’s much cheaper to start from scratch” than to work around inadequate lighting or structures that just don’t work.
We get it– if you’re not in the field day in and day out, it’s hard to know what things are actually going to cost. Our job is to educate our clients on their options, including what tasks might be easier, and more affordable, than they think.
3. Opting for aesthetics over practicality
We think the combination of dark wood mixed with white stone is both aesthetically pleasing AND practical!
A common mistake we see in kitchen design is that folks opt for a material they’ve seen in a catalog or online because of how it looks, not how it’ll function in the long run. A rough stone backsplash is a common example, because it certainly looks good, but is incredibly hard to clean.
Our role as experts is to educate our clients on the potential drawbacks of their materials of choice– as well as the benefits. In the case of a rough stone backsplash, we’d bring up alternative materials that have the same vibe as the rough stone, but that are much more practical in the long run.
As kitchen designers, our job isn’t simply to design, but to collaborate with and educate our clients on the best choices for their space. With any questions about our process, availability, and how we can work together, get in touch.