When planning a kitchen remodel or a complete renovation there are some major pitfalls you really want to avoid before you even start planning, and especially before you start getting kitchen renovators in. Avoiding the following big mistakes will not only make the process smoother and quicker but potentially save you a lot of money and stress so let’s take a look.
Maximising Your Space
Large kitchens will obviously have more options but also more space to waste. Smaller kitchens make it more important to squeeze every ounce of space into a functional modern kitchen. The important thing here is not to try and make something fit that simply doesn’t. The main culprits for this are islands and dining areas like breakfast bars. If there isn’t enough room then you’ll simply be compromising their effectiveness where nothing functions properly or is awkward. Or worse, paying to have them removed later. Don’t try to squeeze in too much as it’s better to have everything functioning to its maximum rather than more elements that are compromised.
Think About the Footpath
Truly functional kitchens (including professional ones) have planned their foot traffic and walkways. Think about who will be using the kitchen, how many and how. The main function of a kitchen is cooking so this is your priority. Plan a triangle from the cooker, to sink and worktop and then to fridge and cupboards. If your hob and your oven are separate then don’t make them too far apart either.
That triangle of movement should have enough space around it so that another person can pass, and also the fridge (for instance) should be accessible by others without entering the cook’s triangle. For example, having the sink far away from your worktops will be a constant pain going back and forth spilling things onto the floor on the way. Much of this will be dictated by the shape of your kitchen but if you get this part correct, everything else will fall into place.
Aisles Too Tight
This is related to both the previous points above. This is mainly a problem with islands but also Galley kitchens or U shaped kitchens. There should be a minimum of 1 – 1.2m, around your island or to the next counter (or table etc) so that you can accommodate two people passing, or for having seats and one person to pass behind. if you make these spaces too tight then you’ll create one way systems or dead ends which end up causing frustrations and accidents. It may sound like a lot of wasted space, but don’t just trust us, every kitchen renovation company will tell you the same thing for a good reason – it’s practical. A walkway that simply passes through your kitchen can be narrower for instance minimum 900ml so don’t treat that the same as an aisle so be sure to know the difference.
