The thought of designing a kitchen to your specifications could be quite alluring. After all, you will be able to help create a kitchen that fits the color and design schemes you like. You will also be able to create a kitchen that has the functionality that’s perfect for you. But to ensure you have the best results with your kitchen remodel, it is a good idea to avoid mistakes with careful planning. Here is what to know about kitchen remodeling mistakes so that you can achieve the best outcome.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with a kitchen remodel is failing to sketch out the entire design. Your kitchen renovation shouldn’t be a tweak-it-as-you-go project. You should fully sketch out the entire design and even use an AutoCAD program to get a 3D view of what your results will be. Before starting the demolition, picking paints, choosing appliances, knocking down a wall, or installing sinks, be sure that you have worked out a solid plan.
Another big mistake is failing to develop a proper budget for your kitchen remodel. A small kitchen remodel may cost you about $5,000, but there could still be other things that arise during the course of the remodel that could overextend your budget. So, when planning your kitchen remodel, try to get accurate figures based on the size of your kitchen and put aside a reserve fund in case you experience a budget overrun.
A kitchen triangle or the work triangle is how well you can interact with your kitchen stove, sink, and refrigerator. You should be able to access these three items with ease and have plenty of space to utilize each. It is critical to keep the work triangle in mind when redesigning your kitchen.
Gold hardware and painted cabinets may be on-trend now. But have you thought about how such changes may look five or ten years from now? While some trends are here to stay and will make your kitchen timeless, some will be dated as soon as the trend ends. When remodeling a kitchen, try to choose styles that will always be tasteful as the years pass.
Before you start smashing walls and cabinets and making changes to the existing layout, it is a good idea to make sure that you have the proper permits necessary to make changes to electrical or wiring. If you plan to reuse existing plumbing or wiring, this isn’t an issue. But if you plan to change the layout of your kitchen and relocate electrical outlets or pipes, you will need proper clearance.
So you noticed that your local retailer has plenty of high-quality stainless steel kitchen appliances on sale, and you want to take advantage of this as quickly as possible. While it may be good to get appliances at a deeply discounted rate, the problem that you may have with getting your appliances before you install new cabinets, semi-custom cabinets, or range hood is that you may buy appliances that are too big. This could jeopardize the cost and the timeline of your entire remodeling project if you have to go back and make changes to the cabinetry or countertop material to accommodate appliances. Try not to give in to the impulse of buying a new stove or dishwasher before replacing your existing cabinets, even if sales may be tempting.
When remodeling your kitchen, you may be very concerned about the most important features of your kitchen. This could include the appliances, the cabinets, the center island, the flooring, the lights, and many other obvious features. But one thing you may fail to incorporate is storage space. Remember, you will need plenty of space to store food, dishes, small appliances, and other essentials. So make sure you consider including more storage space. And if you are short on space, consider developing overhead or secret compartments that allow you to hide the extra space allowing you to maintain functionality within your kitchen.
What is the color scheme, styles, and textures you want in your kitchen? Would you like to add a modern touch or stick to another theme, such as mid-century or minimalist? Or do you want a kitchen that is more functional than stylish? Whatever your goal is, you should try to stick to a set of colors, styles, patterns, and textures that don’t look mismatched or busy.
Ultimately, your kitchen is for your benefit. While it will feel great to show your kitchen to your neighbors, friends, or family and brag about your fine china and gorgeous marble countertops, your aim shouldn’t be to impress others. Try to come up with a kitchen remodel design that’s suitable and functional for you.
Not having enough lighting in your kitchen can cause many problems. There may be a lot of shadows in your kitchen, which could cause problems in areas near the cabinets. Additionally, minimal lighting may not allow you to get cleaning and cooking tasks done efficiently. When planning you're remodeling, make sure your kitchen has enough lighting. Also, try to incorporate various types of lighting, including recessed lighting, task lighting, and chandeliers.
If that area behind your stove or behind your kitchen sink is barren, you may want to add a backsplash. Although this becomes a style trend over the years, it originally started as a way to protect the walls in these areas from water stains and food stains. So, when choosing your backsplash, try to take into consideration other color schemes in your kitchen, especially the colors of your countertops. There are many backsplash options available these days, even environmentally friendly ones. So make sure you choose the right one for your kitchen design.
Trash shouldn’t be a focal point in your beautiful new kitchen. But it could become the focal point if you fail to create an area where your trash can go. A common trend is to create a built-in cabinet to obscure such an unsightly item. However, if your budget doesn’t include this neat option, consider having an open area in the kitchen to place a traditional trash can.
A kitchen island can be a great addition to a kitchen. Even if you have plenty of regular countertop space aligning the walls, the center island can provide more workspace and additional storage. However, if it isn’t the right size for your kitchen, this can create tight spaces or interfere with your cooking zone. If it is too big, you may injure yourself every time you try to walk around it. Or it could interfere with your kitchen triangle. It may even make it awkward for you to open and close your appliances. On the flip side, a kitchen island that is too small will not live up to its purpose and won’t be a helpful addition to your kitchen. When remodeling your kitchen, make sure that your kitchen island is the right size.
If you have a small space for a kitchen, you don’t want to remodel your kitchen with furniture and appliances that make it feel small and cluttered. Likewise, if you have a very large kitchen, you don’t want to make the space look underutilized with furniture and appliances that are too small. Be like Goldilocks when remodeling your kitchen, and try to make everything “just right” so that you can have a balanced and functional kitchen.
When designing a kitchen, you should keep in mind space for tangible items you need to use and room for negative space. Negative space is areas of the room not occupied by anything. It’s similar to the concept of white space on paper. To keep your kitchen from feeling cluttered after remodeling it, make sure that you leave more space without items in it to balance your design.
What looks good in an initial design may not look so good upon execution. So, changing a few of the color schemes, textures, furniture, or other items in a design isn’t a bad idea. It becomes problematic when you start changing the entire design, which makes it start looking random and scattered. Try to avoid adding cutesy items to the design after formulating the initial design. This will keep your project on time and within budget.
Are those tile floors you picked out clashing with your granite countertops? Or have you decided that linoleum may not look as good as you thought it would once you started laying the flooring down? Flooring covers a huge space in the kitchen. So, having the wrong flooring can stick out like a sore thumb each time you enter the kitchen. When planning your design, try to make sure that your flooring choice makes sense with all of the other aspects of your kitchen design. Additionally, try to choose flooring types that can handle high traffic and spills so that you won’t have to spend and an enormous amount of time cleaning and maintaining your kitchen floors.
Your kitchen is part of your home, and you have the right to design it in a way that suits your needs. However, you don’t want to get carried away with making the design so eccentric that you don’t reconsider the resale value. If you decide to move from your home in a few years, potential buyers may get turned off by a kitchen that is too personalized. Since the kitchen is one of the most valuable parts of the home, it would be ideal to design it so that it caters to the tastes of many future buyers.
Also, keep in mind that not every change you make to your kitchen will allow you to get a return on investment. According to Zillow, a minor kitchen remodel return on investment could range between 73.4 and 83.8 percent. So essentially, you may recoup most of your investment but not all of it. To get an idea of how much your kitchen remodel may recoup, you can use an online remodeling calculator such as the one provided by Remodeling Calculator
If this home is your forever home, you can disregard this mistake. However, if you plan to resale your home in the future, it is a good idea to stick to function over uniqueness. Keep in mind that what excites your design taste buds may be a turn-off for a potential buyer. So, when remodeling your kitchen, try to minimize too many personal touches.
One of the biggest mistakes that many homeowners may make when remodeling a kitchen is not hiring a professional remodeling company to do the work. DIY may save money in the short term. However, it could cost you in the long term if things aren’t installed to code, and proper permits aren’t acquired before making changes. An unprofessional reno may deter many potential buyers should you decide to sell or at least slow down the selling process.
Doing a DIY kitchen renovation can be quite intriguing for those who love DIY projects. However, this is one of the most valuable parts of your home, and failing to get professional updates may cost you in the long run, especially if you plan to resale. A professional remodeling company will take into consideration your input but will design a kitchen that isn’t too unique. Doing so may turn off potential buyers if you plan to sell in the future. They will ensure your kitchen is safe and will perform exceptional work, ensuring the best return on your investment.
The price of a major kitchen remodel may vary depending on where you live in the U.S. According to Forbes, the average price of a kitchen remodel may range from $5,000 to $60,000. This price could go up or down depending on what you are doing to your kitchen. If you’re getting an economical kitchen remodel, you can anticipate that the cost will be on the lower end. This is especially true if you plan to keep some existing structures, such as cabinets, flooring, or appliances. However, if you plan to do a full remodel or significant changes to the existing kitchen layout, you can expect to pay closer to the higher end or even more.
Hiring a kitchen remodeling company can make your life much easier. But in order to hire the right company, you should ask the right questions. Here are some things you should consider asking before hiring a kitchen remodeling company.
There are so many things that you may need to add to this list to ask the remodeling company before you hire them. Besides these typical questions, try to think of some that are more specific to your needs so that they also address these items for starting the remodeling project.
Would you like to work with a professional kitchen remodeling contractor in the Greater Boston area? Our design experts are ready to remove your old kitchen and give you the perfect kitchen design within your budget. Call Greater Boston Kitchen Remodeling at (617) 716-8717 today to schedule a free consultation and get a FREE quote on this world-class service.