Any out there have any regrets regarding their kitchen design that others could learn from? I'm sure I will have some to share when our construction is complete. It's so difficult to think through it all on paper. Thanks for any tips/lessons learned.
I was in a client's home a few days ago working on a large bathroom renovation. She told me how much she regrets not hiring a pro to help her design her newly renovated kitchen.
Flaws she cannot stand are, they didn't leave her room for a pantry and she ended up converting her nearby coat closet to that. Her lighting is terrible. People should realize that a kitchen is a major task area and thus good lighting is key. The recessed lights in the ceiling need to be placed so that if you were to draw a straight line downwards, the edge of the light trim should meet the edge of the countertop (for 4"-6" widths). Under-cabinet lighting can add some more illumination for food preparation. However, keep in mind that these lights (even if LEDs) will heat up the cabinet. Therefore, don't plan for any of these cabinets to contain spices etc. Make sure you have one recessed light directly above your sink area. Also, try to keep your oven (and hopefully fridge) from a pathway connecting adjacent rooms and exits.
Lastly, to me under-counter cabinets should not exist in new kitchens. We should not have to be bending over digging for pots and pans in the back of some narrow space. It is much more functional for everything to slide out to you. So, try using drawers instead, and the wider the better so you can organize everything nicely.
I hope these tips help prevent any disasters. Best of luck on your project!
A carpenter's mistake drives me nuts (otherwise perfectly designed for the needs stated).
There is a full height cabinet on one side of the entry door (pantry) and a lower cabinet only on the other side.
The door swing was designed so that one could put down a tray on the countertop, open the door, grab the tray and walk out. Or open the door, plop the groceries on the counter and walk in unencumbered.
The carpenter installing the door swung it the opposite (I had the plans posted! I had it taped on the floor, I had submitted plans to the GC MONTHS in advance). And now the door swings so that coming in or going out, there is no way to put things down. Luckily it doesn't bother those living there (in fact they think it prevents that counter from becoming a catch space where mail, purses etc would unintentionally pile up) and looks lovely but for me it would make me nuts.
I ONLY had drawers in my former base cabinets and ONLY have drawers planned in the future ones. Could not agree more! THANKS! I just wish someone could come up with an idea for the upper cabinets that are way too high for me to ever be able to meaningfully use, at 5'2" at my tallest! I want them to have molding and go to the ceiling, but for all intents and purposes other than display decoration with glass cabinets, I can only reach the first two shelves and the 3+ feet above is wasted and frustrating.
Wise choices! Many people store items they use only occasionally in the higher cabinets. It is definitely a cleaner look to have the cabinets go all the way to the top.
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We moved into this new condo three years ago and love the kitchen...lots of storage, large drawers in the island. However, I do miss the IKEA pantry cupboard with pull-out shelves we put in our last kitchen. That small pantry held everything.
These are my favorites. 1. Trash compactor (or at a minimum hidden trash area). 2. Hot water and soap dispenser at sink. 3. Pull out drawers for pots/pans. 4. Pull out pantry for spices near stove.
My regrets all involve small aesthetic details (and invariably involve decisions I compromised on to make my husband happy). So I guess the larger lesson is not to make too many compromises with your spouse if the compromise is going to annoy you. And in all cases I was arguing for the simpler option, so I guess the other lesson is keep it simple and classic.
I regret not putting a nicer and quieter Bosch dishwasher and nicer refrigerator in our 2010 kitchen. I hate the stainless finish on the fridge. I fixed both of these mistakes in our up north home.
Lessons i have learnt and planned In my new shortly to be installed kitchen; All drawers for ease of use. Because i am short very few wall cupboards, an oven with slide away door and a linear hob so I don't struggle to use the back burners.
Marilyn, Thanks for confirming my fear of SS. And I hated my Bosch in my home up North. Cleaned dishes inadequately. Meanwhile, I LOVE my Kenmore (Sears) dishwasher at our beach house. My DW (whatever it is) will be paneled in the new construction.... so I don't care what the brand is, only the efficiency and lack of noise!
Feeny, funny...the kitchen designer was here this afternoon and after MANY promises that he would leave me alone with kitchen decisions, my husband started contributing opinions about my cabinet color choices. SIGH. I ignored him. This is my sacred ground, I have decided.
Hi dnamama, a linear hob has all the burners in a line instead of the traditional square means you are not reaching over pots on the front to get to those at the back, see link for example. Wish I had installed one last time around would have saved a few burns! http://www.cda.eu/News/Article/1335
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