Common Mistakes to Avoid during a Kitchen Remodel

Ah, the kitchen remodeling project. By the time yours is complete you’ll have more cabinet space, natural stone countertops, state-of-the-art appliances, and a new island for dinners and hosting guests. Think about it, you can finally have the kitchen island of your dreams.

Everything is an option. Nothing is impossible. But just because you can do something in your kitchen doesn’t mean you should.

St. Louis neighborhoods are full of homes with remodeled kitchens that didn’t turn out well because there owners made mistakes. You can (and should) learn from them. Here’s a list of common design mistakes during a kitchen remodel:

Not looking up

Sure, most of your time in the kitchen will be spent with your head down, prepping food, cooking and enjoying the company of friends and family. But if you can’t see what you’re doing, you’ll be cooking and dining in the dark. So don’t forget to look up and consider lighting options. It’s always better to have too much lighting rather than too little.

Airing it out

Countertops, appliances and the Island will likely be the focus of your kitchen remodel. But don’t forget to have proper ventilation installed. This is especially important if you’re upgrading your stove range to something that’s restaurant-worthy.

Trying to be too trendy

Design trends come and go, but your kitchen is forever, or at least as long as you live in the house. Kitchen remodels are expensive endeavors, so don’t fall prey to trying too hard to be trendy. Instead, try to create a kitchen that works well with the rest of your house and will stand the test of time. Orange cabinets might be trendy now, but will you really appreciate them as much five years down the road?

Lousy layouts

Kitchens are as much about functionality as they are about form. You need to have enough space to accomplish everything you do in the kitchen, including cooking, cleaning, doing homework with the kids and entertaining. Make sure you give yourself plenty of functional space. If it looks great, that’s an added bonus.

Overlooking the countertops

Your countertops do a lot of the kitchen’s heavy lifting. Make sure you choose countertops that are durable and match the style–granite, marble or soapstone. This is a one of the most common and frustrating design mistakes during a kitchen remodel, but it doesn’t have to be if you contact the experts at Arch City Granite & Marble for advice.