10 Tips to avoid mistakes in the Design of our Kitchens

Every day we are more aware of the increasing importance that kitchen design is gaining in our homes

No matter how different our lifestyle may be, in the end, much of our domestic activities will take place in the kitchen. For this, we want to raise today 10 mistakes that we have to avoid. If we want to get the design of our kitchen right:

1. Avoid obstructing the so-called work triangle

The work triangle in the kitchen is made up of the refrigerator, the sink, and the hob itself. This area is the one with the greatest activity. And it is the one that we must take the most care of when planning the design, avoiding placing these elements too far apart, as well as avoiding the interposition of possible obstacles between them.

Regardless of the size or layout of the design of our kitchen, it must adhere to this simple rule to achieve greater effectiveness in the main use of this room; to cook.

Too small a triangle can cause us to bump into each other in the kitchen and if it is too large it will become a tiring activity.

2. Avoid the lack of lighting

Lighting is one of the great forgotten protagonists in the design of our homes. And from our interior design and decoration blog, we have already talked about the importance of lighting our houses well.

And the kitchen is a space in which we should not have the luxury of having poor lighting, since we use sharp and dangerous kitchen utensils in it.

We must consider good general lighting, which avoids shadows within the workspace and reinforced by specific lighting for each task. The usual thing is to reinforce in the food preparation area, as well as in those areas that we use in our kitchens to enjoy our breakfasts or meals.

3. Do not forget about good ventilation

Both the use of a good extractor hood and designing the kitchen with good natural ventilation must be essential in our kitchens. Avoiding the use of hoods that are often of a very elegant design and yet do not comply with a good extraction of stale air.

Likewise, study well their placement heights to be able to enjoy cleaner and more pleasant kitchens for us.

4. Do not forget the Storage space

In our kitchens, we usually store a lot of appliances, utensils, food …

And not only that but frequently everything related to cleaning the home is also inside the kitchen. That is why we need a large amount of storage space and we also have to consider that it is easily accessible.

We have often come across kitchen houses that bypass this space in pursuit of a more “attractive” design and this is just something we should avoid.

That is why we like to define the space of the kitchens. In which we work and define its design adapting it to the needs of the client, through proper planning and forecasting. The kitchen must not only be more attractive but must also have all the storage space we need.

Even taking advantage of the base of the same to increase the total storage capacity.

5. Don’t Ignore the Counter Work Space

Many times we find kitchens that do not have an adequate length for the work surface. All the activities that we carry out in the kitchen require a countertop. So it is convenient to adopt this need to our kitchen.

For this, we can use islands or develop L or U-shaped kitchens. It is important not to forget to have a large worktop surface in our kitchens. Especially near the sink and the kitchen itself.

6. Make no mistake when choosing an Island in the Kitchen

They are fashionable and we know it. They are a fantastic design element, but on many occasions trying to place an island in our kitchen. Or a bad location of it within it can be a disastrous choice.

If we do not have a kitchen of adequate size, an island can hinder the development of a good work triangle. As we talked about in the first point, or it will make us have a lower storage capacity. It is important to determine whether the choice of an island in the design of our kitchen may or may not be the right decision.

7. Do not forget to protect the walls of our kitchen

Either for budget or for aesthetic reasons, many times adequate protection of the vertical walls of our kitchens is waived. Especially in the areas of the fires or the sink.

We are finding a growing trend by our clients to ask us for untiled kitchen walls, usually finished with smooth paint. We understand this as a mistake if we do it with our heads. And it is necessary that these vertical surfaces are easy to clean, avoiding finishes that have high porosity. And thus an easy absorption of vapors and greases that spread throughout the kitchen.

For this, we recommend using a good tile or folding the kitchen countertop on the walls of the kitchen. Being this option more expensive economically and therefore it only has to be used occasionally.

We can also use vitreous or stone coatings, as long as they do not have open pores.

8. Do not forget the space for Recycling

Either in the space under the sink or in a separate piece of furniture. We can resort to choosing a wide variety of bins for recycling garbage.

Today there are a large number of containers on the market that allow an easy classification of the different types of waste that we generate.

9. Do not err in excess of Fashion

Although it should not be treated as a big mistake if it is convenient to take into account that the market is somewhat volatile. In terms of trends and although today a color or a design is especially fashionable, it can have a very short half-life and make that our investment has not been the best option.

It is not only a matter of colors but also kitchen utensils. That appears in all the magazines today and that may not be of special use to us. As we always indicate to our clients, it is important to know ourselves and our needs to avoid absurd investments.

10. Do not make the mistake of not having Professionals

Taking charge of a kitchen design project on your own. As well as not having professionals in the design of your home reform project, is a common mistake in Spain. In other countries, you always have an architect when you reform a home. Here this is considered an expense and not saving.

When you have a Professional Architect with knowledge of the value of the costs of the Materials and the Works to be carried out. This will not only mean a great economic saving within the work to be carried out. But will also become an appropriate investment in the projected future. Revaluing the value of our house and determining the importance or not of the work to be done for it.

In the design of kitchens, this also takes on special importance. And many times to “save money”, we end up wasting not only money but also time and energy.