How to Avoid the 5 Worst Kitchen Design Mistakes

Owners ought to view their kitchens first as machines for making ready meals, he suggested. “Then slowly add luxurious to make it sensually interesting”—and ideally inject persona of the proper. We requested design professionals like Mr. Lichten to share their largest kitchen-decorating pet peeves, from oversize islands to mixed-material counters, and to suggest stylish, practical fixes.

Scattered Home equipment

Countertop gear—espresso maker, toaster, blender, air fryer—is likely to be important to getting your three squares, conceded Los Angeles designer Amy Sklar, “however truthfully, they don’t look so sizzling unfold out over each usable floor.”

As an alternative Collect your gadget diaspora behind an accordion-doored “equipment storage” (assume: a built-in bread field on your blender and such). This enables easy accessibility to contraptions whereas hiding them. To make sure your juicer stays juiced, plan round {an electrical} outlet. Pullout drawers in decrease cupboards, too, will be hidy-holes for lesser-used home equipment.

Unintelligent Counters

Together with different dumb Nineteen Seventies concepts like water beds, resign tiled work surfaces. New York designer Alan Tanksley calls out their uneven surfaces and unsanitary grout strains. Even completely flat tiles put in tightly can pose a problem, Mr. Tanksley famous. Any particular person tile is extra inclined to chips and cracks than unified slabs of pure stone. That mentioned, porous pure stone can add nervousness to meals prep, too. One huge stone no-no: mixing pure marble with engineered-quartz marble. “Two totally different however veined supplies within the room drive the attention to decide on a favourite,” mentioned Nashville designer Lori Paranjape, “and Mom Nature wins each time.”

As an alternative When Mary Maydan’s purchasers desire a worry-free marbled look, the Palo Alto, Calif., architect recommends porcelain faux-marble slabs, which she says have “come a great distance in recent times.” She additionally favors Corian counter tops as an alternative choice to pure stone, particularly paired with built-in sinks to “create a really glossy and seamless look.” Ms. Paranjape sticks to stable quartz for prep surfaces and applies pure stone solely to partitions, “the place it may be seen however not broken.”

Truncated Backsplashes

A stovetop backsplash that ends mid-wall on the backside of the vent hood or consistent with the underside of the higher cupboards appears to Houston designer Benjamin Johnston “such as you ran out of cash for the venture and couldn’t end the job correctly.” One other frequent head-scratcher: countertop materials that extends 4 inches up the wall. It reminds Seattle designer Charlie Hellstern of a health care provider’s workplace and presumes that meals doesn’t splatter any greater.

As an alternative Mr. Johnston recommends extending the backsplash behind the range to the ceiling. “It’s an ideal alternative for a wow second,” he mentioned. To keep away from the “physician’s workplace” look, Ms. Hellstern continues countertop materials all the way in which up the wall. For a less expensive backsplash basically, repair a chunk of glass over the painted wall, she mentioned.

Island Takeovers

Ms. Sklar as soon as got here throughout a kitchen island so huge “the home-owner needed to climb on prime of it to wash the middle.” One other signal your island is simply too large, in response to Amanda Mole, an architect in Kiawah Island, S.C.: You may’t flow into round it freely anytime an equipment is open. And don’t even take into consideration placing a cooktop within the island. A vent hood hanging mid-ceiling appears like an industrial exhaust that’s escaped the manufacturing facility.

As an alternative Ms. Mole means that in lieu of an island, increase work surfaces or seating by extending the countertop to type an L form. If storage is the aim, a caddie on the finish of a counter can maintain silverware and dishes.

Unconnected Cupboards

The no man’s land above higher cupboards that don’t attain the ceiling is a supply of frustration for Michelle Lisac, a designer in Scotts Valley, Calif. The break creates an unwelcome horizontal line and the hole collects mud and grease. “Why not simply go that further foot!” she mentioned. The development of mismatched higher and decrease cupboards strikes Santa Monica designer Christine Markatos Lowe as equally disjointed: “They need to visually act as a single unit in a single coloration,” she mentioned.

As an alternative If new cupboards aren’t within the price range, Ms. Lisac suggests filling the breach with a flat panel and crown molding to create the phantasm of ceiling-high cupboards. For individuals who just like the look of two tones within the kitchen, Ms. Markatos Lowe recommends portray the island in an accent coloration and maintaining all woodwork connected to the partitions the identical hue.

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

Professionals recall essentially the most egregious design choices they’ve witnessed

I’ve seen a few kitchen island concepts which are hanging however come at a value of little or no performance. For instance, islands the place your complete [structure] is a fish tank and others that appear like a sculpture and supply no storage and little or no seating.” —Mary Maydan, architect, Palo Alto, Calif.

A mannequin automobile assortment on prime of the wine show.” —Scott Dresner, designer, Chicago

We rented a home once I was rising up that had a pretend shingle-roof element within the area between the highest of the cupboards and the ceiling, and the identical kitchen was carpeted.” —Amy Sklar, designer, Los Angeles

We got here throughout a kitchen with plate-glass mirror for a backsplash, even behind the vary. Are you able to think about making an attempt to maintain that clear?” —Erin Gates, designer, Newton Centre, Mass.

A set of empty bottles of fancy booze displayed across the kitchen.” —Jenna Kincaid, artwork director, Lulu and Georgia