Kitchen Layout Mistakes to Avoid

A poorly designed home can be a major source of frustration, with some rooms being far more frustrating than others when they have built-in layout mistakes.

A bad kitchen layout is without rival as the source of grief and domestic tension. No, this is not overdramatizing, and if you ever lived in a house with a bad kitchen design, you understand perfectly just how true this is.

The kitchen is where the food gets stored, cooked, and often eaten. The potential for a mess in a kitchen is huge, and that’s why if you have one room you decide to invest in – your best choice would be be kitchen renovations over any other remodeling project.

Here are the things that can drive a homeowner insane – each of them warranting a full kitchen remodeling project.

An Obstructed Kitchen Triangle

The sink, stove and fridge – the three cornerstones of any kitchen since the invention of electricity and plumbing. Unlike the bermuda triangle, this one is easy to navigate – but only if it is clear of stuff that can get in the way. Kitchen isles, for example, can be a blessing or a curse, depending on their positioning between them. This also includes countertops that service the triangle – there should be several around the sink, and a few prep spaces between the stove and fridge. The space should also not be too small (less than 10’) or too large (25’ or more).

Insufficient Storage Space

This is the next culprit that can make your kitchen hard to use. If you have inadequate or poorly planned storage in your kitchen, things are going to be hard to store. The result is either you have to get rid of half your cookware, or you have a sprawling mess that slowly spreads all over the place threatening to invade other rooms if it’s demands are not heard. There is hope, of course, even if your kitchen is on the small side. A Toronto kitchen remodeling professional can redesign the cabinetry in a way that makes use of every single cubical inch of space, leaving none wasted. Modern clever contraptions – levers, rails and swivels can make deep cabinets more accessible, using all the space they have to offer minus the backache of crawling into them every time you need to get something from the far corner.

Inadequate Lighting

Let’s leave the cave lighting to the mancave. A kitchen is a workspace, first and foremost. And just like any workspace, it has sharp tools, work areas and lots of materials, most of which are organic. Working in the dark or half-dark in this environment is not only frustrating, but can be potentially dangerous and definitely messy. Any good kitchen remodeling project includes not only a strong area light to flood the entire room, but also well-positioned focus lights for every work area.

Poor Ventilation

Lingering odours of last night’s cooking can spoil even the most spectacular kitchen design. A good, well-placed vent and adjacent windows will save your household from smelling like the inside of a restaurant kitchen. Including a good ventilation system in your next Toronto kitchen remodeling project is an investment not to be overlooked. In addition to the very real contribution of keeping the air fresh, it will keep your fixtures and appliances functioning longer, saving your money on repairs and replacements.

If you are ready to start, and need a professional, or simply wish to discuss options and deals, the professionals at Royal Home Improvement are here for you. Your dream kitchen is a phone call away.