Renovating Your Kitchen can be an exciting process, after all, your home is about to get a facelift. But don’t get too ahead of yourself. There are some things you need to avoid, or at least be aware of before you get started. That being said, if you’re not confident in a DIY job MY Homes offers kitchen renovations in Melbourne, so you can leave it to the experts.
Now, without further ado, here are the top mistakes to avoid:
Not Making a Budget
Not creating an accurate budget is a huge mistake. Whatever you think you want to spend, you will spend more, so set aside 15-20 per cent to plan for unexpected problems. To avoid unexpected surprises, it’s best to take your time and do as much research as possible on flooring, tables, furniture, lighting, accessories, appliances and more.
Not Having a Plan
The biggest mistake most homeowners make when renovating their kitchen is not planning. A successful kitchen renovation requires purpose and vision. It’s not just a pretty picture of how you want the kitchen to look. You need to know how your and your family’s life will look in this new space because the kitchen needs work to achieve these goals.
Don’t Be Too Trendy
Social media is great, but most of the things you see there are just trends. This means they will be here today and gone tomorrow. Therefore, you should not include too many trendy items in your design, unless they are easy to replace in a few years. This also applies to bathroom renovations. Larger pieces like cabinets and even tabletops should have a somewhat timeless style so you don’t have to endure major renovations when the trend fades.
The top trend right now is open shelves. Which are trendy and look nice, but the reality is that you are always going to need more storage than you think (especially if you use your kitchen often). You don’t want to see a lot of the kitchen items displayed on an open shelf, so consider putting a few above the sink or close to a window to hold some items, but otherwise, you need cabinets with doors for your storage needs.
Choosing Appliances After Cabinets
It’s a huge mistake if you choose your appliances after you’ve already installed the cabinetry. This is because measurements are crucial in such a purpose-built area as the kitchen. So one to two centimetres can make or break the look. This is why you need to know your appliance measurements before the cabinet specifications are made. If you do this, the specifications of the appliances can be taken into consideration when you start planning the layout.
Not Choosing the Right Flooring
If you want to use hardwood flooring in your kitchen renovation, you need to choose the right wood. The aim is to choose the wood that is treated with the proper finishes; a pre-finished sealed hardwood is a good choice. Hardwood can be slippery, so more textured finishes like reclaimed wood or hand-scraped wood can provide greater traction while covering the damage from wear and tear.
Ignoring the Triangle
No matter how elegant your kitchen looks, it won’t work if the main appliances are too far from each other. As a general rule, create a cooking triangle between the stove, sink and refrigerator, all a few feet apart. Placing these three main work elements close to each other (but not too close) makes the kitchen more efficient and easier to use and reduces unnecessary steps.
Not Planning for Storage
Besides the obvious need for large storage areas for pots and pans and small kitchen appliances like blenders, most homeowners miscalculate the space they need for other items. It’s smart to look for ways to increase storage, such as pull-out spice racks that line the range or, under-sink storage and storage in the central island.
Now that you know what not to do, it’s time to get started with confidence!
Trying To Do It Yourself
There are a variety of DIY kitchen design ideas, each with its own unique twists. While these ideas might look attractive, trying to handle a renovation project by yourself can be extremely complicated. There are numerous essential elements that go into kitchen designing, be it single-wall kitchens or large kitchen spaces. That’s why one minor mistake could lead to disaster. A poorly executed kitchen could cause several unnecessary expenses and also prove to be a safety risk. By hiring professional kitchen fitters, you can rest assured that your kitchen will be carefully designed, eliminating all risks. If you’d still like to add your own DIY touch, you could get some beautiful pots and create your own kitchen garden.
