The kitchen is among the frequently used areas, and most of us define it as the heart of the home. 

Your kitchen is a place to gather and socialize while cooking your favorite meal for your friends or loved ones. Kitchen remodel in Northern Virginia can be among the most worthwhile tasks that you undertake in your home kitchen remodel. However, since a kitchen has endless design decisions, it can be a daunting decision for those not prepared enough. To save time, wealth, stress, and get the most out of your dream kitchen remodel, try to avoid some of these costly designing mistakes.

Kitchen remodel in Northern Virginia

Function and Space Planning:

Space planning is the most repeated mistake that most homeowners make while designing their kitchen. Make sure the designers you are hiring are making a plan while considering your space. The appropriate measurement of the kitchen layout allows you to move towards the next step of designing. It would help to start with taking measurements of the floor space you need for your kitchen appliances. The most common issues that arise with space planning in the kitchens are –

1. Clearance issues that deal with doorways and walkways

• Always keep the doors 32″ inches wide (80cm), and swinging doors should not affect the appliances, cabinet doors, and walkways.
• If your kitchen passageways do not have doors, make sure to keep them around 36″ wide (90 cm) or larger.
• However, when you are standing in front of your refrigerators, the walkways should be 42″ inches wide (106 cm).
• It is the appropriate measurement if there is one cook, but if there are multiple cooks, make sure to keep it 48″ inches (120cm).

2. Poor Design of a Work Triangle

Every expert kitchen designer is aware of the work triangle importance of a truly functional kitchen. Work triangle improves the kitchen’s functionality while minimizing the walking distance between the skin, cooktop, and the refrigerators.

3. Lack of Countertop Space

When designing a space, keep the usable countertop space 150 total inches (380cm). It can include the lower cabinets that are at least 24″ inches deep (60cm) and clearance space of 18″ inches above the countertop.

4. Kitchen Island

Ensure there should be at least 36 inches (90cm) of space around the island for passage. It would also help to purchase the storage equipment for your kitchen to save more space that you can use for other purposes.

Logistics and choosing appliances

Why do you need to choose the appliances? Selecting the right appliances and locating them within the confines of the kitchen will allow you to custom-fit all your cabinets according to space. Knowing each unit’s measurements will allow you to fit the cabinets around the appliances, giving you a seamless custom look. A common mistake that people make is they leave for the task to last and then realize nothing fits, due to which they end up spending an unnecessary amount. The appliances include the refrigerator, the cooktops, the sinks, dishwasher, microwave, and anything built-in and needs electricity or gas to operate.

Kitchen Remodel Northern VA

1. Neglecting electrical needs

All the countertops, receptors, and working areas near water need a GFCI, which means Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protection. A GFCI will completely shut off the electrical powers in the event of faults to prevent electric shock. Once you finish locating your appliances, you can then start with strategically placing your outlets. A kitchen should have at least one wall switch to control the light and make sure to put it in the entrance.

2. Forgetting to ventilate appliances

Ventilating the appliances is crucial. When you cook, the strong food smell lingers in the air, and the excess moisture can also lead to molds. Ensure to plan for a hood with an extractor fan available with an exhaust rate of 150 cubic feet of the air per minute.

3. Poor location of interior fittings

It is more about the storage and the organization rather than the actual design of the space. However, suppose you are customizing your interiors. In this case, it will help to decide this for the installation of the doors and cabinets. 

Storage and custom fittings

1. Underestimating the storage needs

Everyone prefers to have relevant storage in their kitchens, whether cabinet space, pantry space, or drawer space. First, you need to calculate how much space you need, and it depends on what appliances or equipment you are going to store in your kitchens. Make sure to allocate the required space to every appliance when planning your area. If there is leftover space on the top of your kitchen, you can arrange for a top pantry cabinet. You can use it to store seasonal items, less used products, or the items you need occasionally.

2. Not making room for trash receptacles

Never forget to plan a space for your trash bins, and you can place them near the refrigerators, sink, or countertops. It would help install one for general waste and the other for recycling to keep the space cleaner.

Finally, don’t just randomly pick up any material or decide on the finishes -these can impact your overall kitchen style. Don’t make your kitchen awful while arranging everything matched. Instead, a kitchen renovation interior designer can guide you. It can make your kitchen look dull, so consider the above-discussed mistakes to keep your kitchen in the right shape.