When people talk about kitchen remodeling and kitchen renovation projects, they tend to focus on things that you should do and tips to help ensure the project is a success. But it’s equally important to be aware of what you shouldn’t do during a kitchen renovation. By knowing what other people have done wrong and how that has ultimately ended up impacting their kitchen negatively when the work had been completed and they came to use their new space, you can increase the likelihood that you won’t suffer the same fate.
We’ve been sharing our knowledge and assisting homeowners in Toronto with renovation projects for over 15 years, sometimes coming in and re-designing their room from scratch and other times cleaning up a disaster left behind by an under qualified contractor. Throughout that period we’ve seen many examples of things that definitely shouldn’t be done during a kitchen renovation and we’re going to share some of those examples with you today.
Avoid These Mistakes to Stop Your Kitchen Renovation From Turning into a Horror Show
This is not a comprehensive list by any means and for best results we would always recommend working with a team of experienced Toronto kitchen remodeling contractors,who will be able to tailor a design to your specific requirements. However, avoiding the following design mistakes is a good place to start.
- Lighting: Poor Placement & Selection – Many homeowners are guilty of this and it’s not usually one or the other; many times both the wrong type of lighting is selected and it is then put in the wrong place. What we’ve seen on a consistent basis is that the lighting is one of the last design elements to be decided upon – it’s almost like it’s an afterthought – and by this time the homeowner doesn’t have the time, energy or patience left to make a well informed decision. In reality, the lighting should always be decided upon before any tools are picked up and remodeling starts. If you don’t do this, you’re missing a trick, as lighting is relatively inexpensive in comparison to other design features, but it can have a BIG impact upon the finished design, both in a practical sense and an aesthetic sense.
- Being Too Cheap With Your Cabinets – This is also a common problem. We’ve even visited extremely expensive properties in the Toronto area and found them to have extremely cheap, ugly looking cabinetry in the kitchen and bathroom areas. Under no circumstances would we recommend you skimp on your cabinets during a kitchen renovation. They are quite possibly the most important feature in the entire room, occupying a significant proportion of the space visually and tasked with storing an enormous range of different items. Allocate more of your total budget to the purchase of higher quality cabinetry; it can make an enormous amount of difference to the end result that your kitchen renovation produces.
- Not Realizing the Importance of the Floor – Another element that many people take for granted during a kitchen renovation is the floor. Just like with the cabinetry, it occupies a large amount of space and has a big impact upon the visual appeal of the room when it’s finished. “But it’s just something we walk on” many people protest; yes, it is, but a sub-standard floor can make the whole room look a lot cheaper. Not only that, but the kitchen is one of the most high traffic areas in nearly every household in Toronto and needs to be able to stand up to that daily wear and tear, otherwise you will find yourself replacing it sooner that you really want to. In many ways, the floor you select is the foundation of your kitchen’s new design.
- Going OTT With Appliances – I don’t know how many times we’ve seen this one before. Many homeowners seem to feel the need to own every type of appliance that you could imagine, regardless of whether they are actually likely to use them or not. Yes, it’s nice to have a bread maker or a rotisserie machine. They look impressive, but for the majority of people they just aren’t a practical solution. Maybe you don’t have the time to make your own bread or to sit there watching your chickens as they turn, or maybe you just prefer what your local store can offer you. Whatever your situation is, the bottom line is that many people fritter away large amounts of their budget on items they will rarely, if ever, use. This money would be better invested into more fundamental design elements, a couple of which we’ve already mentioned – the cabinets and the floor. Think quality, not quantity, when deciding on the features you want to include as part of your kitchen renovation.
- Not Including Enough Counter Space – One thing that many homeowners tell us they wish they could change about their kitchen is a lack of counter space. It’s all very well and good having a zillion cabinets, an endless array of sliding drawers and a top of the range hob, but what about workspace? Food preparation can get a bit chaotic for the average homeowner and I’m sure you’ll admit that it’s always good to have plenty of counter space when you’re “mid-cook.” Don’t neglect this aspect of your kitchen’s design during a kitchen renovation. One way that extra counter space can be added to a kitchen relatively easily is through the incorporation of a central island.
If you want to be sure you avoid these pitfalls (and the rest) and end up with the kitchen of your dreams, get in touch with the team of professionals at Karen Homes.
We have decades of combined kitchen remodeling experience and pride ourselves on our ability to produce the best possible results with the budget that we are provided with.