Are you making these kitchen renovation mistakes?

Dare I say that the kitchen might be the most exciting room for those of us who are fond of cooking or trying out new gastronomic adventures. However, the presence of high heat, oil, various liquids, mixtures, etc. also makes this a highly temperamental room. While there are many possibilities to explore in this space, it may also cause quite a headache during the renovation process. Indeed, there are many things to consider, from the furniture placement to a suitable colour scheme / materials to use. 

But, not to worry, as we have collated some of the common mistakes homeowners tend to make when renovating their kitchens. Like most situations, prevention is better than cure, as making the wrong choice during renovation could be quite costly. So, here are some things you should avoid when renovating your kitchen: 

1.    Forgetting sockets and plugs

Admittedly, when we think of our kitchens, electricity and electrical sockets aren’t really the first things that come to mind. It is easily overlooked that many of our kitchen gadgets require electricity. This is why it is crucial to have your plugs in convenient locations near the countertop where you’re actually cooking. It would be quite disastrous, and dangerous, if you have multiple extension cords laying around the kitchen.

2.    Not adjusting the countertop height

If you spend a lot of time cooking, it could be quite painful for you to constantly be hunched over your counter or having to extend your body to reach all your tools and ingredients. Hence, it is important that your countertop is a suitable height for you. The standard height for a countertop is 90cm while bars are 106cm. Always test out the height of counters and make adjustments if necessary, before renovation.

3.    Not factoring your fridge door when planning your space

Fridges come in a variety of forms. Specifically, there are 6 different configurations for you to play with: top or bottom freezer, French door, side-by-side, undercounter, and quad door refrigerators. You should keep this in mind when planning your kitchen space as you want to avoid obstructing your fridge doors or having your fridge doors bump into any other furniture.

4.    Insufficient ventilation

Cooking usually produces smoke, steam and airborne particles that can create an unpleasant smell, allergies, or respiratory problems. As such, a proper ventilation system minimizes the risk of all of these. Kitchen fumehoods should be placed directly above the stove, where most of the smoke is generated to ensure effective ventilation.

5.    Insufficient / inappropriate lighting

You use all your senses when cooking. Sight is one of the most important senses that you should factor in when doing your kitchen renovation. Ensure there is sufficient light in areas where the actual cooking is being done so you can work with all your sharp tools with precision.

6.    Choosing improper materials

In the kitchen, you are often dealing with a variety of mixtures that can cause stains. Prolonged exposure to oil can also leave a greasy mark if you do not choose the correct materials. Marbled and white tiles should be avoided as they are prone to scratches and stains. Instead, opt for quarry, stone or porcelain as these are more resistant to heat and scratches.

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