Common Kitchen Design Mistakes
Most kitchens that disappoint don't fail on taste — they fail on planning. The details that cause daily frustration are usually decided early, quietly, and are expensive to undo once the cabinetry is made.
These are the mistakes we see most often, and the simple ways to design around them.
1. Planning the look before the layout
Finishes are the easiest part to fall in love with, and the easiest to change later. Fix the working layout first — where you wash, store and cook — then choose doors, worktops and handles around it.
2. Leaving no landing space
Every appliance needs a surface beside it: somewhere to set a hot tray down, somewhere to unload the fridge. A run of uninterrupted worktop either side of the hob and sink makes a kitchen feel calm to use.
3. Underestimating storage
Deep drawers hold more, and hold it better, than base cupboards. Plan storage by what you actually own — pans, dry goods, recycling, small appliances — rather than by the number of units that fit.
4. Treating lighting as an afterthought
One ceiling light casts shadows exactly where you work. Layer task lighting under wall units, ambient light for the evening and a feature light over an island or table, and put them on separate circuits.
5. Islands that block the room
An island needs generous clearance on every side so drawers, dishwashers and ovens can open while someone walks past. If the space is tight, a peninsula or a well-planned run often works harder.
6. Forgetting ventilation and waste
Extraction, bins and recycling are rarely exciting decisions, but they shape daily life more than most finishes. Plan them into the design early rather than squeezing them in at the end.
7. Choosing materials that don't suit the household
Some surfaces mark, some need sealing, some show every fingerprint. Be honest about how the kitchen will be used — children, pets, serious cooking — and choose finishes that will still look right in ten years.
8. Not enough sockets, in the wrong places
Think through where you'll charge, toast, blend and work. Sockets in the island, inside a pantry and along the main prep run save a kitchen from a permanent tangle of extension leads.
None of these are difficult to avoid — they simply need to be settled before anything is ordered. If you'd like a second pair of eyes on a plan, our design team is happy to look through it with you.