Remodelling your kitchen can be an enjoyable and highly educational experience – but it’s not without its share of pitfalls! During our years of designing kitchens in Liverpool, we’ve offered advice to plenty of homeowners about the things you should avoid when you’re planning your new kitchen design.
Spending too much
Don’t go into the project of designing a new kitchen without first working out a strict budget – ever! It’s essential that before you start, you sit down and work out exactly what you can afford. Kitchen costs can easily spiral out of control, so you have to be disciplined enough to manage your finances properly. Don’t be tempted to overspend – there’s no point having a budget unless you stick to it, as you’ll only be creating difficulties for yourself in the future, and you also risk running out of money before your kitchen is finished.
Starting too soon
We know you’ll be excited to get started as soon as possible, but it’s essential you don’t start work on your new kitchen before you’re ready. Knocking down walls and ripping out appliances before you’ve made a detailed and accurate plan is never going to end well. It’s essential to have your new layout completely worked out before you start, with accurate measurements and a plan of exactly what is going where, right down to the last detail.
Losing space
It’s tempting when you’re designing your kitchen to want everything shiny and new – but this shouldn’t come at the cost of the functional space within the room. You may love the look of a huge American-style fridge, but if it means losing even a few inches of your kitchen worktops, there’s a good chance you’ll regret it, as you’ve got used to having a certain amount of space to work with. The same goes for floor space – consider the size of that new table or island. The aim is to make your kitchen a more practical, enjoyable space as well as more aesthetically appealing – so the more workspace you can add rather than take away, the better.
Changing the plumbing
If at all possible, avoid changing the positioning of plumbing and gas outlets. Moving and altering these things costs a lot of money and carries a significant risk of something going wrong if it isn’t done by an expert. You can save yourself a lot of time and a large portion of your budget by planning your new layout around the existing plumbing and power points.
Hasty purchases
You probably want to rush into buying items for your new kitchen – but remember everything that goes into your kitchen has to work properly as well as look good. It’s important to make considered decisions about everything from your backsplashes to your appliances, as these are expensive purchases that will have to last you for a long time. Will you get sick of it if it goes out of fashion next year? Will it coordinate well with the rest of the room? If something is cheap, is it a high enough quality to do the job you need it to do? By asking questions like these, you’re much more likely to end up with a kitchen that continues to make you happy for years to come.
Doing it all yourself
You should never attempt to design your kitchen yourself if you’re not completely sure what you’re doing. A professional kitchen designer knows all the tricks of the trade and can advise you on the best layout and clever ways to make use of the space. Mistakes in planning a kitchen can be hugely costly and time-consuming – consulting a professional will reduce these risks, possibly saving you a lot of money and stress in the long run. The chances are they’ll come up with some innovative ideas and solutions you haven’t thought of too, making your kitchen even more efficient and attractive.
If you’d like more help and advice about designing your kitchen, contact HB Kitchens – with years of experience designing and installing custom fitted kitchens in Liverpool, we can help turn your vision into a reality.