9 Kitchen Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s state the obvious: A kitchen renovation project is an expensive endeavour, and that’s why, prior to carefully planning your project, you should take into account certain measures. 

In fact, just like with any other project, no one is immune to errors. Since these can greatly compromise your ability to stick to your agreed-upon budget, in addition to causing a certain amount of dissatisfaction, it's essential to strive for maximum efficiency. For this reason, we've made a list of kitchen renovation mistakes to avoid.

Kitchen Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

1- Disregarding clearance space

Source : Canva

When opening a refrigerator, dishwasher, or oven, a certain amount of space is needed for one to effectively carry out this manoeuvre. Moreover, suppose two people find themselves in the kitchen at the same time while doing different things (one opening the fridge and another putting away the dishes in the dishwasher). In that case, an incorrect clearance assessment will prevent either from achieving their intended task.

Therefore, accurately planning the right amount of clearance between the various elements in the kitchen is absolutely essential to ensure functionality and avoid people stepping over each other.

2- Neglecting the work triangle when designing a kitchen

Source : Canva

For those who aren’t aware of the concept of the “kitchen work triangle,” it’s directly related to three key elements: the sink/dishwasher, refrigerator, and oven. 

Since we often find ourselves busy at one of these workstations whilst carrying out various tasks in the kitchen, these appliances should be equally spaced from one another. Although it may seem perfectly natural to think about kitchen design primarily from an aesthetic point of view, it goes without saying that this type of planning shouldn't override your basic functional needs. In fact, it's just as important to think about the design's practicality as it is its beauty.

I mean, who really wants to spend more time than necessary preparing dinner or putting away or washing dishes left on the dinner table? Bear in mind that if your refrigerator is next to your counter, it'll be all the more convenient to cut down on your meal prep time.

The same principle obviously applies to the sink, which ideally should be located close to the stove so that cooking utensils, pots, and pans can be quickly stowed away.

3- Choosing a single type of lighting for your kitchen

Source : Canva

As previously mentioned, there are many different tasks carried out in a large area such as the kitchen. From meal prep to cleaning dishes and countertops, to putting away groceries. Given this broad range of tasks and chores, it's essential to ensure that each task has the right amount of lighting.

For instance, for additional lighting above a kitchen island, opt for suspended track lighting. Without being overly bright, this type of lighting will be ideal when preparing drinks and appetizers for your guests.

As far as meal prep is concerned, installing track lighting under high cabinets will provide sufficient visibility, since this task requires one to be focused to avoid injuries or mismeasuring ingredients.

Looking for more advice on your future kitchen lighting? Check out our article: The Different Types of Light Fixtures.

4- Insufficient storage space

Source : Canva

Is there anybody out there who can complain about having too much storage space? Probably not! Besides, if there's one place where a lot of stuff needs to be stored, it's in the kitchen. Just think of all the pots, pans, slow cooker, cutting boards... There are obviously a lot of items involved in cooking a good meal.

On that note, remember not to scrimp on the number and type of storage units needed in this, unfortunately, often cluttered space. Otherwise, anything that can't be properly stored will probably end up sitting on the counter and taking up an unnecessary amount of space.

While we traditionally tend to think of increasing the number of cabinets to benefit from more storage space, it isn't the only option available to you. In fact, there are other interesting alternatives. Among these, one thinks of installing a ceiling rack to hang pots and pans as well as hooks or baskets on the wall to store or hang various objects.

Need storage ideas for your kitchen? Check out our article: 5 Kitchen Storage Ideas.

5- Focus on style rather than functionality

Source : Canva

While we've already covered this briefly, it's worth delving into even more. Often, when we envision our dream kitchen, we imagine something very specific. However, before designing your desired dream kitchen, think about what would actually suit your day-to-day reality.

Do you have kids? If so, a raised bar might not be a good idea. Are you a big cook? If you love to be in front of the stovetop preparing hearty, delicious dinners, then surely you won’t want to compromise on counter space.

6- Overlooking the plumbing and electrical outlet locations

Source : Canva

Without a doubt, most items in your kitchen will need to be powered by an electrical source or be in close proximity to a plumbing system. Since it's an absolute requirement, you'll need to call in a professional to carefully plan out the location of your stove, sink, refrigerator, and dishwasher before proceeding with the layout.

Otherwise, any changes made along the way will most likely mean running behind schedule and running over budget. It'll be fairly easy to concede that in either case, this isn’t an ideal situation.

7- Neglecting to obtain information about the standards required for a kitchen design

Source : Canva

Naturally, as is the case with the majority of renovation projects, renovating your kitchen must comply with certain standards to ensure the safety of everyone and the overall functionality of the space.

For example, it's important to understand that, if you have a gas boiler inside your home, it doesn't necessarily mean that it’ll work with a range hood, especially because of the risks associated with the backflow of smoke and the dangerous presence of carbon monoxide. As for a range hood, note that it should have a minimum extraction capacity of 100 cubic feet/minute, ideally reaching 350 cubic feet/minute if you cook on a regular basis.

In addition, all outlets above the countertop level must be GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter). This is mainly to prevent the risk of electrical shock.

Also regarding electrical outlets, further regulations include the following:

• Having a dedicated kitchen range circuit;

• A minimum of one outlet for every 12 inches or more of countertop surface;

• An electrical outlet located no more than 24 inches from the sink;

• At least one light switch is located at the kitchen entrance;

• All outlets must be 42 inches high from the floor, but also within 20 inches of the countertop surface.

Note that kitchen renovation standards also cover the size and location of your appliances, the height of the cabinets and countertops, as well as the clearance between the various elements, as mentioned above. Although these guidelines may seem restrictive at first, respecting them is essential to ensure the functionality of the space as well as the safe use of all the appliances.

For more information on this, check out our article on how to design a kitchen (French only).

8- Selecting appliances after the work has been initiated

Source : Canva

While this isn't always the case, some homeowners will choose to change their appliances as part of their kitchen renovation project. If this applies to you, note that it's better to choose the right appliances before the renovation begins. In fact, it's much easier to choose counters and cabinets that can be adapted to the appliances rather than the other way around.

It's also important to stress that, once you've purchased the appliances, you need to provide your contractor with the dimensions and particularities of each. That way, they’ll be able to plan the counter and cabinet layout according to the appliances purchased and their specificities.

9- Choosing a kitchen island that’s too big for the space

Source : Canva

While it's increasingly popular for homeowners to want to take advantage of a kitchen island, note that an oversized island can become more of a nuisance than practical storage and workspace.

As a matter of fact, you should avoid building an island that exceeds 10 feet in length. Beyond that, it'll be difficult for people (especially a large gathering) to navigate with ease in the kitchen. Also, note that if your kitchen island is more than 4 feet wide, it’ll be difficult to reach the centre of it. So, to avoid your kitchen island from becoming a cluttered worktop rather than a convenient storage space and workspace, bear in mind these basic recommendations!

Need to know a little more about including an island in your kitchen? Check out our article: How to Install a Kitchen Island: Step-by-Step Instructions.