The 8 Most Common Kitchen Design Mistakes

Open shelving is gorgeous. But be honest with yourself: Do you want every novelty mug and bottle of generic-brand ketchup on display?

Think about items you’d be proud to display, and that you can realistically keep organized. Put these things (say, your wedding china or that funky bowl you got in Kenya) front and center—and hide your ugly stuff behind closed-door cabinetry.

While it’s totally fine to choose fridges, ovens and dishwashers with a shiny chrome finish, keep in mind that once you add in stainless hardware, sinks and lighting fixtures, your cozy hearth might start to look a little like a morgue.

Call us crazy, but we like a little variety. (How sleek is this kitchen with flat-front cabinets and matte black design details?)

If you’ve got two cabinets that can’t both be open at the same time… you’ve made a mistake. Same goes for a fridge that opens away from the heart of the kitchen.

When designing your kitchen, imagine opening every single door at the same time. Is there anything that might come into contact? If you’re not sure, break out the measuring tape.

Hey, guess what? Everything you love in life—from your KitchenAid to your iPhone—plugs into the wall. You’re going to need more than two outlets, lady.

Strategic and ample placements are key.

Compared to backsplashes and countertops, trash is so not sexy. Make sure you carefully consider its placement—or risk being the woman with a big, hulking eyesore in the middle of her French farmhouse kitchen.

Treat yourself to separate bins for regular, paper and plastic. Spring for soft-close cabinetry while you’re at it.

Psst: You’re technically supposed to have three types of lighting in your kitchen: overhead, spot and accent. (If you’re missing the latter two, chances are your kitchen looks sterile.)

In addition to overhead or high-hat bulbs, illuminate prep areas with pendant or track lighting. And can we talk about under-cabinet lighting for a minute? Yeah, you’re gonna want that to show off your sexy backsplash. (P.S. Go for LED bulbs. They last 15 years!)

Smell that? That’s the homemade marinara sauce you cooked two days ago.

Oven hoods don’t just look pretty (although: swoon), they also work crazy well to vent smoke, heat and smells to the outside world. Don’t have the space or budget for a hood? Even a ceiling fan or vented microwave can help with your smoke show.

Yes, you have to think about resale. Yes, you need a kitchen that won’t look dated in ten years. But c’mon people: Live a little.

This is the room in which you will arguably spend most of your time—make it reflect your (non-boring) personality. Take a chance on interesting features, like rustic stools or glamorous lighting fixtures.