A kitchen remodel is a big investment, one that you hope meets all your expectations and delivers the desired return on investment (ROI) should you ever chose to sell your home. With that in mind, it is important to ensure you make the best choices during your renovation and avoid these common kitchen remodeling mistake. Here’s how.

Some common mistakes can be fixed easily, transforming your kitchen from blah to beautiful or awkward to functional. Whether you simply need a fresh coat of paint, the addition of artwork, better lighting, or a full-blown renovation, these tips will help you avoid mistakes and achieve your fully functional and aesthetically beautiful kitchen that you along with your family and friends can enjoy.

Your Kitchen Remodel Should Align with Your Home’s Architectural Style

You shouldn’t choose a kitchen style that is in opposition to your home’s architectural style. For example, a sleek modern kitchen in a historic home or a farmhouse kitchen in a modern contemporary home. You get the idea! Consider adding the character you want to your kitchen with hardware upgrades, new lighting, or updated cabinet doors.

Style Your Kitchen to Complement the Other Rooms in Your Home

Everyone wants a fully functional kitchen, but sleek appliances, the latest gadgetry, and an abundance of utensils won’t make your kitchen feel welcoming and warm. Develop your kitchen style to align with the rest of your home, by adding artwork, accessories, and pops of color to be inviting and more like the rest of your home.

Design Your Remodel with Enough Space for Family and Friends to Gather

Today’s kitchens are the center of the home, unlike the kitchens of yesteryear which were hidden in the back of the home and only used for cooking the meal and cleaning up after. Make sure your renovation offers up gathering space where family and friends can gather and enjoy one another’s company. This can be accomplished with barstools at a peninsula or island, a small high top table and chairs, or a banquette.

Create Your New Kitchen as a Functional Beauty

The goal for your new kitchen is not only to look amazing, but to be fully functional as well. As you plan, be sure you have sufficient storage, well-thought out organization (drawers, cabinets, pantry). Also consider adding additional shelving, a pot filler, a motion sensor faucet, or one of the many modern functional smart home additions available.

As you design your kitchen renovation, be sure to design with your daily essentials in close proximity to your workspace. Consider placement of your essentials where they are most used. For example, cooking oils, while out of sight in the pantry, might be better placed near the stove. Wooden spoons and spatulas used every day, shouldn’t be in a drawer all the way across the kitchen. And wouldn’t it be great if the sugar, spoons, and cups were right beside your coffee maker?

Ensure You Have the Necessary Lighting

Lighting is an important part of a highly functional kitchen. Gone are the days of the single central light in the kitchen. Today’s kitchens incorporate any number of lighting sources to deliver ambiance as well as performance. Add recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, pendants, and don’t forget the importance of dimmers.

Let Your Backsplash Go Big!

The latest trends in backsplashes are big. From full natural stone slabs to oversized subway tiles, trending backsplashes go all the way to the ceiling, adding drama and style to your kitchen remodel. Don’t stop short when creating your backsplash, take it all the way to top, for a beautiful finished look.