They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and they aren’t wrong. This is where the whole family comes together to eat meals. It’s where you bring guests while you’re making the drinks, and it’s often where you end up sitting during gossip sessions. Not to mention the endless hours you spend cooking here.
Despite the kitchen’s importance, though, it’s astounding how many us ‘make do’ with a kitchen which doesn’t suit our needs. We’d rather spend hours getting our bedrooms just right, or perfecting our living rooms. This even though kitchen renovations are one of the best ways to add value.
If the mere idea of a renovation sets you weak at the knees, though, it’s important to note that such extreme work might not even be necessary. Often, the mistakes we make in our kitchens have easy-fixes. If you want to get this room right without ripping it apart, then, keep reading to find out what’s letting the space down right now, and what you can do about it.
Low lighting
Lighting matters in any room. The addition of natural light can brighten a space, while the right amount of artificial light at the perfect brightness is essential. This is why we buy lamps for our living rooms and seek the ideal bulbs for bedroom fittings. Yet, few of us think about addressing lighting problems in our kitchens.
This is the first let-down you’ll want to address and trust us when we say that it’s a biggy. Even the best kitchen set-up will struggle to shine otherwise. You certainly won’t feel like spending much time in the space when it’s dingy and uninviting. First, focus on making the most of natural light. Keep kitchen windows unobscured, and cut back any outside foliage which is blocking your view. It may even pay to install some skylights or additional windows to enhance the brightness here during the day.
Once natural light is flooding into the room, it’s time to consider your artificial options. Many of us opt for kitchen spotlights, but these may not be best for the space. These lights are quite dim, after all, and they won’t exactly pop when you turn them on. Instead, seek lights which provide better coverage, and could even become kitchen features in themselves. Pendants like those found at Kichler are particularly good for this as they bring light right down to you, and look stunning in the process. Merely ditching the old for new options like these could liven your kitchen up in no time.
A small sink
A small kitchen sink is a nightmare from both a practical and appearance point of view. Not only will a small sink forever be filled with even the smallest amount of dishes, but it can also unbalance the entire appearance of your room. Not to mention that backsplash from that tiny sink bowl could lead to leaks and even staining on your countertops over time. That’s never going to see your kitchen looking its best.
But, you don’t need to suffer here the way you have been. When you start looking around a little, you should soon see that big sinks are big business in the home style stakes right now. As such, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from. Farmhouse sinks are perhaps the most appealing option for space with their substantial basins, but even a double bowl option could serve you well here. Even better, installation needn’t be complicated, despite the small size of your sink right now. As you can see from guides like this one guide to Installing a Farmhouse Sink simply measuring well and cutting into your counters is as complex as it gets. Just like that, you could have a sink which holds dishes and becomes a centerpiece rather than a setback in your kitchen.
Limited counter space
Like a little sink, limited counter space can leave your kitchen looking cluttered after even a small session of meal prep. Not to mention that barely has any side space could soon drive you crazy while you’re trying to cook. You may even find that large-scale meals such as roast dinners and party prep become impossible. And, that can be the most significant kitchen letdown of all.
Sadly, creating more counter space isn’t as simple as replacing your sink or getting new lights. Still, this isn’t an impossible task by any means. Once you start researching, you’ll find that there are plenty of fun ways to add counter space without even needing to embark on extreme work. Perhaps the best and most obvious option here would be to install a kitchen island. Despite what you might think, this needn’t involve excessive work. In fact, professionals can install an island in a matter of days. You could even take care of this yourself with the right research and materials.
You needn’t despair if you don’t have room for a kitchen island, either. It’s now possible to buy portable isles which you can fold away as and when you need to. When you furnish these additions with hanging pots or spice racks, they too can take the entire appearance of your kitchen that bit further. All while ensuring you always have ample space for your food prep.
Damaged counters
While we’re on the subject of counters, it’s also worth noting that cut marks can ruin the entire appearance of your kitchen. Plastic or wooden countertops may look great, but as can be seen on https://countertopguides.com, they only have a life expectancy of 10-20 years. That means even a relatively new kitchen could start to look a little tired pretty fast. While there are steps you can take to lengthen this lifespan, such as always using a chopping board, there may come a time when you have to admit defeat.
The fact is that no kitchen is ever going to look pristine if the counters are cut and battered. If you want to hold onto that natural wood look, then, it’s worth noting that you should get your wooden countertops replaced regularly. Or, you could decide to opt for a longer-life offering like granite, which can last 100+ years. Not to mention that it can add a touch of glamour to any kitchen going.
Poor ventilation
Poor kitchen ventilation can lead to smoke, moisture and odours building up in your kitchen. This all comes down to placement and efficiency of vents in your kitchen. If you’ve currently got a tiny external fan placed away from the kitchen (or, worse, no fan at all) it could be time to look into new fans. This could be particularly important if your kitchen has small windows or no windows.
Vent hoods over ovens are one of the most effective forms of kitchen ventilation. When choosing a vent hood, it’s worth choosing one that is high quality so that you can be sure that it will stay working for a long time. Hood vents don’t just have to be functional – there are many eye-catching range hood vent designs that are worth looking into to also visually enhance your kitchen. Make sure to hire a professional when installing a new vent.
The wrong flooring
Lastly, it’s worth considering your kitchen flooring. You could get everything else in this room just right, and it wouldn’t help in the slightest if your floor were all wrong. Yet, many of us make the mistake of leaving dated or even broken kitchen lino in place. It’s no wonder, then, that your kitchen is failing to reach its full glory.
In reality, there’s really no need to make this mistake given the wide array of kitchen flooring options on the market, many of which you can install yourself. Lino is easy to install, relatively cheap, and it can look amazing if you replace it every ten years or so. Or, you might want a laminate wood flooring for that modern kitchen look. Again, this is an option you could install yourself with a little research. Even if you wanted stylish kitchen tiles, professionals could complete the job in a day, leaving you to enjoy your dream kitchen at last.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, your kitchen let-downs usually have pretty easy fixes. Instead of making do with a less-than-perfect room, then, it’s past time that you set about putting the pulse back into the heart of your home.
