5 Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

Some mistakes in life are simply unavoidable. They just happen. But when it comes to remodeling the kitchen in your Connecticut home, there are some mistakes you can avoid—if you’re aware of them ahead of time.

Because the kitchen is the most remodeled room in the home, it also tends to be the room where the most remodeling mistakes are made. The good news is that you don’t have to make the same mistakes everyone else makes. Here’s a look at five common kitchen remodeling mistakes you can avoid.

To boldly go where no one has gone before: Your kitchen should reflect your personality. That means it should have some touches that are uniquely you. But be a bit cautious when it comes to “pushing the envelope”. Sometimes there are reasons people haven’t tried certain ideas—because they are incredibly expensive or they simply aren’t practical. And bear in mind that once you pursue an idea you may be stuck with it for a long time. Or you may have to spend a lot of money to change it.

It’s OK to make a bold statement to express your creativity, but you may want to hold off on those bright purple cabinets. They may be eye-catching now, but will you feel the same way in six months?

Delusions of grandeur: Many of us love watching gourmet-cooking shows on television. But do you really want to tear up your current kitchen and turn it into a professional restaurant-style kitchen? Does that really fit your day-to-day lifestyle? Will you be fixing gourmet meals regularly? If you’re serious about it—you should do it. But make sure your kitchen fits the lifestyle you actually have rather than some TV fantasy.

Small thinking: Thinking too small can be just as bad as having delusions of grandeur when it comes to your kitchen. If there is something about your kitchen that’s really been bugging you, NOW is the time to think about changing it. If the workflow of your kitchen is wrong, remodeling is the time to change that—even if it takes more work and costs a bit more. It will never be easier (or cheaper) to do it. Don’t be too timid. Take time to think through your plan, but don’t be afraid to push it a little bit.

Planning only for the short term: Sometimes homeowners lose sight of the fact that their families are changing. If you remodel your kitchen to accommodate small children, you should keep in mind that they won’t be small forever.  A built-in highchair may be cool for a short period of time, but will quickly outlive its usefulness. And don’t forget that your physical capabilities could change over time as well.

Confusing your responsibilities with the builder’s: Everybody know that it’s your house and that you have the final say about how things should look. But you’re probably not a professional builder. You should tell your builder what your expectations are (and you should be very specific). But what you shouldn’t do is tell your builder how to do his job. He probably has a bit more experience than you do and knows the best way to get the result you want.

There are plenty of other mistakes you can make during a kitchen-remodeling project. But if you can avoid these, you’ll be miles ahead of the game!