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Top five kitchen re-modelling mistakes to avoid

BY READERS DIGEST

14th Nov 2019 Home & Garden

Top five kitchen re-modelling mistakes to avoid

Remodeling a kitchen is a serious business. Often people spend a lot of time and money in renovation and end up regretting their choices.

We spoke with Wesley Ward, Head of Marketing at Hausera (a kitchen and bath hardware supplier). He told us that based on their 2019 consumer survey, "The average amount respondents plan on spending on kitchen renovations in the next two years excluding "can’t remember/not sure" is around $13,354.37". If you are spending your hard earned money, it is better to be very careful. Here are some mistakes to avoid while remodeling.

1. Unsafe electrical connections

The kitchen is the hottest part of the house and it is the place where multiple heavy voltage appliances and fire are. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all the connections in the kitchen are secure and there is nothing, which is loose or unsafe. Make sure that all the plugs are of appropriate voltage and there is no risk of a short circuit when you plug in your appliances.

2. Lack of proper drainage

Water is an essential part of cooking and thus, it is necessary to ensure that your kitchen has a proper working drainage system. If the drainage is not working properly you would end up with water congestion when you wash your vegetables or utensils, drain water etc. Not only is this annoying, it can also cause water damage and increase humidity, but the scariest of thing is that it has a high risk of causing electrical short. 

3. Use of poor lighting

Lighting is very important in a kitchen because you need to be able to see what exactly you are doing and what goes in the food. Poor lighting increases risks of accidents in the kitchen as well as contamination. Ideally kitchen lights should be strong enough to light up the whole kitchen without being so harsh as to make it uncomfortable to work in. It should have a soothing ambient vibe. Add multiple lights if needed.

4. Inadequate ventilation

Ventilation is extremely crucial for any kitchen. Owing to fire and heat from appliances the kitchen would otherwise end up staying hot, humid and uncomfortable. Moreover, all the smells of food would remain trapped in the kitchen without ventilation. Ideally the kitchen should have a window but if it is not possible, look into an open plan and adequate ventilators to diffuse the smell and heat.

5. Underutilised spaces

Underutilised spaces are a major drawback in any kitchen plan. If there are odd nooks and spaces, it is a smart idea to convert them into storage space. This will give a wholesome and complete look to the kitchen. You can even make use of the vertical spaces for storage, making the best use of all space in the kitchen, for the smartest plan. 

It is important to keep these in mind while renovating your kitchen. If you are putting all that work and money into your remodeling, you might as well do it right!

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