Mostly, people tend to congregate in the kitchen and hence great care should be taken when designing the kitchen. It should be understood that the kitchen is not just a place for preparing meals as a lot of life happens in the kitchen including socializing, getting together with friends and family over a glass of wine or cup of tea. The kitchen therefore needs to be both functional and beautiful. Adding aesthetic elements, such as kitchen cabinets, should be considered as one way to make the kitchen beautiful. Kitchen cabinets are appropriate for small kitchen since they add space to the cooking area but when not installed properly it can lead to a disaster.
Below are 7 mistakes to avoid when installing kitchen cabinets for small kitchen:
1. Do not mix cabinet door types
You should avoid mixing cabinet door types. Kitchen cabinets which feature plain wooden doors on one side and frosted cabinet doors are easy to spot. Although this appears as a modern style, it isn’t. It’s a delusion. Simply select one type of a door to use for the kitchen cabinet. Mixing can sound as the best way of blending modern and classic themes but a small mistake can make a fuss of the desired outcome. The perfect way to avoid making such mistakes is looking for professional help. In short, hire a professional interior designer as he may know the latest trends, designs and manufacturer’s details and hence may identify your desired wants and translate them into an effective plan as per your taste. Deciding to install a kitchen cabinet on your own so as to save money is a very big mistake that many people make as in real sense it may waste more money, energy and time.
2. Poor spacing
You should avoid creating numerous compartments so that you can save space. There should be enough spacing between your kitchen cabinets and counter-tops without unnecessary hangings. Having ample space ensures that your counters don’t get cluttered very easily and also gives you with enough area to prepare meals. You should fix shelves across the lower kitchen cabinet’s back so as to create space for storing your kitchen items and hence avoid constantly looking for storage space. Moreover, this will make your kitchen feel bigger. You should apply the same when it comes to interior spaces.
3. Water based Painting
One of the common mistakes most people make is applying water based paint on their kitchen cabinets. This is not right on several grounds. First, water based paints do get stained very easily. This means you will need to repaint your kitchen cabinet now and then. Second, water based paints do not retain their appeal for a long time. The best paint to apply on your kitchen cabinet is oil based paints as it is very easy to wipe out stains from it. Moreover, oil based paints can maintain their appeal for long.
4. Poor painting
You should take great care when painting your kitchen so as to avoid messing it, as this is a critical area of the house. The perfect way to avoid making this mistake when you have a small kitchen is by simply going for bright colors. Although at times sophistication comes up and you have no otherwise rather than going against the norm. You should avoid dark colors, such as navy blue, cranberry red or emerald green when painting your kitchen as they can darken a small kitchen, making it dingy. These colors can easily have a negative effect on your kitchen cabinet. However, it is important to note that these dark colors work well in big kitchens. If it is a must you use these dark colors in a small kitchen, them make sure you blend as well as balance them using white walls and light accents.
5. Poor Maintenance
Kitchen cabinets are the most overlooked places in contemporary homes. They tend to fade as time goes; however, just a few people remember to redecorate them. You should make sure that you regularly carry out routine maintenance for your kitchen cabinet particularly if you used gloss paint on your wooden cabinet doors. You should repaint your cabinet at least two times per year.
6. Selecting the wrong hinge
You should not use antique hinges for your modern kitchen cabinet as it sight is an eyesore. It is important to first decide if you want your desired hinges exposed or not. There are three options you can consider for your kitchen cabinet here: exposed; semi-exposed or else concealed hinges. Regardless of the option you go for, you should make sure that your choice remain consistent. This means that you should not mix exposed hinges with concealed hinges. Simply select the type of hinge which matches the kitchen cabinet doors then stick to it.
7. Do not mix framed and frame-less cabinet doors
This is another common mistake that homeowners usually make. You should select one type of kitchen cabinet door then stick to it. When you mix frame-less and framed kitchen cabinet doors so as to save space will just compromise the aesthetic allure of your kitchen. The recommended kitchen cabinet doors are the frame-less ones as they have several advantages. First, there are spacious, making them ideal for small kitchens. Moreover, they are simple, meaning they go easy on the eyes.
In conclusion, when planning to install the kitchen cabinet you need to be very careful especially when your kitchen is small. This is because when you wrongly install the kitchen cabinets it might make it difficult to use your kitchen efficiently. Moreover, it can cost you more money as it will require to be renovated now and then. A lot of activities, such as preparing a quick snack, cooking, eating a 3-course dinner or eating breakfast with friends or family take place in the kitchen and hence the kitchen cabinets need to be properly installed. Regardless of your kitchen design style, if you avoid the above discussed 7 mistakes when installing kitchen cabinet you will achieve an elegant as well as practical kitchen.