Common kitchen design mistakes — and how to avoid them

Not enough drawers

Drawers are more functional than doors for most storage needs. You can see everything in a drawer without bending down or reaching to the back of a dark cabinet. Yet most kitchens have too many doors and not enough drawers. The industry standard has shifted — experienced designers now put drawers where lower doors used to go, almost everywhere except under the sink. If your quote has more lower doors than drawers, ask about converting them.

Island that's the wrong height or depth

A standard benchtop sits at 900mm. Many homeowners request islands at 1050mm (breakfast bar height) throughout — but this is uncomfortable for working at and cooking on. The better approach is a two-level island: 900mm on the kitchen side for food preparation, 1100mm on the seating side for dining. The depth matters too — an island needs at least 900mm of clear floor space on all sides. Many first-time kitchen planners underestimate how much space an island actually takes.

Insufficient power points

The standard number of kitchen power points is always too few. Count your bench appliances — toaster, kettle, coffee machine, mixer, food processor, blender — and add two more for things you haven't thought of yet. Power points above the benchtop should be on the splashback level (not the back of the benchtop which traps cables). Pop-up power points in an island are a useful addition but require an electrician to rough in during the renovation.

Overhead lighting only

Ceiling downlights are the default kitchen lighting solution and they're largely inadequate on their own. Standing in front of a cabinet, you block the light from above and create a shadow exactly where you're trying to see. Under-cabinet LED strips are the fix — they're not expensive ($300–800 for a full kitchen) and they transform working conditions. Always run the wiring during the renovation; retrofitting later is messy.

Rangehood undersized for the cooktop

A rangehood should extend at least 150mm beyond each side of the cooktop. Many kitchens have a 900mm rangehood over a 900mm cooktop — which means the edges aren't covered. If the rangehood is recirculating (no external duct), expect it to manage smell and steam rather than actually extract it.

Choosing benchtop for looks alone

That beautiful white marble-look stone may mark, scratch, and stain with daily use in a way that the showroom sample didn't suggest. Ask your stone supplier specifically about the scratch and stain resistance of any material you're considering for a heavy-use kitchen. Some stones that photograph beautifully are high-maintenance in daily life.

Frequently asked questions

• What's the most common regret in kitchen renovations?

  Consistently: not enough storage (especially drawers), insufficient power points, and poor task lighting. These are relatively cheap to get right during the renovation and expensive to fix afterwards.

• Can I add power points to an existing kitchen without renovating?

  A licensed electrician can add power points to an existing kitchen. It's not cheap (typically $300–600 per double point depending on cable routing) but it's possible. During a renovation, additional points are incremental cost only and much cheaper.