Theoretically, the kitchen should be the kind of room that everyone gravitates towards: a multifaceted space that provides comfort and fosters connection, where you can cook and enjoy hearty meals and have heart-to-heart conversations; where you can sip a cup of coffee in perfect silence in the morning and host lively dinner parties and get-togethers in the evenings.   

Unfortunately, this idealistic view of what a kitchen should be doesn’t always translate into reality. Sometimes, despite all your best efforts and the time and effort you put into creating your dream kitchen, the outcome fails to impress and you find yourself disillusioned and even frustrated by the fact that you don’t enjoy spending time in your kitchen. 

After a while, you become so accustomed to this lack of enthusiasm toward your kitchen that you can’t even figure out what could be the problem, so you’re basically stuck in a situation that you don’t know how to solve.  

While every kitchen comes with its own issues and challenges, there are a few mistakes that people tend to repeat and disregard, and that are often the root cause of all evils. So, let’s take a look at some common kitchen woes that homeowners struggle with and see how you can fix them or avoid them, depending on where you’re at in your journey. 

Prioritizing form over function  

Putting aesthetics first and function second might be a good idea in the world of fashion or other areas where creativity and appearance are the primary goals, but not in a space that should support a variety of practical functions like storing food and groceries, cooking, cleaning, and serving meals. 

However, it’s not uncommon to see homeowners get swept away by the numerous design trends featured in carefully curated Instagram feeds and all over the media and forget all about utility. That’s how you end up with inefficient layouts that don’t support a smooth workflow in the kitchen. 

In order to streamline your kitchen’s design in case you got it wrong in the first place, you’ll have to rearrange things so you can create a space where you can move around with ease and have access to all the areas and appliances you use on a day-to-day basis. Think about your cooking and storage needs and choose a layout that matches your requirements. 

Poor lighting 

Although proper lighting is a must in a space where you’re supposed to prepare meals and, it seems like most people don’t give lighting much thought until they realize their kitchens are not properly lit and it becomes a nuisance. In many situations, the problem is there’s only one or two types of lighting used throughout the room, which means some areas are flooded with light while certain nooks and corners are obscure. This uneven lighting can make it very difficult to use a kitchen to its full potential, not to mention it can also pose a safety hazard.      

The obvious solution here is to rethink your lighting arrangement and choose different types of lighting fixtures such as ceiling or wall-mounted lights, task lighting, recessed lights, or under-cabinet lights that you need to place strategically in all areas of the room. 

Crammed counters and cabinets 

Kitchens tend to get cluttered and messy and make it feel like you never have enough space to fit all your appliances, utensils, and kitchenware. If you find yourself constantly surrounded by all kinds of items and unable to find the one thing you’re looking for, it’s no wonder you don’t like spending time in your kitchen. 

However, sometimes it’s not the lack of space that is the problem but the lack of organisation. The first thing you should do in this case is to plan a decluttering session and make sure you get rid of all the things that are no longer useful to you. Then you should start organising every cupboard, cabinet, and area of your kitchen methodically, employing smart storage solutions and giving each object a home.  

Insufficient storage 

If it’s not the lack of organisation that is responsible for the chaos reigning in your kitchen, then it must be the lack of sufficient storage. If you cook often and you want to make the most of your kitchen, you can’t cram all your equipment and other tools in just a couple of tiny cabinets and expect to maintain your kitchen in good order and clutter-free.  

The only thing you can do in this respect is to choose kitchen units that provide enough storage space. It’s also a good idea to invest in high-quality cabinets that are sturdy and durable so you can enjoy them for many years to come.  

Inadequate ventilation

The last thing you want is to have your kitchen turn into a sauna and fill your home with smoke and the smell of food every time you cook something. Apart from turning your cooking sessions into a nightmare, poor kitchen ventilation can also worsen indoor air quality and expose you to a series of health risks. 

So, you have more than enough reasons to do something about it, especially if you have an open-plan kitchen. Installing a powerful kitchen hood can address these issues promptly and effectively, so you can benefit from better air quality, eliminate unpleasant odours, improve kitchen cleanliness, and enjoy a better cooking experience. While investing in a range kitchen hood might be expensive, the value you get from it will make every penny you’ve spent worth it. 

Incoherent design

Sometimes, mixing and matching different design styles in your kitchen is a great way to infuse a bit of personality into the room and make it uniquely yours. But more often than not, trying to include too many design elements from a variety of styles results in an inconsistent and chaotic look that will only hinder your kitchen’s aesthetic. It’s best to decide on the look you want to achieve from the get-go and choose items that have things in common to create a harmonious and cohesive space. 

Ultimately, it’s important to know what you want to get out of your kitchen before you make any changes, so you don’t end up regretting it later.