They say that the heart of the home is in the kitchen. This is where relationships and family life are built and strengthened. Even if it is made for the purpose of cooking, many people use the kitchen for eating and entertaining, too. Unfortunately they make lots of kitchen design mistakes in the long run, which can easily be avoided with these tips.

Many times there is a need for remodeling so that you can easily transform your cooking area into something that you can make the best use of in every occasion. A kitchen should be an inviting room that is at the same time highly functional in design. Many times all you need is proper planning in getting that very effect that you are after.

The three things you have to consider in kitchen design are work flow, lighting, and storage.

The kitchen space should be of a functional streamline and be easy to work in. The mistakes that people have in kitchen design are not that their cooking areas are open galleys, or have L shape or U shaped counters. It is that the sink, the stove and the refrigerator are not near enough to each other in the sense that they interrelate. Mainly, the three appliances should be connected with 20 feet distances in the form of a triangle. Shorter lengths make the room cramped and a longer length needs and adds too much unnecessary movement.

With regards to work flow, you need to avoid installing a very big island. While the island countertop is perfect in adding that extra versatility to any cooking space, you should make sure that it is actually in line with the size of your kitchen area. Also don’t forget that the bigger your island, the more time it takes to clean!

Lighting is an area that is frequently overlooked in kitchen design. Lights actually relate to the ability to work well in the cooking area. General and task lighting should be well balanced, along with some accents to set the mood and tone. Don’t forget to add either halogen or fluorescent lighting for best task illumination. If you don’t see well what you’re doing, you can’t do well your everyday tasks the proper way. Also try to install proper ventilation. You can easily find vents with lights that easily double as eliminating any excess and nasty odors from the cooking space and providing excellent task lighting while cooking.

Storage is another key component in any good kitchen design. There are many storage places in the room that go underutilized. Blank walls can actually have utensil rods on them for the used utensils and small pots and pans. For example you can easily use cabinets and drawers to stash away the tools that you don’t need very often, or those that are usually in the way. You can also add in various storage caddies to the blind corners that are not used at the moment. This allows you to declutter your place and maximize the available space.

There should be a space for each item depending on frequency of use. If the drawers for kitchen utensils are spread out, you will end walking around so much in the room. Seasonal items should have an out of the way place, and all the other things should be within reach. Universal design means that all rooms, as well as the cooking area, should be flexible and easy to use. There shouldn’t be too much lifting, reaching, and straining in your kitchen design.

By avoiding these kitchen design mistakes, you can ensure the best use of your cooking space which makes this room a welcoming and inviting place for your family and friends.