10 Kitchen Design No-No's

You've saved all your pins with your favorite style cabinets and your dream countertop, but you missed some key design elements. Now you only have two choices: live with it or spend $$$ to fix it. Don't let this happen to you! Scroll through to find out what costly kitchen blunders to avoid.

1 Ignoring the rest of your house

Your kitchen should reflect the rest your house, unless of course, your whole house needs an upgrade overhaul. Cohesiveness, especially in open concept living spaces, is intergral or otherwise your kitchen will be the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.

2 Ignoring details

The smallest details can make a kitchen go from nothing special to wOw! With Instagram and Pintrest its become so simple to get inspired by browsing innovative ideas. There's bound to be something that will make your reno stand out from among the rest.

3 Ordering appliances last

Appliances are fundamental to designing a kitchen. Saving ordering for last holds up ordering cabinets, especially custom as they shouldn't be built without the arrival of the appliances. It also holds up the installation of countertops because all major appliance should be in place or present in order to do the template. This is by far one of the biggest kitchen blunders.

4 Not enough storage

We all have a little hoarder in us, so its important to add storage features that at first may seem like uneccessary add-ons. Again organization is key. Creative pull out accessories make organization simple and make our kitchen items easily accessible.

5 Overly Trendy

Follow trends that have a classic past; a good example is subway tiles and shaker doors. Don't be taken by finishes that will most likely mark an era and look stale the following year; everyone remember 4x4 tumbled marble? You want to make upgrades in the future minimal and inexpensive. Remember upgrades are an investmet so you can one day sell your home and make money by adding value to your house.

6 DIY

Watching DIY renovation shows doesn't make you a pro, no matter how many times you watch it. They are great for ideas, but most of us lack the skill to execute them unless you are well seasoned in the industry. Consult and hire a professional. You'll have less stress and will actually finish your reno rather than having multiple unfinished projects, which is what most first time DIY-ers do.

7 Going over budget

Its exciting to get a new space with a style that's all your own, but stick to your budget. Spending a little more here and there soon adds up, and without self restraint in the beginning it's easy to spend double than what you intended. Plan out your budget and have an industry professional help you. A pro knows the industry very well and knows what will cost more and where you should "splurge".

8 Minimal Counter Space

The minimialistic approach is chic but not when it comes to workspace. Don't cut corners to save money by limiting cabinets and counterspace. It often backfires by actually costing more per sqft to cut from a stone slab to having to purchase an island on wheels. Or worse, using the dining room table as prep space on a daily basis.

9 Dysfunctional Kitchen

Functionality is key! It doesn't matter how pretty the finishes look if the people in your household are tripping over each other because of poorely placed appliances. The kitchen triangle is the corner stone for efficiency and avoiding bottlenecks.

10 Taking lighting for granted

Don't put lighting on the back burner it should be one of the first things you plan and pick out. It's much easier to add ceiling fixtures and recessed lighting before painting your walls rather than after. It should really be one of the first things you pick out along with your appliance. Lighting adds ambience and sets the overall mood. Combining the three key types of lighting -general lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting will add dimension and showcase all the furnishings of your kitchen. With so many different styles of light fixutures and diy fixtures its never been easier to add a little pizzaz and character.