A mistake in kitchen design usually doesn’t show up right away - it looks fine on the drawing and even after installation. It only becomes apparent after a few weeks of everyday use, when you notice you’re cooking in an awkward layout, or that you lack storage space for things you didn’t account for in the design. The five mistakes that recur most often.
A broken work triangle
The distance between the sink, hob and fridge should form a smooth path without unnecessary obstacles. A common mistake is placing the fridge far from the worktop, or conversely cramming all three points into one straight line so tightly that two people collide while cooking. The solution is to think through the triangle at the first layout sketch - not only once you’re choosing doors.
Too few drawers
Cabinets with doors and shelves look neat on a drawing, but in practice they’re less practical than drawers - with a shelf, you only ever see and reach the front row, while the rest stays “lost” at the back. More experienced designers therefore recommend replacing lower cabinets with drawers wherever the layout allows, even at a slightly higher price. Skimping on the number of drawers is one of the mistakes people regret most after moving in.
Poor or missing worktop lighting
Without under-cabinet lighting for the worktop - usually an LED strip beneath the upper cabinets - your own body casts a shadow exactly where you’re chopping and cooking. A design that relies only on a central ceiling light reveals this mistake the first time you cook in the evening. Worktop lighting should be part of the design from the start, not an afterthought.
Plinth and handles without trying them
Plinth height (the lower strip beneath the cabinets) affects how comfortable it is to stand at the counter - too low a plinth means you keep hitting the cabinets with your toes. Handles are similar: how they look in a sample or photo differs from how they actually feel to grip in everyday use. Where possible, try the handles and plinth height physically, not just on a drawing or in a catalogue.
Incorrect appliance dimensions
The most costly mistake: an alcove for a built-in oven, dishwasher or fridge designed to generic dimensions rather than the specific appliance model you end up buying. A difference of a few millimetres can mean the appliance won’t fit into the alcove, or an unsightly gap is left instead. Appliance dimensions need to be known and confirmed before the carcasses are manufactured - not only at installation.
Underestimated storage
Design often focuses on visible surfaces - doors, worktop, island - and forgets where you’ll actually store small appliances, supplies or cleaning tools. A floor-to-ceiling tall cabinet, a pull-out spice rack or a divided waste bin can easily be added as an afterthought, but it’s cheaper and better handled already at the design stage, when capacity can be tailored to the household.
Extraction and utility runs
The position and power of the extractor hood should match the type of cooking - a household with induction and light cooking has different needs from a family that fries food daily. Likewise, the position of sockets, switches and water supply lines needs to be known before the carcasses are manufactured, not only at installation - moving utilities afterwards adds cost to the order and extends the timeline.
Style at the expense of function
The last recurring mistake is subordinating the layout purely to appearance - for example sacrificing the practical placement of drawers for a uniform handle-less surface, or narrowing walkways below a comfortable width for two people because of a large island. Design and everyday use should be worked out together from the first sketch, not as two separate steps where function only gets considered at the end.
How to avoid these mistakes
Most of these mistakes can be caught while it’s still on paper, if the design is done by an experienced carpenter or designer who asks about the household’s actual use - how many people cook at once, which appliances you’re planning on, how much cookware you actually store. The more specific the questions a designer asks, the lower the risk that a mistake only shows up after installation.
Before you start on a design, also read how to choose a kitchen manufacturer and what to ask them before signing a quotation. A good design is always a compromise between looks and everyday use - and the sooner both are discussed openly, the fewer things are left to sort out after installation, when a fix is the most expensive and time-consuming.