50 Kitchen Design Mistakes | Avoid Them

[@MTKDofficial]

Wow! I got through 37 of these. Hopefully you don't make any of these mistakes in your next kitchen. Thanks for watching!

[@robinhunt6778]

I'm in the process of working with Mark for our kitchen design. It has been wonderful! We sent a floorplan, measurements, and photos and Mark has sent back 3-D renderings for us to review. We've settled on a plan and expect to get back a completed floorplan and measurements to double check before getting our final item list. Mark is easy to work with and very responsive. You get a lot for your money working with Mark.

[@5610winston]

21:45 comment, I feel your pain, Tracy Das. My complication is that if I slide the fridge out to get to the crisper drawer, the fridge door won't open wide enough because my galley kitchen is narrow and the door won't clear the doorway into my breakfast room. I need a new fridge and my next one will be a full-depth French double-door job. A counter depth is not an option because to get enough capacity I would have to get a 36-inch wide instead of a 30-inch, costing precious counter and cabinet space.

[@ednazaid]

Edna Zaid from West Bloomfield, Michigan. Hello and thank you! I love your videos!

[@donnahenderson4727]

I am adding drawer lights as I will be selling my house in 7 or so years when I retire and I feel that little extra will put my house a little above the others if all else is equal when the time comes.

[@TheDecoCottage]

With regards to the islands, sometimes people add islands when they shouldn’t. We bought our house in 2013; the sellers bought it in 2006. Our Realtor looked up the 2006 MLS listing of our house out of curiosity and it boasted an island in the kitchen. The kitchen is slightly less than 110 sq ft wall to wall (not factoring in the space taken up by base cabinets). Clearly they didn’t use the kitchen if it had an island in (or it was the size of a postage stamp).

[@SLP4Life56]

Love hearing your insights on these kitchen mistakes. I'm in the early process of planning my kitchen remodel and your channel has been so helpful!

[@MTKDofficial]

Really appreciate it. Thanks for the comment.

[@melissathomas3694]

Definitely going to watch this before we put our new kitchen in! I might have to break it up since it's long! Kitchen is in the works but not officially ordered yet, so we still have time to make changes.

[@MTKDofficial]

Sounds great! These live streams are more of a conversation so hopefully you can get something out of it.

[@5610winston]

18:45 One thing to consider when installing a pocket door, be sure you have premium-grade hardware and tracks for it to glide on. The contractor who installed mine used the cheap stuff, and they are barely functional. A barn door may be a better choice. Also remember, a pocket door will limit the placement of electric switch boxes and outlets, and the routing of the wires and pipes and other conduits that make the kitchen work. A friend asked me why I want a door between my kitchen and dining room. The issue is that the existing opening between the kitchen and the dining room is 32 inches, and the opening from the kitchen to the breakfast room is about 27 1/2. I hope to widen the dining room opening to 48 inches (slightly wider than the counter-to-counter width of my galley) and to 32 inches into the breakfast room (the master closet is the limiting constraint there). I would like to have the option of sequestering the very curious Norwegian Elkhound from the kitchen sometimes, and to close off the kitchen when things get smoky (and who among you has never had more smoke than the ventilation could exhaust?). My galley is not quite 11 feet long, the dining room is small, the breakfast room is modest size (part of it is cut out for a laundry). To make things work without doors swinging into the dining room, I plan to put two 24-inch (or so) divided-glass French doors in the dining room on barn tracks to meet in the center of the opening when closed, and the bottom half of a Dutch door in the opening into the breakfast room. If I need to open the breakfast room door wider than the Dutch door will allow, I can knock the pins out of the hinge and set the door aside in the laundry nook.

[@muzicteechsop]

I think there are some really good examples of cross-over styles. I love some industrial elements in a more traditional space...

[@valeriehowden471]

Great conversations! Missed your live stream yet again. I had a list of everything currently in our 1970's kitchen. Yes, we have a lot of modern appliances and they are in need of homes besides on the counters or downstairs. During the design phase I asked the contractor to list the pullout designs and if the shelves were adjustable in the wall cabinets. Everything will have a home mid-summer! Looking forward to the rest of the list.

[@trinaroe5132]

What I don’t understand about measuring appliances because of variances is what happens when you design around an appliance and it fails and has to be replaced. From what I’m hearing from friends a lot of fridges only last about 15 years. I certainly don’t want to have to remodel the kitchen again when it’s time to replace an appliance.

[@MTKDofficial]

Yep. Very good point.

[@glenagarrett4704]

About Mistake #29 (not adhering to the triangle - one with the red island) the thing that struck me as really odd was that the range is completely enclosed with no connecting countertop.

[@MTKDofficial]

Yeah. Not a good situation.

[@Isleskye]

Time 10:28 American Style Fridges: this is what Brits and other Europeans were calling large wide and tall fridges over say 20cubic feet especially if they include water and ice dispensers in the door I.e. Your large Samsung I think fridge with that screen or beverage center is an American Style Fridge. When I had my Highlands Scotland kitchen rebuilt in mid 2000s or so I bought what the store described as an “American Style Fridge because it was tallish, wide and boasted ice and water storage in the door. Visitors to my house would ask, “What is the big white box in your kitchen.” My garbage disposer was another first to my Highland friends and relatives. I learned the value of induction cooktops whilst living there. But also learned that air switches built into counter tops were fantastic and more convenient a switch for my garbage disposer than a wall switch too. Seems like there was a problem regarding how close an electric switch could be to the sink tap. I also learned how wonderful underfloor heating could be but also how comfortable radiator heat was compared to air blown hvac common in California. at least my radiators there were super comfortable heating there in my small homes with its small rooms. Living there, I was told Brits remodel their kitchens far more frequently than do California folk. Just heard discussion on this video re sizes of appliances including dishwashers. I had an 18” Bosch or Miele dishwasher in Scotland. I was amazed how much it held! I’m not sure I run my dishwasher any less frequently in my 24” California Bosch than I did in Scotland with my 18” dishwasher. Perhaps I will consider an 18” Dishwasher again with my new kitchen. Wonder whether the size diff would cause hiccups to prospective buyers? It didn’t in Scotland because dishwashers were not an expectation there. I caught the section re we counter stools 39:00. I vote for counter stools with backs and stools which swivel. My spine is whacked, my balance is lousy (parkinson’s disease) thus I need the support, control and barriers of stools with backs and the extra ease swivel stools off for getting on and off. You’ve had some great videos lately. I don’t watch your live streams often because I’m not a long video fan. However each I do watch is chummy, enjoyable and informative. Hugs Canadian friend! However I wish I could go backless to save space and visual noise in my new kitchen. I too am considering marble mimicking porcelain tile for my bathrooms redo for tub and tile walls and counters. My son just redid his daughters little bath using a gray/blue veined marble looking tile. He also built her a new vanity and painted it blue. The entire look is stunning! I’d send a photo if I knew how. Thanks again Mark. Great job! Simona’s MacAngus

[@plumairalbannach8492]

Great educational video! Wished the mistakes were titled instead of numbered for easier reference. 😪

[@deun4563]

I currently have Colorado slate laminate countertops and backsplash. This house prior (my parents) had a brown marbled laminate countertop and backsplash. You mentioned texture coming through but that has not been my experience but both laminates were not smooth.

[@MTKDofficial]

Certainly depends on the texture and thickness. Not sure if I mention it in this live stream or elsewhere, but there are generally 2 thicknesses of laminate. The thicker 1/16 mm is what you would want, so that inconstancies in the wall don't come through. Funny thing is, I'm thinking about it now for an option for my backsplash. lol

[@Brough1111]

Hello.from Kentucky

[@kathymacneill9158]

I am considering a movable island that also is counter top seating with the narrow end of the recttangular abuting a section of the kitchen cabinets along an outside wall. This would appear as a pennisula off the countertop, but since it is free standing it can be swivelled to an island position with seating all the way around or used as a buffet with company. My kitchen width is 11 feet 9 inches and it is difficult to have an island, but a fixed pennisula creates problems with traffic flow when I have a party. Do you think there is a better option or an I trying to accomodate too many circumstances. House is only 1760 square feet total and chopped into too may small rooms. Kitchen is 11' 9 x 10 feet with dining /breafast area of 11' 9" X 11' w/ fixed pennisula seating separating the spaces.

[@MTKDofficial]

It sounds like having a moveable island is a great option for you. Hard to give a real solid answer without seeing the space, but if you are accommodating for circumstances that happen only a few times a month, the hassle of moving the island would be negligible.

[@dashdeals3142]

Great content 👍

[@natashabailey6091]

Great video!!!🤗😁

[@trinaroe5132]

Americans have way larger fridge/freezers than in Europe where homes are smaller and they shop fresh more frequently than in US.

[@Therealphantomzero]

@mtkofficial I see you used kcd and I'm in need of some assistance on a design question on KCD how do I contact you it has to do with a kitchen island here in Florida and they use that base wall etc

[@MTKDofficial]

Hey. Email me. mark (at) mtkd (dot) ca

[@karenzimmerman3815]

Hi from Virginia Beach

[@anyat686]

American style fridge freezer is massive and juts out into the kitchen. I don’t know why they can’t make the countertops that wide to match. In Europe we have smaller slimmer fridge freezers that are the only the width of the counter. Same as our washing machines !

[@MTKDofficial]

They do have counter depth fridges, but generally are much wider.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

You CAN make countertops to match the depth. We are.

[@kristenbarkey5540]

Would you put a kitchen island 5x9 (cabinets 2x8 with the rest being overhang in a 12x16 kitchen in room open to dining and living room with dining room being 12x16 and living room / walk in foyer 24x15? I want a big island but I am getting concerned with this be too big?

[@MTKDofficial]

Hi Kristen. As long as there is ample distance all around, I think you are fine. Shoot for 42" min. between the island and all other countertops or wall. That's a nice size island.

[@trinaroe5132]

Julia Child stored her pans, etc on a pegboard in her kitchen.

[@moniquebroad7348]

Next week can you put picture your talking about ontop of statement, cause this was slightly annoying. "Plumbing for temporary dishwasher", do people know back in the day we washed by hand (i still do). My food scraps go outside to mini worm farm, they're not that difficult to care for. Item titled Being a Slave to Trends, the comment saying "stay abreast of the latest trends" thought it was a play on words cause lights look like boobs!

[@MTKDofficial]

Hey. Thanks for the input. Sorry you were annoyed.

[@MilaN-lt2mq]

I was not impressed with this article. I found many things are just a given unless you are just plain stupid. If you are working with a good designer, most of the mistakes will be avoided anyway. Some of the things I simply disagree with. For example: maximizing storage space. We are in a process of installing a brand new kitchen right now and it is going to be BIG. I don't want to have storage cabinets covering every inch of the space. I want to have some "breezing" room, some air flow, and ability to feature some of the design elements instead of crowding them with cabinets and storage spaces galore. I don't want to need ladders in my kitchen. That could be plain dangerous, especially if you have kids.

[@MTKDofficial]

Yes, no ladders. That should almost be a given. lol