10 Kitchen Layout Choices Designers Are Avoiding This Year
A kitchen can look finished and expensive and still feel frustrating to use. In most cases, that comes down to layout, not style. These are the planning mistakes I see most often, including in brand-new renovations.
1. Designing the Island Before Testing Circulation
The island often becomes the starting point instead of the result. On plans it looks fine, but once stools are pulled out or appliances are open, circulation breaks down. If you cannot move past the island while the dishwasher is open, it is too large for the room.
2. Treating Clearance Numbers as Fixed Rules
Clearance guidelines help, but they are not universal. Not every aisle needs the same width, and not every kitchen functions the same way. Problems start when spacing is applied evenly instead of where work actually happens.
3. Ignoring How Doors Open in Real Use
Cabinet doors, appliance doors, and pull-outs all need space at the same time. Dishwashers placed next to islands or corners often block the entire aisle when opened. A layout that works only when everything is closed does not work.
4. Oversizing the Island in an Average Kitchen
Large islands photograph well, but they cause daily friction in many homes. When an island tries to handle prep, seating, storage, and focal point duties at once, it often crowds the room. In many kitchens, a smaller island or a peninsula works better.
5. Assuming Appliances Are Standard Sizes
Refrigerators cause the most trouble. Depth, hinge clearance, door swing, and ventilation are often ignored until installation. That is when a fridge extends far past the cabinetry or blocks nearby drawers. Layouts should follow appliance specifications, not assumptions.
6. Choosing Symmetry Over Workflow
Symmetry can limit how a kitchen functions. Centered sinks or evenly divided islands often reduce usable counter space where it is needed most. Balance matters, but workflow matters more than perfect alignment.
7. Not Leaving Enough Counter Space Near Heat and Water
Floor space gets attention, but counter space supports daily tasks. I see ovens, ranges, and sinks without enough landing area nearby, forcing people to carry hot or wet items across the kitchen. This creates risk and slows the space down.
8. Adding Storage Without Planning Access
A kitchen can have plenty of storage and still feel difficult to use. Deep cabinets without internal organization, high shelves without reach, and corner cabinets without proper hardware all create friction. Storage needs to work in motion, not just on paper.
9. Forcing an Island Into a Space That Cannot Support It
Not every kitchen needs an island. In smaller layouts, an island often blocks movement, interrupts sightlines, and makes the room feel tighter. Peninsulas, wall runs, or worktables can solve the same needs without closing the space in.
10. Designing for Trends Instead of Daily Routines
Many layout problems start with designing for resale images or social media expectations. Kitchens work best when they reflect how people cook, clean, and move through the space each day.
Most kitchen problems come from planning decisions made early and left untested. A good layout feels open, calm, and usable even when multiple people are in the room. That comes from proportion, clearance, and honest planning, not from trends.