Design flaws that can make you hate your kitchen…

Unless you eat out and only use your kitchen to store snacks, it's probably one of the most important rooms in your house. It's a well-known fact that a beautiful kitchen really catches a buyer's interest.

 

That's why sellers often do a little remodeling or upgrading before offering their Tamaqua homes for sale.

 

Sometimes, in their efforts to make the room visually appealing, they make mistakes that ruin the kitchen's functionality.

 

Here are a few of the problems that can make you hate your kitchen:

 

Too few drawers, or misplaced drawers. A whole lot of things that belong in the kitchen do best in drawers.

 

Flatware and cooking utensils come to mind, along with items like storage bags, plastic wrap, and kitchen towels. Further, these drawers need to be handy to the areas where their contents will be used. A utensil drawer on the other side of the room from the range or primary work surface will be an annoyance.

 

Cabinets over the sink. Most kitchen sinks are positioned beneath a window, but sometimes that's not possible. Cabinets of standard height will be "in your face" and obstruct your view of the sink.

 

Upper cabinets too shallow. Those upper cabinets should be deep enough to house a good sized dinner plate, so if in doubt, measure. Uppers should be at least 12" deep.

 

Poorly placed dishwasher. The dishwasher should be right next to the sink – not 2 or 3 feet (or more) away. In addition, the dishwasher door should NOT block your access to the sink when open. That sounds like a no-brainer, but some people really do place them at a right angle.

 

Poor ventilation. Check to see that the stove, oven, and microwave are vented outside – not into the attic and not back into the kitchen.

 

Too few electrical outlets. Your home inspector will check to see that the circuits are proper for the appliances in the kitchen, and will check to see that the outlets are GFCI's - but might not pay attention to how many outlets are located above the work areas.

 

Are there outlets where you might want to plug in a crock pot, a fryer, a mixer, a toaster, or a coffee pot?

 

Backsplashes that are impossible to clean. Some surfaces look beautiful when new, but once they've been spattered with grease or splashed with cake batter from a raised mixer, they're terrible. Check for non-porous, smooth surfaces that will stand up under vigorous scrubbing.

 

Counter tops that burn or stain easily. Counter tops in well-used kitchens take a lot of abuse, so check to see that the materials used can stand the pressure.

 

When you're ready to find that new home in Tamaqua, get in touch. I'll be happy to show you what's available in your price range. And as we're searching for your perfect home, if I notice any design flaws that you miss, I'll point them out.

 

My goal is to help you find a home that you'll love for many years to come.