They say the kitchen is the heart of a home but what happens when yours is a tacky obnoxious mix of colours? Well, you regret it and post the pictures online for all of us to giggle at!
Sorry, all jokes aside, We really do have to wonder what these homeowners were thinking! Fair warning to all those who are planning a home renovation, look at these images as inspiration for all the things you shouldn’t do rather than the other way around!
Fluorescent Lights
Nothing makes an already-tacky kitchen look worse than tacky lighting. The harsh glow, the sci-fi feel–fluorescents are just a mess. If you can find it in a morgue, it doesn’t belong in your kitchen.
Image via Pinterest
Opt for simple ceiling lights that won’t get in the way of your busy kitchen life. We recommend ditching ornate and detailed fixtures and picking clean glass ones, instead. Not only are they easier to clean but will make the kitchen brighter.
Kitchen Desks
Does anyone need to work in the kitchen? Heck, does anyone WANT to work in the kitchen? And admit it–we all know within a week it’s just going to be covered with bills and other clutter.
Image via Instagram
Use your precious kitchen square feet wisely by adding in more counter space. If you have the budget, maybe even add in an appliance garage to hide away those unsightly but necessary everyday kitchen electronics.
Pot Racks
Are you the Barefoot Contessa? Are you whipping up a dish in your summer Tuscan villa? No? Then leave your mismatched set of pots in your cabinets like the rest of us schmucks.
Pot racks were the hot trend in the early 2000s and like most trends, they died. So, don’t fill your brand new renovated kitchen with dated features. Plus, pot racks are not even close to as practical as they seem and are rather a bulky addition to any and all kitchens.
Mason Jar Decor
Mason jar owners fall into two camps: canners and obnoxious trend chasers. If you’ve got them in your kitchen but don’t also have a pressure cooker and a working knowledge of botulism prevention, you’re probably in the second group.
Like we mentioned above, trends do not belong in the kitchen. Unless you don’t might have to live with outdated and expensive fixtures in your home. So, ditch the gimmicky mason jar lighting and decorative items and choose classic ones.
Uncomfortable Dining Chairs
Dinner is a great place to relax with family and friends. However, it’s difficult to do that when you’re sitting on your grandmother’s creaky, wooden, straight-backed chairs. Buy some more modern, comfortable dining chairs and enjoy your night.
This might seem like a pretty obvious suggestion but sometimes, homeowners when renovating are so pre-occupied with spending money on the little details that they forget about the main purchases.
Displayed Beer Collection
If you have this in your home, all anyone will be thinking is that you have a drinking problem! Let’s be honest, the only place bear bottles can pass for decor is in college dorms and those who wish they still living in one.
Image via Pinterest
If you are already do have your heart set on an alcoholic-centric talking piece in your kitchen, why not opt for one including wine bottles. A quick google search will show you several wall decorations which involve corks from wine and are a classier option, overall.
“French Country”
The French Country style aims for authenticity but misses the mark. If we’re in the countryside, where’s the cow manure? A ceramic chicken and some distressed wood aren’t going to cut it if you want the farm experience.
Image via Pinterest
Plus, this trend has been overdone to beyond beliefe. If you do have the budget to add decorative details, why not add some local to your area which will feel far more authentic and probably will cost less, as well.
Tiled Counters
This one didn’t fully become a trend and we are thankful for that because of One word: grout. That tile will look amazing until your grout turns the colour of sludge through normal kitchen wear and tear.
Image via Instagram
If you thought that tile was a great and more practical substitute for conventional counter-tops then think again. You can choose other materials, which are far more functional and will look beautiful as well. Our pick is stainless steel for those, looking for a modern kitchen.
Distressed Cabinets
Distressed cabinets give the impression that your home has a history. But when you live in a prefab suburban house that you bought in 2016, that narrative becomes a little harder to push.
Image via Instagram
And, with age that once on-trendy distressed detailing is just going to fall apart and leave you with a crumbling kitchen that is only a couple of years old but doesn’t look it. If you prefer the look of aged wood, add it through replaceable decorative items rather than expensive cabinetry.
Room Reminders
Nobody needs to be told what the kitchen is for. Hanging the word “EAT” on the wall is a counterproductive as a couch with a sign saying “SIT”. Our advice is just don’t and this includes room reminders, which label the kitchen as, well the kitchen!
Image via Instagram
Use that money and wall space for hanging practical items. Maybe add a shelf there to display small mementoes you have hidden in some drawer or another. You can even try just leaving the are bare because sometimes, less is definitely more.
Weird Fridge Colors
Nothing says, “I have no impulse control” like a turquoise refrigerator. Seriously, who sits down and makes a conscientious decision for a colour like that? There are some exceptions to wild colours in the kitchen but they rare and far in between.
Image via Pinterest
If you have settled in your forever home and do not plan on selling the place in the near future, we say go for the wild colours. It is your home after all but even if you have the slightest inclination to sell, stick to well-liked neutrals which will help your wallet in the end.
Dated Wooden Cabinets
It seems like each decade came together and picked their favourite type of wood. They cycled through, and then they feel very dated. If your cabinets haven’t been updated since 1967, maybe it’s time to save up for some new ones.
Like with most things in this article, the focus for any renovation should not be trends but timelessness. Pick classic wood detailing, which is able to last decades rather than a couple of years.
Marble Counters
We understand the beauty of Marble and get that no one can fully criticise it but believe it or not, it does have a few cons. They aren’t many but they are there. One of them is that it is rather expensive.
But even if you can add that expense to your renovations, one thing to note is that marble is not durable for kitchen use and you will have to spend most of your time with, making sure it doesn’t stain from everyday wear.
Brass Handles
For a long time, brass hardware was everywhere. Now, it feels outdated and over-used. Swap out those drawer handles for some nickel ones. They’re not too expensive, and the subtle switch will make your kitchen feel like new!
Image via Pinterest
This is also an easy update that most homeowners forget about. It’s easy on the wallet and you can change out your entire kitchen handles over a Sunday. No professional help needed, just a bit of patience.
Cross Handle Faucets
There’s a reason you don’t see cross handle faucets much anymore–they’re a real pain to clean and the exaggerated faucet has many hidden functionality issues that show only after a couple of months of use.
Image via Pinterest
A good alternative to these would be touch-sensitive tapware, the inclusion of a bit of modern technology into your day to day life will make cleaning dishes and dirty hands a breeze.
Short Backsplashes
Unless you run out of money halfway through your renovation, we really don’t see how there could be a design choice. Why would you want to only protect a quarter of your wall? And yes, we have done the math and you are saving any money.
Image via Pinterest
A full backlash not only creates a visual focus in any kitchen but also protects your walls from splatters and stains, which are bound to happen. Plus, now with so many options and price points, there is really no excuse, why you shouldn’t opt for one.
Multiple Chandeliers
One chandelier in your kitchen? We’ll keep my comments to myself. But two?? It’s time for an intervention. Much like the “French Country” theme in a kitchen, it is always best to stay understated.
And no matter how much you believe it, you will never fully deep clean these chandeliers and they will become a magnet for dust, grime and we don’t even want to know what else. Keep things simple and stay happy!
Barn Doors
Yes, we remember a time when having a barn door at any corner of your house truly signified that you had made it! Nowadays though, expect the exact opposite reaction from people around you.
Image via Facebook
This trend is done and dusted and again, like so many trends, impractical. We never even understood barn doors when they were at the height of their popularity, so just skip these altogether.
Chevron
Just…leave chevron out of the kitchen. And the living room. And the bedroom. And the bathroom. And the universe. No, seriously we mean it. If any pattern has been used to death it is Chevron.
Image via Facebook
In our opinion, the only way to do chevron right is to do it in understated and very very very and we mean very small quantities. That means chevron backsplashes are a no go. Maybe use chevron printed drawer liners for a fun surprise, that won’t get old.
Open Shelving
This one is a controversial one. While open shelving, in theory in practical and in meant to visibly declutter your cabinets. Who really knows what’s hiding in all those overhead cabinets?
Image via Instagram
On the other hand, open shelving means dusting each and everything you own and we don’t mean once a weekly! So, keeping the entire thing clean will be absolutely miserable and unless you own matching sets of glassware, dinnerware and everything in between the end result might just look a bit messy.
Travertine Tile
Yeah, it’s durable, but it looks incredibly dated. Plus, it’s used in all those cookie-cutter homes from the mid-2000s. No one wants their home to feel like that. It’s just time to move on.
Image via Facebook
Go for simple neutral tile instead which won’t clash with your ever-changing decor and is just as practical but no matter what happens, do not get marble floors! You might as well, burn a hole in your wallet.
Ferns Everywhere
Ferns are great and all, but they become a lot less beautiful when they’re covered in gunk. Grease gets everywhere when you cook, and if the plants are too close to the stove, it’s a fire hazard.
We aren’t telling you to not have plants in your kitchen but instead, add some useful ones which add both ambience as well as practically. Why not have some herb plants lining your window sills?
Fake Fruit
Nothing says “I have my stuff together” like a bowl of fruit – real fruit. Fake fruit is like the tacky cousin of fake plants, which make no utter sense. And yes, those little rubber grapes look like crap when they’re coated in a layer of dust!
Do we really need to tell you why you should have real fruit? This one is inexcusable for anyone over the age of 70 and even then, we know 70-year-olds who wouldn’t be caught with a plastic “bowl of fruit”.
Window Valances
Something about window valances dates a home. They look out of place and force you to add modern flairs to draw your eye away from it. Just go with floor-length or pooled drapes. You also get the added bonus of actually closing the curtains.
So, this makes it obvious why these bulky things should not be added to your kitchen of all the places. All they will do is get in the way and become an expensive dust collector which will always look dated.
Ignoring the Rest of the Home
We have laid out all the things you shouldn’t do and while most, if not some might have come across your own mind from time to time, this one is one which everyone forgets and pays dearly for it.
And that is balance. When updating your kitchen do not forget what the rest of your home looks like. For example, if you have furnished your entire house in neutrals a bright kitchen will look jarring and out of place.