Let’s be honest: as a hub for social gatherings and preparing and sharing meals with loved ones, the kitchen is the last room in your home you want giving someone the “ick”—and according to the pros, there are several pretty common design and decor mistakes that can make the space feel off-putting.
To help keep the heart of your home feeling warm and welcoming, we asked three interior design experts to dish on their least favorite things to see in a kitchen, and exactly how to fix them.
Meet the Expert
- Aino Heinäsuo is the head designer at home decorating app Redecor.
- Peter Spalding is the chief creative officer and co-founder of Daniel House Club.
- Nina Lichtenstein is the founder of her eponymous New York-based design firm.
Overloaded Open Shelves
Home designer Nina Lichtenstein adores the look of open kitchen shelving when done right, but an overloaded set of shelves will immediately draw her eye—and not in a good way.
“Open shelving has a breezy, minimalist appeal until it starts accumulating too many pieces,” she says. “What’s meant to be a stylish feature can often turn into a dust collector and a source of visual chaos.”
If you love open shelving, Lichtenstein says to start out with just one shelf in a statement spot, like above the sink, and to use the area for decorating and displaying your favorite pieces of cookware and bakeware instead of for standard kitchen storage.
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Cluttered Countertops
One of the least appealing aspects of a kitchen for Redecor’s head designer, Aino Heinäsuo, is luckily also one of the easiest to fix right away.
“One of my biggest icks has to be kitchen clutter,” Heinäsuo says. “Countertops packed with visible appliances instantly make the room feel much less clean.”
To easily free up counter space and create a relaxing atmosphere that will feel much easier to move around and cook in, she suggests storing as many appliances and utensils as possible out of sight, organized and put away in kitchen cabinets.
Huge Kitchen Islands
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Daniel House Club’s co-founder and chief creative officer Peter Spalding only has one major kitchen ick, and it’s a controversial one. Kitchen islands are always a popular addition when renovating, but Spalding says going too big with this feature will instantly make kitchen feel less usable.
“Giant kitchen islands are my number one dislike,” he says. “They are tacky, showy, and not at all useful—your kitchen is not a cocktail bar. If you do already have one, think about how you can make it more dual-purpose and approachable.”
To make your kitchen island feel more livable and less restaurant-like, he advises cutting down on the bar stools and introducing lamps, trays, and other decorative elements.
Chaotic Cabinet Hardware
Switching out the handles and hardware is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to upgrade kitchen cabinets, but Lichtenstein suggests proceeding with caution to avoid one of her biggest icks: an unbalanced, uncoordinated space.
“Ornate, overly decorative, or oversized hardware can draw too much attention and make a kitchen look heavy and dated,” she says. “Mixing metals on your cabinet handles can look refined when done carefully, but when every piece in your kitchen is a different finish, it just looks jarring and mismatched.”
If you’d like to experiment with new hardware or mixing metals, Lichtenstein recommends using one finish for larger elements such as faucets and lighting, and another for cabinets. Her top picks for modern, sophisticated hardware are matte black, brass, champagne bronze, and brushed nickel on sleek and streamlined handles.
Too-Busy Backsplashes
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According to Lichtenstein, a backsplash can make or break a kitchen—and although she says color can work in small doses, going overboard with bright hues and patterns will earn a space an instant “ick”.
“Bold backsplashes can add personality, but when the pattern is too intricate or colors are too loud, it just becomes overwhelming,” Lichtenstein says. “A complex backsplash competes for attention, and ends up clashing with countertops, cabinetry, and even cookware.”
Instead of relying on colors and patterns, she recommends building interest through texture and the subtle tonal variations in ceramic subway tiles and natural materials such as brick or stone.
Harsh Overhead Lighting
Everybody loves a light and airy kitchen, but for Heinäsuo, there is a fine line between a well-lit space and an overwhelmingly bright one.
“Harsh lighting is another ick—it can make a kitchen feel cold and uninviting,” she says. “Opt for indirect light sources instead to add a gentle, cozy feel, make the space more welcoming, and give you greater control over the ambiance.”
To achieve the warmth of ambient lighting, Heinäsuo suggests installing pendant lights over a kitchen island and strips of motion-activated LED along the undersides of cabinets for an effortlessly inviting look.
Artificial Plants and Greenery
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As a nature-inspired designer, Lichtenstein is a big fan of bringing the outside in and incorporating as many natural elements and materials as possible in a space. Needless to say, overdone artificial greenery is a big no-go in her book.
“Bringing nature into the kitchen can be beautiful, but fake plants that don’t resemble the real thing tend to just collect dust and bring an inauthentic feel to the space,” Lichtenstein says.
If you love the look of plants scattered throughout your space, she suggests low-maintenance herbs that can also be used as fresh ingredients, or houseplants that thrive in low light and also bring a decorative element, like a pothos variety.
