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Keep these tips in mind when planning your new kitchen.

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1. Don’t place the stove beside a wall or at the end of a counter run. There should always be a bit of counter space on both sides of the stove so the side of the stove is not exposed. Even if you can only fit a 10” cabinet it just looks better. The other consideration is that if the stove is exposed then the hood fan above it is also exposed. This is not an attractive look for your new kitchen.

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2. Don’t crowd the island. It is easy to underestimate how much space you need for traffic flow around the island. Leave a minimum of 36” between counter and island, 42” is ideal. If you have stools on one side allow 24” for the stool and 3 ft for walking behind the stools. The minimum width of the kitchen with a 3 ft wide island and cabinets on one side is 12 ft. Most kitchens are only 10 or 11 ft and are too small to properly allow for an island.

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3. Don’t end up with a dark kitchen. Most people don’t think about where they need the light in their kitchen. If the source is further than 2 ft from the wall then it will not work for task lighting above the counter tops. Place pot lights or track lighting about even with the edge of the counter to ensure the light hits where you are working. Don’t forget about over the sink and island as well. Remember, you do not need to light up the kitchen floor, only the work areas.

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4. Don’t jeopardize your insurance coverage by going against your local building code. Find out the minimum distances you need from your stove to combustible surfaces. Your stove manual will also give information about this. This is especially important for gas stoves since some models reach very high temperatures that require special venting above the stove. Find out what you need to know from your kitchen designer, municipal office or your builder.

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5. Don’t install a sink in an island. Sometimes you have no choice if your kitchen is small but in general it is best to have at least 3 ft of counter work space between the sink and the stove. If you plan on using the island as an eating space you don’t want a messy wet sink with dirty dishes staring at you when you are sitting at the counter. Also if the island is only 3 ft wide there will not be enough space for sitting in front of the sink.

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6. Don’t choose too many focal points. This is a common mistake, and one that can ruin the look of your kitchen. “You may choose a wooden range hood, staggered heights, a light valance, open shelves with arches, a spice rack, and glass doors on your cabinets and more. You think you’ve got it all, but really all you have is a big, cluttered mess.” Instead, choose focal points carefully and be consistent with the style and design of your kitchen.

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7. Don’t encourage mail, messages and junk to end up in the kitchen. Installing a desk just provides a place for stuff to pile up and takes away from room for cooking and baking. Instead set up a message center somewhere central with a cork board, note pad and garbage can for junk mail.

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8. Don’t forget about pot drawers. These very handy cabinets are the best thing for kitchen storage. Cabinets with shelves are difficult to find things in and waste a lot of storage space. Pot drawers make it easy to find items and nest bowls and pots for extra storage. The other great thing about pot drawers is that each cabinet has standard drawers on the top so you can eliminate the standard bank of drawers.