The 10 things to avoid in your kitchen renovation, according to experts

For most of us, designing a new kitchen is fraught with risk and anxiety.

For starters, there’s the eye-watering expense. Kitchen renovations can cost anywhere from $10,000 for a low-budget refresh to $75,000 or more for a high-end makeover.

Then there’s tackling the layout and deciding how the space will work best for those who use it. Finally, there are the many micro-choices involved in selecting materials, appliances and finishes.

“At the heart of it, people are worried about getting it wrong,” says award-winning architect Georgina Wilson. “And that concern is justified … A kitchen can negatively affect both liveability and house value when mistakes are made.”

Wilson suggests Pinterest mood boards should never distract from careful planning, and interior designer Greg Natale agrees, saying that aesthetics and everyday practicalities should be treated as equals when designing a new kitchen.

“There’s no real secret,” he explains. “Just a disciplined approach where every design choice has to satisfy both: it must work hard and look considered. When those two are aligned, the kitchen feels effortless, functional and designed rather than purely utilitarian.”

In the hope of sparing home renovators costly mistakes, Domain asked the experts: What would you never put in a kitchen? Here’s our round-up of their top tips.

Only cupboards

“It can be tempting to go with a budget-friendly option like cupboards over drawers,” says Melbourne interior decorator Lauren Egan. “But you have access to so much more space if you have drawers below waist height – future-you will thank you.”

High-gloss cabinetry or stainless steel benchtops

“They show every fingerprint and feel overly commercial,” says Wilson. “Speaking from experience. Regret is real.”

Push-catch cupboard doors

“They simply do not work,” Wilson emphasises. “Doors sit ajar, fingerprints multiply, and frustration becomes part of daily life.”

Sink in the island bench

“I have lived in houses in the past where the sink was in the island bench and it makes such a big difference both aesthetically and practically,” says property expert Amy Lunardi.

“Dishes build up and it becomes messy and cluttered. Now, we use the kitchen island for serving, entertaining and the kids sit there to eat their breakfast or do activities.”

Differing levels on the island

“Creating dining-height sections attached to an island ruins flexibility and looks awkward,” says Wilson.

“You lose the benefit of a large, usable surface. Use bench-height seating or add a proper dining table instead.”

Slimline window splashbacks

“While they’re often added in the name of light, they usually frame a side fence or messy service zone rather than a view, which can feel visually unresolved,” explains interior designer Nicole Chapman.

“I love a generous picture window where there’s something beautiful to look at, but the narrow versions rarely deliver.”

Double sinks

“A single, generous bowl is far more practical for washing large pots, trays and boards,” says Chapman.

Bench tops that are too thick

“They can throw the whole kitchen out of balance, make it feel heavy, and often mean stools no longer fit comfortably underneath,” says Natale.

Soft marble benchtops

“While they look stunning, softer marbles stain and chip easily, which can be disappointing and expensive to fix over time,” Natale warns.

Walk-in pantries in small homes

“They steal valuable space,” according to Wilson. “A generous, well-designed tall utility is almost always the better solution.”