We Asked 5 Designers the Kitchen Upgrade They Regret Most in Their Home, and Here’s What They Said

Many people — myself included — likely think that interior designers have impeccable homes, but that’s simply not true. Here’s the thing: Designers are human beings, and sometimes they make mistakes. Whether because of budget, circumstance, or unexpected issues, even the experts can’t get it right 100% of the time. Nobody’s perfect! 

To help you figure out what kitchen trends and upgrades to splurge on — in addition to the ones real home cooks totally regret — I had to talk to the pros. This is what five designers had to say about their biggest kitchen regrets in their own homes.

When Shivani Vyas, founder of Studio Vyas in Macon, Georgia, renovated her kitchen, she focused on giving it an aesthetic boost. “We were on a budget and decided to repaint our beadboard cabinets inside and out instead of replacing them,” she says. While the painters did the best they could with the existing cabinets, Vyas notes, some parts of the cabinets have since chipped, and there are still patches where the paint couldn’t mask their age and texture.

Looks aside, the functionality was, and still is, off. “The cabinets and drawers are old, and the layout needs so much work,” she explains. “Plus, beadboard panels harbor dirt, dust, and debris thanks to their narrow grooves.”

In the end, Vyas wishes they kept saving until they could afford new cabinets that could provide more space, modern features, and less maintenance.

Mitered edges — which create the illusion that a countertop is thicker than it really is — can make a serious design statement, and at first glance seem harmless. Liz Potarazu, founder of LP & Co in Potomac, Maryland, did discover one downside, though: “When I gave my kitchen a facelift, I picked porcelain counters and had the edges mitered,” she says. “It looks beautiful, but I have small children and it’s gotten cracked from them dropping things on the corners.”

While this has more to do with the porcelain, which is strong but typically thinner, she notes it likely wouldn’t have cracked without the mitered edge cut. If you’re set on the combination, consider waiting until your kids have grown up to install it — or, just grin and bear it when disaster strikes.

The pros and cons of marble will always be debated, but Jenn Cameron, founder of her namesake design firm in Baltimore, Maryland, definitely stands firm in her position on the matter.

“When we bought our current home, the previous owners had installed a gorgeous marble kitchen island,” she says. “While I love the look of natural marble, it has not been ideal for us.” It’s a high-maintenance stone prone to staining, which is especially important for homes with kids, which has been exactly Cameron’s experience. 

In fact, she adds, “I always use the example of my kitchen island when talking to clients about their countertop options.” Marble isn’t necessarily a bad decision, but you should know the risks before committing.

Without functionality, a beautiful kitchen isn’t nearly as valuable. This is a lesson Kristen Nix, founder of her namesake design firm in Austin, Texas, learned the hard way during her own renovation.

She opted for an oversized island in her kitchen, which her family loves — where she went wrong was neglecting to add enough outlets. “I was too worried about the appearance, and now I don’t have enough [outlets], considering how much I love to cook,” she explains.

Rachel Peck, founder of her namesake design firm in Austin, Texas, shares the same regret. When she reconfigured her kitchen, she didn’t add any power to the island because it meant drilling through the foundation to add it. “What a mistake!” she exclaims. “I often sit at the island with my laptop, but I can’t charge it, and I can’t plug in my hand mixer, either.”

Bailey Ward, founder of her namesake design firm in Atlanta, Georgia, was 9 months pregnant and on bedrest while managing her major kitchen renovation. When it came to picking out marble slabs for the countertops, she settled for one of her first options despite knowing it wasn’t exactly what she wanted.

“Our Carrara [marble countertop] has a high-hone finish, which is glossier than your typical honed finish with more visible etching,” Ward says. “We plan to have them refinished in the future.” The lesson? Do it right the first time, and you won’t have to do it twice.

What’s your biggest kitchen renovation regret? Let us know in the comments below!

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: We Asked 5 Designers the Kitchen Upgrade They Regret Most in Their Home, and Here’s What They Said