A kitchen addition is an exciting remodeling project that represents a significant investment of time and money. Before starting this type of remodeling project, look out for these common mistakes.

A Kitchen Design That Ignores Function

There are many beautiful kitchen designs that fall short when it comes time to use the room. As you plan a kitchen room addition, make sure to plan for your lifestyle. If you want a large island for family dinners and weekend parties, then consider:

• Placing the island near the refrigerator and oven.
• Adding a sink on the island for meal prep.
• Leaving plenty of room around the island for partygoers.

Room Additions That Don't Blend

A room addition should look as if it has been there the whole time. When interviewing remodeling contractors for your project, look for a company that focuses on building additions that fit with:

• The age of the home.
• The style of house.
• The type of exterior materials.

When looking at a remodeling contractor's work, look around the outside of the house. Can you tell where the old house starts and the addition begins? Look for:

• The same exterior materials - roof, gutters, windows, wall material.
• The same details around windows, under roofing, etc.
• The same vertical and horizontal lines and geometric shapes.

The Small Room Addition

When planning the size of your kitchen room addition, think about how you plan to use the space. One mistake some people make is to skimp on the size of the room. They may be concerned about the cost or how long it will take to build the room. The end result is a lot of expense for an inefficient room. Regardless the size of the room you will have to pay for:

• Excavation and concrete work.
• An architect to layout the plan.
• Zoning and permitting fees.
• Heating, cooling, electrical and possibly plumbing.

While you don't want to pay for a massive room addition with lots of wasted space, make sure the kitchen design is big enough to fit your needs. Many room additions range from 10-feet by 12-feet to 14-feet by 16-feet. Ask yourself:

• What will you put in the room addition - kitchen cabinets, a breakfast table, an island, etc?
• How many people will use the room addition - large or small groups?
• What size furniture will fill the room?
• Can you achieve your desired kitchen design with the space you're adding?

By avoiding these common room addition mistakes, you will be well on your way to creating a dream kitchen design that functions as well as it looks.

About the Author
Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer who has been writing home improvement columns for 15 years.