Kitchen Design Laws You Should Break

CENTURY 21 Mertz & Associates February 24, 2026

A kitchen renovation is one of the biggest projects many homeowners undertake, making it essential that you feel confident about your design decisions. Our real estate agents know that having a functional, aesthetically-pleasing kitchen that meets your needs is more important than ensuring you adhere to common design rules. Here are a few kitchen design laws you should break.

Using a White or Light-Colored Aesthetic – Over the past few years, kitchens renovated nearly entirely in white or light colors have surged in popularity, especially on social media. However, unless white is your favorite color, this is one design law you should break without a second thought. White can easily look sterile, especially when used in large doses. This leads to a kitchen that feels sterile and unwelcoming instead of homey, inviting, and cozy. Light colors are also tricky to keep clean, especially when used throughout most of your kitchen. Intermingling darker colors can make your kitchen feel more welcoming, increase its functionality, and ensure that it reflects your unique style.
Installing an Over-the-Range Microwave – While over-the-range microwaves have remained a popular option for maximizing kitchen space, this isn't the only way to optimize the space in your kitchen. Instead of installing a microwave in the area over your stove, consider adding a stylish range hood that serves as the focal point for your kitchen. If you're adding your home to the list of Lewisburg homes for sale, a striking focal point will help your home appeal to prospective buyers.
Adding Open Shelving as Your Primary Storage – Open shelving is an excellent addition to your kitchen when used in moderation. It's a terrific way to showcase some of your favorite pieces or incorporate seasonal decor into your kitchen. Unfortunately, too much open shelving has the potential to make your kitchen look cluttered and messy, even when it's not. Anything stored on an open shelf is more likely to get greasy and dusty than if it were stored behind a closed cabinet door.
Utilizing Two-Feet Deep Cabinets – Though cabinets with a depth of two feet have been the standard for years, they aren't your only option. In fact, many homeowners only use the first 12 inches of storage space in their cabinets. This means that there's likely space going unused and a lot of floor space that's lost to inefficient cabinets. Consider using cabinets with a smaller depth, or if you feel like you would use the space in a deeper cabinet for larger appliances and baking implements, combine them with cabinets that have more shallow storage for the best of both worlds.

As you design your new kitchen space, feel free to break any design rules that don't meet your family's needs. Ready to purchase a home with more space for your baking and entertaining needs? Contact us to get started.