I am an interior designer – 4 mistakes make your kitchen look cheap, an outdated extension should be avoided at all costs

An interior designer has revealed which design details you should avoid so that your kitchen doesn’t end up looking kitschy or old-fashioned.

Their expert design advice is designed to help you enhance your home by avoiding common mistakes.

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Rossella Marzocchella, a kitchen designer at kitchen handle company Decor and Decor, wants to help you avoid the items that make your space look dated.

In particular, she would like to introduce you to a popular cabinet accessory: the ceramic handle.

The popular buy could be ideal for adding personality if you’re envisioning an “old-fashioned” look, but she warns that it’s not suitable for every kitchen style.

“If you want a vintage kitchen, ceramic kitchen handles are the way to go, but if you want a modern, contemporary design, you should definitely avoid them,” she said.

“Ceramic kitchen handles can make your kitchen look old-fashioned because they often don’t match modern kitchen appliances that (usually) feature minimalist design elements,” she continued.

“This can result in a disjointed and less coherent appearance.”

A different handle style can sometimes be too much for a smaller space.

“Highly decorative kitchen handles can work well in larger kitchens, but in an average-sized kitchen they can be obtrusive and give your kitchen a less modern look,” she said.

“Often decorative cabinet handles are not practical either. Due to the intricate designs, they are difficult to clean as dust and dirt can very easily get stuck in or on them,” she added.

Glass cabinet knobs were once considered “glamorous” and “expensive looking,” but according to Marzocchella, they are no longer synonymous with luxury.

“These once popular kitchen handles have now fallen out of fashion and can make your kitchen look old-fashioned and cheap,” she said.

She explained that they look old-fashioned because of their vintage quality.

They can also make your kitchen look messier as fingerprints and stains are easier to see.

“In our busy lives, we often don’t have time for this and lack of cleanliness and the discoloration from these cleaning products can leave your kitchen handles looking worn,” she said.

Instead, she offers her own stylish suggestions, including selecting cabinet handles that are versatile while enhancing the aesthetics of your kitchen.

“The style and material of your kitchen handles can change the look of your home,” she said.

“In a contemporary kitchen, you should install handles that match a sleek and modern aesthetic,” she added.

She recommends using handles made of stainless steel, brushed nickel, matte black, satin brass and even copper.

You can also opt for a T-bar, arched cabinet and cup handles, all of which can look “contemporary and high-end”.