Designers all agree that these 7 kitchen features are always eyesores – and what you should do about them
From sad tea towels to clunky kettles – designers share the kitchen eyesores they can’t unsee and reveal what to do instead


Even the most spendy kitchen can be brought down by a few ill-judged design decisions or overlooked details. Some are too tragic to dwell on – we’re looking at you, Live, Love, Laugh wall art – while others, like the slowly browning bananas on a hanging hook, get a free pass for at least trying to be healthy. But most are simply destined to make your space feel messier, more chaotic, and unmistakably dated. These are the ones that need to get in the sea – and take any dodgy artwork along with them.
Happily, many of the most offensive kitchen eyesores can be easily avoided with a little forward planning and the right design tweaks. So, if you’re on the hunt for kitchen ideas that will genuinely improve the look and feel of your space, this one’s for you.
I asked kitchen design experts to spill the tea about the features they really wish people would bin off – and the clever swaps they recommend instead. From breakfast stations to stylish tea towel holders, these small changes can stop you wincing in shame whenever friends stop by.
1. Ugly plastic dish drainers
There are few things with the power to ruin the look of a carefully considered kitchen faster than a plastic dish drainer permanently stacked on the worktop. Often bulky, stained and teetering Jenga-style with pans, it’s a major eyesore that will take attention away from lovely taps.
A smarter alternative is a slimline chrome or black metal rack that folds away when not in use, you can pick up a sleek folding dishwasher rack from Oxo at John Lewis. Better still, opt for grooves routed directly into a stone or timber worktop for a more built-in, streamlined look. ‘One of my favourite solutions is a double butler sink,’ says interior designer Louise Robinson. ‘You can use the second bowl as a discreet draining area by adding a simple rack inside – it keeps everything out of sight, which is especially useful in open-plan spaces.’
If you’ve got plenty of space, consider installing two dishwashers – one for dirty dishes and one for clean – so there’s no need to unload immediately and your worktops stay effortlessly clear.

Trained at the prestigious KLC School of Design, Louise Robinson worked for several highly esteemed designers before setting up her own sought-after studio in Muswell Hill, North London. Previously a Property Lawyer, Louise has a keen eye for detail and her relaxed interiors are always filled with colour, texture and interesting moments.
2. Open wine racks full of dusty bottles
Open wine racks might seem like a handy way to store bottles, but in reality they often become graveyards for dusty supermarket reds and impulse buys you’ll never actually drink. Visually, they add clutter, especially when the bottles are different shapes and styles, making even the most elegant kitchen feel dated.
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‘It’s a feature that rarely looks as good in real life as people imagine,’ says interior designer Louise Robinson. ‘If you enjoy wine and want to keep bottles in the kitchen, an integrated wine cooler is a far more stylish and practical option.’ These under-counter units maintain the right temperature, keep your favourites close at hand, and blend seamlessly with modern cabinetry. They're also getting more affordable, with a Russell Hobbs wine fridge costing £158 at George Home.
If you’re not a big drinker, skip wine storage altogether and repurpose the space for a larder pull-out or deep drawer instead – both infinitely more useful and far easier on the eye.
3. Overbearing cooker hoods
Overbearing cooker hoods are one of the worst blights on an otherwise well-designed kitchen. Large stainless steel chimney hoods or angular boxed-in extractors can dominate the space, looming over you as you cook, particularly when positioned over an island.
Instead of acting as a focal point, they often feel clunky and intrusive – more commercial kitchen than calm, curated home. ‘A bulky extraction fan hanging over your island can really interrupt the flow of a beautiful kitchen. We always recommend induction hobs with integrated extraction; they keep the space feeling open and airy, especially when your island is the central point of the room. It's a simple switch that makes a huge visual impact,’ says Freya Gibbons, Senior Kitchen Designer at HUSK.
This clever design flex allows for uninterrupted sightlines and better lighting options overhead, freeing up space for statement pendants or just a cleaner, calmer look.

Freya Gibbons is a Senior Kitchen Designer at HUSK with nine years of experience. She built the company’s design and bespoke joinery service from the ground up and leads its design sales team. Passionate about beautifully practical spaces, Freya’s love for homewares started young, and she still scours car boots for hidden gems to style and inspire her kitchen creations.
4. Freestanding appliances
Freestanding appliances like dishwashers and washing machines might be more affordable than fully integrated designs, but visually they can be a major letdown. In an otherwise fitted kitchen, they stick out – quite literally in the case of washing machines – and will blight the clear flow of your cabinetry.
Unlike a statement range cooker or a retro fridge, these aren’t pieces you want to draw attention to. ‘Nothing breaks up a clean run of cabinetry like a freestanding dishwasher. Integrated models are a no-brainer; they blend seamlessly with your doors, and you don’t have to compromise on functionality. It's all about creating a kitchen that looks considered from every angle,’ says Freya Gibbons, Senior Kitchen Designer at HUSK.
If you’re reworking your layout and don’t have a separate utility, it’s worth factoring in space for integrated laundry appliances too, especially in open-plan spaces where a freestanding machine will be seen from every viewpoint.
5. Poorly planned sockets
Few things stuff up the look of a beautifully curated kitchen faster than a cluster of terribly placed sockets and messy charger cables. Whether it’s a double plug socket smack in the middle of an island panel or a splashback pock-marked with switches, poor planning can quickly turn a sleek situation into an ugly one.
And while we all need power, that doesn’t mean it has to be on show. ‘There’s no getting away from it, sockets and wires and cables look ugly and spoil the aesthetic of a beautifully designed kitchen which is why we always try and conceal sockets when planning our spaces,’ says Rebecca Nokes, Design Director, John Lewis of Hungerford. ‘A pop-up socket which can neatly pushed down when not is use is a great idea for an island or worktop as is a charging drawer – which we’re including more and more in our kitchens. Simple yet effective, they allow devices to be charged neatly out of view.’
And when sockets really need to be on display, do your kitchen a solid and invest in stylish ones in finishes like brushed brass, matt black or stainless.

Rebecca graduated with a first-class degree in Digital Print before pursuing a career in residential interior and kitchen design. As design director, she now conceives beautiful kitchens and interiors for bespoke kitchen-makers, John Lewis of Hungerford.
6. Small appliance overkill
Worktops cluttered with small appliances – like kettles, toasters, coffee machines and blenders – are one of the quickest ways to blight your sightlines, no matter how high-end the design. When every surface is providing appliance parking, the overall space starts to feel messy and overcrowded.
‘If you’re fed up with seeing your essential small appliances on show, then investing in a breakfast station is a good idea. As well as providing a dedicated space to keep all your early morning items together, you can simply close the doors when you’re finished using your toaster, kettle and coffee machine so you don’t have to have them on show throughout the day,’ says Rebecca Nokes, Design Director, John Lewis of Hungerford.
If you’ve been wondering about the worst place to put a kettle, another smart solution is to swap it out for a hot water tap instead. Problem solved.
7. Homeless tea towels
Scrunched-up tea towels and hand towels tossed on the worktop or draped over door handles and oven knobs are a small detail that can really undermine a polished kitchen. They never look tidy, they rarely dry properly, and they always seem to go missing just when you need one.
The solution is to give them a dedicated home. ‘Tea towel rails are a great way to keep your towels organised, aired and prevent them from going missing within the kitchen. If you have an L-shaped kitchen or island, the end of the worktop is the ideal space to place a stylish towel rail and keeps surfaces clutter-free,’ says Debra Hutt, kitchen expert at Wren Kitchens.
For an even subtler solution, consider an integrated tea towel holder tucked into a cupboard or deep drawer to keep towels out of sight but close at hand, and revel in that clean, fuss-free finish. You can pick up a pack of 6 stick-on tea towel holders at Amazon for under £6, which will attach to the back of a door.
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Of course, some kitchen eyesores are just part of real life – the eye-test reminder stuck to the fridge, the new SodaStream your kids are obsessed with, and that’s OK. A sterile kitchen is just soulless.
But for everything else? Now you know how to do it better.

Linda Clayton is a professionally trained journalist, and has specialised in product design, interiors and fitness for more than two decades. Linda has written for a wide range of publications, from the Daily Telegraph and Guardian to Homes & Gardens and Livingetc. She has been freelancing for Ideal Home Magazine since 2008, covering design trends, home makeovers, product reviews and much more.
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