I was in a client's home a few days ago working on a large bathroom renovation. She told me how much she regrets not hiring a pro to help her design her newly renovated kitchen.

Flaws she cannot stand are, they didn't leave her room for a pantry and she ended up converting her nearby coat closet to that. Her lighting is terrible. People should realize that a kitchen is a major task area and thus good lighting is key. The recessed lights in the ceiling need to be placed so that if you were to draw a straight line downwards, the edge of the light trim should meet the edge of the countertop (for 4"-6" widths). Under-cabinet lighting can add some more illumination for food preparation. However, keep in mind that these lights (even if LEDs) will heat up the cabinet. Therefore, don't plan for any of these cabinets to contain spices etc. Make sure you have one recessed light directly above your sink area. Also, try to keep your oven (and hopefully fridge) from a pathway connecting adjacent rooms and exits.

Lastly, to me under-counter cabinets should not exist in new kitchens. We should not have to be bending over digging for pots and pans in the back of some narrow space. It is much more functional for everything to slide out to you. So, try using drawers instead, and the wider the better so you can organize everything nicely.

I hope these tips help prevent any disasters. Best of luck on your project!