Mock up the kitchen before cutting wood

A closed kitchen can hide an open-door problem

Use cardboard, painter's tape, boxes, scrap wood, or anything else that makes the planned volumes visible. The method does not matter; physically testing the layout does.

• Fridge fully open
• Pantry and trash drawers fully open—together
• Oven fully open
• Adjacent drawers open at the same time
• Someone at the sink while another person passes
• Hands around every handle
• A usable aisle with doors open

Load the mock-up mentally

A drawer full of pantry food behaves differently from an empty outline. Think about weight, reach, braking force, and where loose appliances will live while driving. This is where an extra inch is easy to find. Later, it may be impossible.