Common Mistakes When Remodeling a Spanish Style Kitchen (And How to Avoid Them)

ELLIE C · January 26, 2026

Common Mistakes When Remodeling a Spanish-Style Kitchen

(And How to Avoid Them)

Spanish style kitchens are timeless, warm, and full of character but only when they’re done right. Too often, remodels miss the mark by mixing incompatible materials, over modernizing key elements, or ignoring the architectural roots of the style.

Here are the most common mistakes homeowners make when remodeling a Spanish style kitchen and how to avoid them.

Treating Spanish Style as a “Trend”

Spanish design isn’t a moment it’s architectural. One of the biggest mistakes is approaching it like a surface level aesthetic instead of a deeply rooted style influenced by Mediterranean, Moorish, and colonial traditions.

Avoid it by:
Designing around proportion, texture, and permanence. Think hand crafted materials, honest finishes, and elements that feel grounded and intentional not trendy.

Choosing the Wrong Cabinet Style

Flat panel or ultra sleek cabinets often clash with Spanish architecture. They can feel cold and disconnected from the warmth the style is known for.

Avoid it by:
Opting for inset or partial overlay cabinetry, visible wood grain, and natural finishes like oak, alder, or walnut. Subtle detailing goes much further than overly ornate carvings.

Ignoring Texture and Depth

A Spanish kitchen without texture feels flat. Smooth, uniform finishes strip the space of its soul.

Avoid it by:
Layering materials lime washed walls, handmade or zellige tile, wood beams, plaster hoods, and natural stone. Texture is what makes the space feel lived in and authentic.

Bringing It All Together

A truly successful Spanish style kitchen goes far beyond inspiration It’s about understanding the architectural language of the home the scale of the arches, the weight of the materials, the warmth of the finishes and allowing those elements to guide every decision.

Spanish design is rooted in craftsmanship, texture, and permanence. The materials should feel honest. The palette should feel grounded. The layout should support modern living while honoring old world character. When these elements are thoughtfully balanced, the result is not a “theme,” but a kitchen that feels authentic and deeply connected to the home.

The goal isn’t to recreate a historic villa it’s to interpret the style in a way that feels intentional, refined, and livable for today.

When done right, a Spanish style kitchen doesn’t just look beautiful, It feels warm. It feels layered. It feels timeless. Most importantly, it feels like it has always belonged there.

ENE BUILDERS | LA + OC Remodeling

Family owned affordable design+build firm

Specializing in Spanish revival , Modern Mediterranean Organic Design

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