With school lunch preparation, family dinners and quick messy snacks for the toddlers, a family kitchen often ends up looking like a war zone! Sauces everywhere, wet spots on the floor and counters overflowing with trinkets! However, these design tricks will open up your space, improve your organization and help you maintain a beautiful and clean family kitchen. Let’s take a look!
Be eco-friendly
While we’re on the subject of energy-saving, it’s a good time to talk about eco-friendliness for a moment. Family kitchens aren’t exactly the most environmentally-friendly spaces: kids might leave the taps running, fridge doors open and lights on all day long. That’s why you might want to invest in a few energy-saving gadgets that will help the environment AND your wallet. For instance, you can get low-flow faucets, fridge locks, light sensors, and Energy Star appliances.
Bring in some color
The best place to experiment with color is definitely the family kitchen! Try incorporating two-toned cabinets or a vibrant island into your kitchen space to bring it to life and wake up interest in all your household members (kids love colorful places). Plus, vibrant kitchen colors will help hide some of the stains and conceal crumbs and other mess you haven’t had a chance to clean up. However, if you’re all about minimalism, don’t despair. Choose easy-maintenance and stain-resistant materials and you can rock an all-white kitchen no problem!
Consider your floor-plan
An average family kitchen is rarely used for cooking only! Most people choose to grab a quick snack straight from the fridge, have a coffee at the counter or even help their kids with homework at the kitchen island. So, make sure to allow good flow through the space to prevent crowding and frustration. Dual-access entries are great for creating circulation and better zoning!
Go custom
If your kitchen space is full of awkward corners and hard-to-access places, you might have a lot of issues with your kitchen design, especially if you’re creating a family kitchen that requires good flow, plenty of storage and practicality. However, instead of winging your design, it’s always better to hire experts who have experience in creating custom kitchens for families! They will listen to your demands, whether you want to concentrate on storage, modern appliances or aesthetic appeal, and they will deliver it. You can even ask for energy- and water-saving designs that will reduce your utility bills and help you protect the environment!
Provide kids with entertainment
If you want to keep a constant eye on your kids, even while you’re preparing food or having a quick snack in the kitchen, you need to keep them in your vicinity. But, how can you keep kids entertained in the kitchen? Well, you can install a small TV over your island and you’ll always have your kids near! Another thing you can do to keep them occupied but safe is to create a blackboard wall. This addition will not only unleash little artists in your kids but also help you keep tabs on your shopping and schedules. Plus, it looks quite modern and chic!
Work on your space-saving skills
Listen, as long as your kids are living with you, your kitchen will be a bit overflowing and messy. However, you can always salvage some space with great ideas! Closed storage and double-duty furniture are all practical, but there are other ways to save your kitchen’s footprint. For instance, try replacing your regular doors with sliding barn doors. They will help you conceal all the mess you’ve created during meal prep and close off your pantry without taking any precious floor-space! And, don’t forget to install child-proof locks if you have younger kids who love to explore.
Boost safety
Kids are super curious and love to explore, especially in places that are not made for them, like kitchens! So, if you want to make your family kitchen safe even for the youngest of your family members, you must consider these safety additions. Aside from child-proof locks, there are also oven locks, stove button guards and anti-scalding devices for faucets. Another thing you can do to ensure your kids’ safety is to opt for round-edge counters, choose textured floors that will minimize slips and be smart about gadget placement. It’s always best to store dangerous gadgets and utensils on the top shelf!
Contrary to popular beliefs, it’s possible to have a practical, functional and beautiful family kitchen! All you need is some careful planning, a little help from professionals and plenty of entertainment to keep your kids occupied while you deal with food prep. So, don’t hesitate to employ these tricks and transform your messy kitchen that only causes stress into a beautiful social hub loved by all family members!