5 Clever Ways To Make Your Kitchen More Family Friendly

How To Design a Kitchen for the Whole Family

Ideally, the kitchen is a space where your family members feel at home, carry on conversations, and even work together to make meals. Unfortunately, some kitchen layouts can make it difficult to achieve these goals. Consider several renovations that could transform your kitchen into your family's favorite hangout spot.

1. Include a Range of Storage Options

The arrangement of your cabinets and drawers can have significant safety implications and may impact the degree to which your kids can join in food preparation activities. It's often a good idea, for instance, to install tall cabinets so hazardous substances remain out of children's reach. On the other hand, lower cabinets and shelves are ideal for storing kids' dishes and snacks. This way, younger family members can take on new responsibilities even when their height threatens to hold them back.

Pull-out and rotating shelves are another way to make the most of your storage space. The former makes it much easier to access heavy cookware, while the latter keeps frequently used spices at your fingertips.

2. Install an Island

Adding an island is one of the simplest ways to drastically alter your kitchen design. By far the greatest perk of these structures is the amount of additional counter space they offer. Having more room to prepare food not only expedites the cook's job, but it could also give other family members more opportunities to join in the fun. Younger kids, for example, can use this extra space to roll out and decorate cookies.

3. Anticipate Messiness

When you renovate different aspects of your kitchen, consider selecting materials that are easy to clean and that hide stains well. Otherwise, you may be hesitant to let others help out for fear that they will make a mess that is difficult or impossible to clean up. If you are interested in a tile-heavy kitchen design, for example, opt for darker colors of grout in and around the tiles of your backsplash, countertop, or floor. Additionally, stay away from light colors when it comes to your sink and other surfaces. White furnishings may be pretty when first installed, but wine, pasta sauce, and other substances may soon leave these items looking dingy.

4. Provide Plenty of Seating

A cramped kitchen table or a shortage of chairs could easily tempt a family to eat at different times or in separate spaces. This is why a large table is a must if you enjoy entertaining or have a growing family. If your dining area is somewhat small, consider space-saving solutions such as bench seats.

Remember that informal types of seating can be useful, too. You could place high-top chairs beside the island to create a breakfast bar, for instance. You may also wish to add a small table that kids can use to play or work on homework as you prepare dinner.

5. Keep the Space Open

Finally, how you could make the kitchen feel more connected to the rest of the house. Half walls, for example, can seamlessly blend the kitchen and living room. Similarly, large windows and sliding doors can connect your cooking space to the yard. This way, you can keep a careful eye on your kids as they play. Similarly, you can carry on conversations with family and guests when they are in another room.

When you are planning a new kitchen, Ceramic Tile Center is eager to help. We offer top-tier tile, countertop, and cabinet materials and partner with specialists who can help you flawlessly incorporate these products into your space. For more information about our services, give us a call at (707) 578-1350. A kitchen is a place where family comes together; let us help you make the most of your space.