Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

With the Labor Day holiday finished and back to school photos posted to social media, the Fall season is in full swing.  This is a very busy time of year for families, with hectic mornings getting ready for school and afternoons filled with homework, friends, and after school activities.  The fast pace can take a toll on the busiest rooms in your home, especially the kitchen!

The kitchen tends to be the focal point of home life.  Most kitchen designs are multi-use spaces for cooking, dining, entertaining, and even homework.  It may seem impossible to create a kitchen design that can go from breakfast before school to homework and snacks after school, to family dinner, and then to an evening entertaining friends.  A well-planned kitchen design is key to making it work, and a kitchen remodel is the perfect time to bring these requirements together.

Here are 5 ways to create a kitchen design perfect for busy families.

1.       Super smart storage options

Storage is a smart choice for any kitchen remodeling project, but in a busy home with kids it is an absolute necessity.  Ample and well-designed storage keeps you from drowning in clutter, makes it easier to find everything, and simplifies clean up.  Work with your kitchen design professional to create storage that is customized to meet your requirements.  Food, cooking supplies, and dishes are the obvious requirements, but your kitchen may also serve as a homework or craft center, with a desk or other designated work space.  Include storage for paper, pens, craft supplies, and electronics so they are easy to find and put away – by you and by the kids!

2.       Fix it yourself snack and beverage stations

Imagine you are in the middle of fixing dinner, carrying heavy pots of hot food, opening the oven, and getting out dishes.  One of your kids walks right in, looking for a drink or snack.  Okay, you don’t need to imagine this because it is a daily occurrence!  Creating a well-designed layout separates the kitchen into clear zones for tasks like food preparation, cooking, dining, entertaining, and perhaps also homework.  Create a space away from the main cooking zone, where you will have a child-friendly kitchen cabinet with snacks and perhaps a small undercounter beverage refrigerator with their drinks.  Voila! The kids can help themselves to mom and dad approved snacks and drinks, and serve snacks to their friends, without entering the cooking area.

3.       Mix and match activities

Today’s kitchen design is truly a multi-purpose space, so make sure your design is multi-functional.  Build dining and entertaining into an island with a seating area and a beverage/snack bar.  You could also consider a separate table or adjacent banquette for casual dining, perfect for after school snacks. Add a built-in desk or designated work space with storage, seating, and a charging point for electronics if you plan to have kids doing homework in the kitchen.  You might incorporate entertainment with a television and music set up like this kitchen design in New Hope, PA.

4.       Space for furry family members

If fur babies are part of your family, include a designated space for their needs.  Incorporate kitchen cabinet storage for pet food and other supplies, add a built-in area for your pet’s food and water bowls, and include a cozy space for their bed.

5.       Durable and easy to clean

Let’s face it, kids make messes and add to wear and tear in the home.  With so much activity focused on the kitchen it makes sense to pick materials and products that are durable.  Hard-wearing floors, countertops, and kitchen cabinets may cost more, but they will stand up to constant use and offer value over time.  Easy to clean surfaces simplify the inevitable requirement to clean up a messy kitchen.  Simple kitchen cabinet styles, backsplashes, and floors pay for themselves in the hours of cleaning time saved.  Add built-in trash and recycling, as well as storage for cleaning supplies, so they are ready when you need them.

A busy family requires a kitchen design that can keep up!  Talk to our kitchen remodeling specialist for more tips, and find kitchen design ideas in our gallery here.