Designing the Perfect Family Kitchen

Truly the heart of the home, your kitchen is most likely the backdrop for your quality family time and designing a kitchen that suits the entire family’s needs can be a very difficult task. First, you have to consider the family cook; mom or dad, or both. Then, there are the needs of people who will be eating, snacking, chatting and hanging out in this kitchen. Of course that's the family, but there are also friends and other guests who are invited over from time to time. Lastly, and most importantly, the kitchen design must fit into the lifestyle of the family it serves.

Kid Friendly Cabinets

A great place to start the design is with kid friendly cabinets. This can include traditional items for very young children, such as lockable cabinet doors. However, it can also be expanded into ideas such as cabinet drawers and doors which cannot be slammed shut. Another great idea for creating kid friendly cabinets is to install a small, lower-level, pantry to store kid approved cooking supplies. This is a great place to put oils, vinegars, and a few spices for making home made salad dressings. Lastly, one of the best kid friendly cabinet designs has got to be the adjustable pegs used to divide a dish drawer. This makes it super easy for kids to help set the table and unload the dishwasher.

Family Friendly Seating

One traditional notion is that the kitchen is the heart of the home. However, many families today find themselves glued to a TV screen eating fast food day after day. Why not correct this failure of modern convenience by making a more comfortable seating area in the kitchen? This can be done by bringing couches, arm chairs, and other living room furniture into the kitchen area. Another great idea is to build a window bench if you have a bay window, or the space to put one in.

Shared Homework Space

At one time, all you needed for kids to do their homework with parental assistance was a large dining room table. Children could sit and do their homework while their parents prepared a meal and answered the occasional question. Now, a computer desk needs to be worked into modern kitchen designs for this same purpose. On the bright side, having a computer close at hand is a great way to find new recipes and videos to salvage a botched meal.

Custom Chalkboard Installation

Another great invention of our time is chalkboard paint. This allows for easy transformation of any cabinet surface into a chalkboard. Some of the best uses of this product include transforming the side of a cabinet into a menu board, converting a refrigerator door into a grocery list, or a constantly changing accent wall.

A recent survey estimates that Americans spend an average of 175 hours per month in the kitchen compared to 31 hours in the living room.  It’s your command center, the hub of activity and the place where family memories are made.  Keep in mind when designing your family kitchen that kitchens are hardly just for the cook.  

The Personality of a Kitchen

Just as your clothes and accessories tell the world who you are, the décor of your home—particularly your kitchen—should reflect your style and sensibilities. When designing the kitchen of your dreams, ask yourself the following questions to ensure the finished product suits you and your lifestyle.

Classic or casual? Sleek or cozy? Minimalist or accessorized? Barefoot, sandals, or chic heels? Just as you should be comfortable in your own skin, you want to be able to relax and be yourself in your kitchen. Modern cabinetry ranges from polished contemporary designs to artfully cluttered countertops. Dangle your spices from a carousel or shelter them with shelving. Appoint granite counters with gleaming silver appliances or tuck everything inside spacious hidden pantries.

Choose how you’ll use your kitchen… and let your kitchen decorating ideas stem from that. Much as you dress to work out or dine out, will you knead or chop on counters, brew endless varieties of coffees and teas, or pour an elegant aperitif? Will you unpack take-out or toss salad from a bag?

Look in the mirror: The first thing you see when you enter the kitchen is what’s at eye level. Choose hues, materials, and textures that appeal to your senses. Do you gravitate toward warm colors, cool shades, bold patterns, or rough-hewn wood? From custom kitchen cabinets to bright white shine, deep black or glowing chrome, outfit your space in style….your style.

Like the cut of your clothes, the shape and spectrum of your cabinets and countertops set a tone. Choose from squared-style doors in maple or oak finish, or veneer flat-panel doors in gloss paint or weathered wood. Pick glass knobs and brass hinges or hide the fixtures. Stow your pots and pans in the cupboard or hang them over a kitchen island.

Stride right: From midnight snacks in slippers to dinner parties in heels, you’ll put in plenty of miles on your kitchen floor. Whether it’s ceramic tile or parquet, raw wood or travertine, your flooring choice should also reflect your design sensibilities.

At Amazing Spaces, we create award-winning kitchen designs throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties that are not only functional, but also reflect the lifestyles and tastes of the people who use them.