5 Ideas To Create A Family-Friendly Kitchen
If we were to ask most families where they considered the heart of their home to be, they would undoubtedly say it was the kitchen. It is the space that is used for so much more than the preparation of meals. The kitchen is where the day starts with morning coffee, where breakfast is served to the kids before they rush off to school, and where birthday cakes and teatime cookies are baked (and often stolen right off the tray by greedy little fingers).
So it makes complete sense that kitchen trends are moving towards spaces the entire family can thrive in. In the spirit of a brand new year – here are our top 5 kitchen ideas to create the best family-friendly kitchen possible.
1. Opt for an Open Plan (or a creative cut-out)
The open-plan kitchen has been around for a while, but it is a concept that is standing tests of both time and style. Gone are the days when the homemaker cooks and bakes unseen in the kitchen. Now, the preparation of meals is as much a family affair as dining is. With a new build or large renovation, you might have the opportunity to create a floor plan that allows easy movement from the kitchen to the dining, or even living room. This encourages cooking and baking to be a family activity without cutting anyone off. If you can’t create an open-plan kitchen, then a creative cut-out works wonders for that flow of space, while still allowing for some separation.
Here are our top 5 kitchen ideas to create the best family-friendly kitchen possible.
2. A Multi-Functional Kitchen Island
The kitchen island is one of the most extraordinary boons to kitchen design in recent years. Not only does it allow for prepping and hidden storage – but if one chooses the right colours, materials, and accompanying accessories (pendant lights, anyone?), the island automatically makes for a lovely focal point. One of the best new twists to this is the multi-level kitchen island design. An especially great idea for smaller kitchens (and apartments in general), it automatically sections out spaces for food preparation and dining. For smaller families, this works wonders in saving space on a dining area. Whereas for families with young children, this is a great way of getting your kids more involved in cooking and booking, with a space designed for them to reach!
3. The Kids’ Cubby
If you’re big on getting your kids comfortable in the kitchen, and also for encouraging some independence and creativity (even if it means an occasional mess), you might want to think of creating a kid’s cubby area. This could be as simple as a low flat shelf where your kids can make their own sandwiches or even pour out their own juice. This fun concept can be designed in a million ways and will have your kids food-confident in no time.
4. Chalkboards for both Adults and Children
Chalkboards are just about the perfect addition to a family-friendly kitchen. They’re great for the adults to scribble out a quick grocery list or leave messages for each other, while the kids get a lovely scrubbable canvas to use when creativity beckons. There are multiple places a chalkboard might work in a kitchen. Some opt for the refrigerator, or hanging a chalkboard on a wall. While others transform entire walls or even parts of their kitchen island into a blank canvas for the family to use.
5. A Bar for a family-friendly kitchen
Depending on your poison, (as well as what your entire family would appreciate), you could design your family-friendly kitchen ‘bar’ to cater to whatever you would most enjoy. For some, this might be wine or coffee, for families with young kids this could just as easily be fruit or dessert. The bar is basically a little section that is designed to allow for a little fun and creativity when it comes to something you most enjoy. A fruit bar for example could have a juicer, fun fruit cutters, options for toppings, and even a mini-fridge for yoghurt or ice-cream. The possibilities are endless, and fun for the whole family!
There are a great many ways to design a family-friendly kitchen, and we’d love to see your ideas as well – so be sure to share them with us on Instagram, @alsuplash!
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