One of the first steps in preparation for kitchen designs is adhering to your audience, or in this case, the familial foodies that reside in the household. It’s no secret that your kitchen is, without question, the primary spot in your home. Think about it, you wake up, and if you’re like me, breakfast is already in mind, so you’ll raid the kitchen with hopes of finding some bacon and eggs, maybe even some pancakes. But that’s just me. Point is, it’s the place where you prepare your meals, and with as much time as you spend doing so, you want to me comfortable, relaxed, extremely pleased in area you work in. Depending on how small or large your family is, you may or may not need to make some accommodations. It is in my hopes that this post will deliver some ideas for you and yours on making your kitchen design feasible for the entire family. Let’s get started!

Using Space in Family Kitchen Designs

Counter Space: Large family or not, having room to prepare your meals can go the distance when it comes to comfortability in your kitchen design. Trust me, after having lived in several apartments, it can be a nuisance moving things around just to have a place to chop up a couple of onions. Do yourself a favor and provide ample room for cutting boards, utensils, and your appliances like a blender or the microwave. Think about Thanksgiving, and how much more comfortable you’ll feel when the relatives come over and you’re not having to squeeze into a compact kitchen because there’s simply not enough counter space. You’ll thank me later. Walking Space:  Let’s face it, the kitchen brings in more traffic than L.A. does at rush hour. People are in and out grabbing snacks and drinks throughout the entire day, right? So, think about the amount of space you actually need and act accordingly. This bit is especially true if you have an island in your kitchen. Be aware of how much room you have between the island and your wall cabinets, refrigerator, oven – you get the point. I cannot tell you how many times people have neglected precaution, ran with lazy kitchen designs, and want to know why their refrigerator door won’t open all the way. Use your space wisely.   Cabinet Height: Now, it may not seem like much, but cabinet height matters. For example, my girlfriend is a tiny thing, barely 5”2′, and she’s constantly asking me to reach up and grab some ingredient or bowl from the top cabinet. I thought about getting her a stool, but that’s literally just another step to the cooking process, and no one wants to have to drag a stool out merely for a pinch of brown sugar. By all means, please, take your height into consideration and adhere your cabinets to it. Note: I say this meaning the actual, physical height of the cabinet as well as where you bolt them on your kitchen.

Quirks in Family Kitchen Designs

Adding stools/chairs: Much like the breakfast bar design, adding stools nestled underneath a countertop makes a kitchen more welcoming. It says, “this is not merely a place to cook, but a place to talk, as well.” Designer Eldon Long had this to say about his family-functional kitchen designs: “I wanted it to look more like a family room. The idea was, let’s make this a multifunctional space that we can use 24/7.” Taking a look at the picture below, you can see how well he achieved this effect. Families have a bond, right? One that encourages constantly through meaningful conversation and boundless unity. Making your kitchen emulate, say, a cafe allows for this space to be a place of conversation. Add a blackboard: Ah, my personal favorite. This idea screams quirky! Honestly, though, it definitely has its uses. Think about it, how many times have you went to the grocery and forgot something. Yeah, me too. Several times. Adding a blackboard not only adds character, but it allows family members to jot a list down or a special treat, making everyone aware. Fun, right?

Maintenance in Family Kitchen Design

  The Groundworks: Whether it’s hardwood flooring or tile, be conscious of what you put down in your kitchen as far as maintenance goes. Especially if you have little ones running around, you know how messy things can get. I mean, I just turned twenty-five, and I’ve been known to make a bit of a mess in kitchen. Just remember that some surfaces are more forgiving than others. In my opinion, 100% waterproof is 100% the way to go. Our CoreTEC flooring has the ability to withstands puddles, yes, puddles of water without damage.  It’s perfect for any room, any household, but definitely for families because you simply just never know. Like the old adage goes, better safe than sorry. You can check out this mind-boggling product here.   Countertops: Any surface in your kitchen should be relatively maintenance free. If there’s any place where “accidents” are going to happen, it’ll be the kitchen, don’t you agree. Pasta sauce covers the countertop, a wine glass plummets and breaks, or the usual “I forgot to cover the blender” mistake arises, and you’re left with a mess and a half to clean up. My opinion? Silestone. It’s a Quartz, so it provides the elegant look without the weakness of granite or marble. It won’t stain, it’s non-porous, providing you with a low-maintenance surface that ease that tantrum you have when the ketchup bottle explodes for no apparent reason. It is a kitchen, anything could happen.

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Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation! Written by: Chris Chamberlain