Designing the perfect modern family kitchen involves considering various factors, such as functionality, durability and aesthetics. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you design the ideal modern family kitchen.
Assess your needs & establish a layout
The first thing you need to do is determine how your family will use the kitchen. Consider the number of family members, cooking habits, storage requirements and any specific appliances or features you may need.
The kitchen layout should facilitate efficient movement and workflow. One popular concept is the “kitchen work triangle”, which connects the three main work areas. These are the refrigerator, the sink and the cooking surface and you should aim for an efficient triangle within a 10 foot range of each other.
There are many different kitchen layouts to choose from, so take some time to find one that will work best for your family’s needs.
With young children in the home, you may want to consider a layout that includes a peninsular or island with a breakfast bar. This is where the children can help you cook or do homework. If you entertain often, you may want to consider an open-concept kitchen that flows into the dining room.
If you want your children to be creative and not write all over your units then Include features that cater for their needs. Such as a whiteboard or chalkboard paint on a wall to allow doodles, shopping lists and chores!
Units and storage
When creating your kitchen plan, focus on ample storage to accommodate the needs of your family. Consider deep high sided pan drawers, pull-out units and tall cabinets to maximize storage space. Where possible, incorporate a pantry or tall storage unit for storing groceries and small appliances like toasters and kettles. Tambour units & Butler’s pantries are great for this!
A well-organized kitchen is a happy kitchen. Make sure to include plenty of space for all your pots, pans, dishes, and other kitchenware so that they are easily accessible from your hob and oven.
If you really want to improve the workflow in your kitchen, then a pull-out bin is a must! Place this unit under where you do all the chopping and food preparation and you’ll be amazed at just how happy a bin can make you feel😊
If space allows, a kitchen island as mentioned above can provide vast amounts of additional storage and work surface space but this would come at an increased cost.
If you are looking at keeping cost down in your kitchen, then this article is a must read!
Utility room
A utility room, when incorporated into a kitchen design can brings numerous benefits and enhance the overall functionality and efficiency of the space.
A utility room provides additional storage capacity, allowing you to keep bulky items, cleaning supplies, laundry essentials, and other household items neatly organized and out of sight. This helps to declutter the main kitchen area and create a more organized space.
Inside a utility room, you can separate specific tasks from the main cooking and food preparation areas. This separation reduces congestion in the kitchen, allowing for smoother workflow and more efficient meal preparation.
Another benefit of a utility room allows it to double as a laundry area, which can be incredibly convenient! Having a dedicated space for washing and drying clothes means you can keep laundry-related activities separate from the kitchen, reducing noise and distractions. If you have a few children then you’ll know just how much washing will go through the kitchen each day and how much space it can take up!
So, if you do have the space to create a utility room then this could be a very good idea and investment! Not only are they extremely useful but very desirable features for many home buyers. Utility rooms also add value to your home and can make it more attractive to potential buyers, if you ever decide to sell it in the future.
Choose quality materials
All our units are built to last with highly durable doors. If you have a family with very young children then you can’t get much more resilient than our Altino acrylic faced, high gloss door. Any toys colliding with this door will probably come out worse!
It’s also worth considering selecting durable and easy-to-maintain materials for flooring and worktops. Consider materials like quartz or granite for the worktops, as they are both durable and aesthetically pleasing and more resistant to stains, heat and scratches.
For flooring, choose options like ceramic tiles, vinyl or hardwood that can withstand high traffic and spills. Opt for a finish that provides slip resistance, especially if you have young children.
Wall Colours and Finishes
Consider light and neutral wall colours to create a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Light shades of grey, beige or pastels can work well. You can also add a splash of colour through accents like splash-backs or accessories. Use water-resistant paint finishes to make cleaning easier as well! Have a look at our Kitchen Visualiser to get a feel for how different colours could look in your kitchen.
Lighting
Ensure that you have adequate lighting in your kitchen. Incorporate a combination of task lighting (focused on work areas), ambient lighting (general illumination) and accent lighting (for highlighting specific areas or features). Install under-cabinet lighting as well, to enhance visibility on worktops or to give some mood lighting emanating from the plinths.
Safety considerations
To keep your kitchen child friendly, install childproof features such as safety latches on cabinets & drawers, rounded corners on worktops and non-slip mats under rugs. Ensure electrical outlets are childproofed and that potentially hazardous items are stored out of reach. This article on child safety will offer some good tips.
Remember that the perfect kitchen design is subjective but should reflect your family’s specific needs and preferences. Consult with professional kitchen designers or utilise online design tools to visualize and refine your ideas before executing the final design.
Smart technology integration
Everyone in the house will enjoy smart technology to enhance the functionality and convenience of a modern kitchen. Smart appliances, voice-activated assistants and automated lighting, can all be integrated to streamline tasks and make the kitchen more efficient and fun place to be. Read our article on how to voice activate your kitchen here.
Download our mobile app
Looking for some kitchen inspiration? Take a look at some of our real customer kitchens, video reviews as well as advice in our mobile app. We’ll also keep you up to date with any new ranges and offers that we have available. |
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