Five Steps To A Family Friendly Kitchen

For most families, the kitchen is the heart and soul of their home. It is a room in which the whole family can gather to socialize and enjoy a hearty, home-cooked meal over great conversation and belly laughs. It’s essential that you create a family friendly kitchen that balances both practicality and style.  Here's how.

Five Steps To A Family Friendly Kitchen

1.  Create An Inviting Space

Gone are the days of "one butt kitchens" decorated in avocado green and harvest gold.  Today's kitchens are light, bright, airy and as spacious as can be.  Walls are coming down, and open concept floor plans are on every new homeowner's wishlist.  If you don't have an open concept floor plan and a kitchen remodel isn't in your budget, do what you can to ensure a clutter-free, bright kitchen.  Here's some tips:
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• Use reflective surfaces wherever possible (think: glass tile backsplash and high gloss paint)
• Choose a light colored wall paint, like a buttery yellow
• Use minimal window treatments, and skip the shades if possible
• Add a geometric pattern, such as wallpaper, to trick the eye

6-Pack Mother of Pearl Shell Mosaic Tile, amazon.com

Geometric Hexagon Contact Paper Peel and Stick Wallpaper, amazon.com

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2.  Install Easy To Clean Flooring

A family-friendly kitchen is bound to see a lot of traffic, so keeping things clean will be paramount, especially when it comes to the floors. Choose an easy to clean flooring option such as durable vinyl or hardwood in a neutral color and pattern, and avoid slippery surfaces like very kid-unfriendly marble.  

Harbor Slate Neutral Residential Vinyl Sheet, 12' x custom, thehomedepot.com

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Coastal Oak 7.5 in. x 47.6 in. Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, thehomedepot.com

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3.  Update Your Appliances

It's safe to say that your family-friendly kitchen is going to see more than just a few meals prepared, and if your appliances are old and / or on the fritz, it might be time to replace them.  Of course, you don't have to replace every appliance you own at once; begin by replacing the ones you use the most.  Not only will you enjoy cooking in a kitchen with upgraded appliances, you'll be saving money on your energy bills by purchasing Energy-Star certified appliances.  You can find out where to buy home appliances by checking online.

4.  ​Avoid Sharp Corners

Sharp corners around your countertops, tables and any other areas in your kitchen could prove hazardous to younger children who might end up stumbling into them. If possible, try to soften these corners using edge and corner cushions.  Here's a great tutorial on how to make super affordable DIY corner bumpers using plumbing foam pipe insulation!

5.  Store Fragile Items Safely

Storing fragile cookware such as stoneware and ceramic too low in your kitchen can be an issue around small children.  Consider storing crockery and other breakable items in upper cabinets, or adding child safety cabinet locks to lower cabinets. That way, you don’t have to worry about little ones being injured from broken crockery.  The same holds true for cleaning products that contain dangerous chemicals:  make sure they are stored safely away from curious kids.

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We hope these tips help you to create a more child-friendly kitchen space in your home.

Now that you've got the fam in the kitchen, how about we get them cooking?  Check out this infographic on Cooking With Your Kids:  Inspiring Innovation Through Lessons In The Kitchen:

Infographic courtesy of Cabot Cheese

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• The Ins And Outs Of Planning Your Dream Kitchen
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