Your home is the place where you relax, unwind, and feel the most comfortable. Bedrooms are for snuggling, couches are for family movie nights, and kitchens are for meals together. Your kitchen, though, is not just a space for cooking and eating. It’s also a place for exploration. Each day you can try unique flavors, and create new dishes, and best of all—when you create a family-centered kitchen—you come together.
One of the best things about intentionally designing your home is that you can create your spaces to be yours—whether that’s through layout design, décor, or routines.
Here are some tips for creating a kitchen that feels like a haven:
1. Create A Center Island
The first step to having a family-centered kitchen is to create a center island. This is where you can do all of your cooking and prep work; it’s also a great place for entertaining guests or hosting a dinner party! The best part about an island is that it’s centrally located, so it naturally becomes the place where people pull up stools, have drinks, or sit down and talk. It also curates a more elevated look to your space, too!
2. Install New Lighting
When it comes to the kitchen, you’re going to want to have plenty of lights—not only to ensure that your space is well-lit all hours of the day, but also because it creates a positive energy and ambiance! While you can lean on natural light during the day (which is a good reason to keep your windows clean and upgraded!) there will be times where overhead lights are necessary, especially at night. You can even consider connecting your indoor and outdoor spaces with string lights!
3. Upgrade Your Flooring
Regardless of what type of flooring you have, making sure that it’s clean, updated, and safe, is a must for creating a family-centered home! If you have young children, it’s important that your floor is in tip-top condition to avoid accidents or spills. Even if you don’t have children, you want to keep your guests in mind and upgrade your floors when they start to have issues.
The best way to get wood floors is by either working with a highly-trusted company, or cleaning and polishing your floor regularly so that it always looks great. While you don’t have to hire a cleaning service, having one on-hand can be helpful for the last-minute cleans before a party or event.
4. Check Your Utensils
Ironically, utensils—despite being the most important tools in the kitchen—are the ones most-often overlooked. Let’s face it, you’ve probably had the same set for years (am I right or am I right?!). If you’re anything like me, you’ve had the same utensils since college. . . which was almost a decade ago!
Whether you’re in the same boat as me or not, it’s probably a good idea to check the state of your silverware and upgrade where necessary. While you do that, also check for some of the more random pieces: serving spoons, fancy spatulas, etc., and upgrade those, too!
5. Check-In On Your Appliances
Appliances (especially updated ones!) are great to make cooking and mealtimes more seamless. From chopping food to air-frying at super speed, you can spend likes time prepping and more time enjoying one another’s company. Plus, new gadgets are just fun!
For starters, consider your budget and what’s actually feasible and/or productive. If your family has a few coffee-drinkers, consider upgrading to a Smeg coffee maker or a fancy espresso machine, like the sustainable Illy! If you have a large family, even something simple, like a 4-slice toaster, will save you time during crazy mornings! You’ll also want to think about the colors and choose appliances that not only match your family’s vibe and personality but mesh well with your space, too!
6. Add A Unique Twist
When you’re looking to create a family-centered kitchen, think about what makes your family unique! If you’re all about traveling, consider incorporating little trinkets from the places you’ve been. If the adults in your home are big wine drinkers, think about installing a wine fridge to collect wines for every gathering! If you have young children, perhaps display their art or schoolwork. . . the possibilities are endless!
But, remember that it’s the unique touch that makes your kitchen feel like a special part in your home.
Featured Image Credit: Jason Briscoe
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