There’s a lot to think about when designing a safe yet stylish kitchen if you have young children or often host children in your home. You want to ensure that your kitchen feels welcoming to children, with kid-oriented features, yet incorporates all the desired features the adults need and want in their remodel.
“We design the majority of our Alexandria, VA kitchen remodels for families with children, so with lots of experience in this area, we can collaborate with our clients to create the ideal child-friendly kitchens,” says Jim Baker, General Manager and Director of Design for Schroeder Design Build.
Include Accessible Storage
If you’re like most families we see, you’ve accumulated lots of supplies that end up in the kitchen, like lunch boxes, sippy cups, bibs and colorful kids’ plates and bowls. Without having adequate storage, these items can quickly overwhelm the kitchen, making it look and feel cluttered. To keep your kitchen neat and tidy, adequate and accessible storage is key. Consider adding these items to your kitchen remodel:
Low Cabinets with Pull-out Shelves
Lower-level cabinets allow children to access their own items, such as snacks or plastic dishware, while keeping the potentially dangerous items like knives and cleaning supplies out of reach.
Built-in Stepstools
For items stored at around counter level, a sturdy stepstool with a non-slip surface can allow access to drawers and countertops while preventing accidents.
High Storage Cabinets
Items that need to be kept away from children, like cleaning supplies, sharp tools or breakables, can be housed in higher cabinets. Include child-proof locks or mechanisms that require an adult to open the cabinets in order to deter access for children, and consider choosing darker, glass-free cabinetry that can hide spills and fingerprints while adding sophistication to your stylish kitchen design.
Half Walls
Half walls or low partitions in the kitchen can create distinct zones such as a play or homework space separate from the cooking and prep areas. As an added bonus, parents can keep an eye on their kids while cooking.
Choose Durable and Easy-to-Clean Materials
“One of the biggest concerns parents have is how easy the kitchen will be to keep clean,” Baker says. “In a safe and stylish kitchen remodel, durable and easy-to-clean materials are a ‘must.’ Here are some of the easy-to-clean options we often recommend:”
Easy-to-Maintain Countertops
Opt for stain-resistant countertop surfaces like quartz or granite, which are both highly durable and easy to maintain. These materials are scratch and stain resistant, making them ideal choices for high-traffic areas prone to spills and messes. Choose a matte or satin finish for your countertops to hide the fingerprints your kids can leave behind.
Washable Wall Finishes
When it comes to walls, use washable paint or high-quality easy-to-clean wall coverings with semi-gloss or satin finishes. These can be wiped down easily and resist moisture better than matte finishes. In addition, include a tile backsplash to facilitate cleaning up cooking spatters.
Durable Cabinet Finishes
Choose laminate or high-pressure laminate cabinet surfaces that can be wiped clean. As a bonus, they also resist stains and scratches, making them good choices for families with children. Solid wood or thermally-fused laminate cabinets additionally offer longevity and are less prone to wear and tear.
Resilient Flooring
Vinyl, ceramic tile or engineered hardwood are all good choices you can make for resilient flooring materials.
- Vinyl is favored for its durability and ease of maintenance and comes in a variety of styles that can mimic more expensive materials.
- Ceramic tile is known for its stain and moisture resistance.
- Engineered hardwood provides the look of traditional hardwoods with durability and ease of maintenance.
Create Zones for Different Activities
“There’s a lot going on in the family kitchen nowadays. It can serve as a meal preparation and dining area, a homework corner, and a family and friends hangout—often all at the same time,” Baker says. “That’s why when designing a kitchen remodel for families, we recommend creating zones for the different activities, or suggest an open-concept kitchen offering sight lines into adjacent rooms.”
Kid-Accessible Snack Areas
Create a kitchen area within reach of your children’s height and equip it with your children’s favorite snacks, plates and cups. You can even include a small refrigerator for cold drinks and snacks. Their own zone encourages your children’s independence and minimizes their need to bother you for snacks and access other areas of the kitchen that may be more hazardous.
Homework or Activity Zone
Give your children a space of their own where they can do their homework or engage in their favorite crafts while still being close to mom and dad. Position this area away from prep and cooking areas to reduce potential messes and distractions. Ensure it has good lighting and is equipped with dedicated storage areas for school supplies and craft materials. A built-in desk and cubbies are fun additions.
Cooking and Meal Prep Zone
Delineate a well-organized, centrally-located meal preparation section of your kitchen that is designed to keep children away from the area while you are cooking, yet allows you to easily supervise them if they are nearby. Include a clean-up zone with a sink and dishwasher that is easily accessible for both adults and children. And don’t forget safety features such as stove guards, a child-proof faucet and child-proof cabinet locks to protect little ones.
Dining and Seating Area
Include a family and friends gathering area where children and adults can eat or spend time together. This can be a breakfast nook, a table, an island or counter seating. Ensure that seating is placed away from high-traffic areas and potential cooking hazards.
Prioritize Safety
“There’s no reason you have to give up style in order to create a safe kitchen for children; it’s easy enough to incorporate safety features into your design,” Baker explains. “Take at look at these key features we often recommend:”
Rounded Edges
Sharp corners on countertops can pose a risk to children, so opt for rounded edges to help minimize the impact of an accidental collision. (See an example of a beautiful rounded countertop in a remodel we did for this Burke, Virginia family.)
Childproof Locks and Safety Plugs
Install childproof locks on lower cabinets and drawers where cleaning supplies, sharp utensils and other hazardous materials are stored. These locks are secure yet conveniently accessible to adults. Cover electrical outlets with safety plugs.
Stove Guards
Little hands can easily be scalded as your child reaches for something on the stove. Stove guards prevent children from reaching hot burners, acting as a barrier to reduce accident risks while still allowing easy access to the stove for parents. Stove guards can include plate-like barriers to surround the stove and protective covers for knobs.
Touch Faucets
To prevent accidental scalding if a child turns on the hot water, install a touch faucet with temperature settings. You can pre-set a safe maximum temperature to ensure the water does not get too hot when children are using the sink.
Appliance Locks
Consider appliance locks on the dishwasher, oven and refrigerator to prevent children from opening them unsupervised.
Incorporate Kid-Friendly Features
“When we design a kitchen remodel, we want the entire family to be able to enjoy it to the fullest—both the adults and children,” Baker says. “Here are some kid-friendly features you’ll want to include:”
Lowered Countertops
Let the kids in on the kitchen meal prep and cooking activities with a section of countertops lowered to their level. You never know—your child could become the next Michelin-starred chef because of their early introduction to cooking!
Kid-Sized Seating
Include a small table, island or counter area with child-friendly stools or chairs where children can eat, draw or do homework or activities. (Don’t forget the rounded edges!)
Interactive Elements
Kids can quickly get bored if they’re just sitting around, so incorporate fun and interactive elements in your Alexandria kitchen remodel that keeps them engaged. These can include a chalkboard or corkboard where they can draw or post their artwork, or a dry-erase calendar board to track family activities. A well-positioned homework or activities desk with cubbies for books and art supplies can also be included in your kitchen remodel design. Position these elements in an accessible yet safe location out of the way of meal-preparation activities.
Read this article for more ideas on remodeling your home for a growing family
Hire Schroeder Design Build, a Qualified Design Build Firm
“We love doing kitchen remodels. It’s one of our favorite things. And when families come to us with their ideas of how they might want their kitchen to look and be used, they are amazed at the creativity and thoughtfulness we put into their designs,” Baker says.
A kitchen designed for families prioritizes safety, functionality and engagement while at the same time, maintaining a stylish appearance. Our design team works hard to create a kitchen design the entire family can enjoy. We’ll present you with multiple design options based on your unique wants and needs, and help you to narrow them down to the perfect design for your family.
We’ve been serving families throughout Northern Virginia since 1986 with award-winning kitchen designs, so for kid-friendly, yet stylish, kitchen remodeling, contact Schroeder Design Build at 703-449-1700. Schedule your consultation today.
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