The family kitchen is often referred to as the “heart of the home.” Maybe it’s because most of us spend a lot of time there with our families. We enjoy yummy meals together and chat about our days. And it’s a usual spot where many of us CFOs aka Chief Food Officers spend a lot of time: prepping food, putting groceries away, cleaning up after meals. So it’s where you find the breadwinners and bread-makers of the household.
Making the space comfortable, delightful, and easy for food work is essential, but it’s also a great idea to make it welcome as a family kitchen for all to feel good inside. Here are some key design strategies to keep in mind as you plan and create your kitchen for your family home.
Open Space, Open Hearts
First things first: family kitchen layout matters. I have strong opinions about an open floor plan. It just doesn’t work for a busy family. Yes, it can make your feel bigger. It also makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids while whipping up dinner. But it also allows noise to penetrate everywhere. Kids aren’t quiet. Work calls can be loud, too. So can cooking with pots and pans, blenders, and food processors.
While you may still like an open floor plan and desire the ease of watching the kid while prepping dinner, I suggest including ways to close off spaces. There are barn doors, bifold doors, sliders, pocket doors, French doors. The options are varied and there is one that will work with pretty much every style of home.
Note: And yes, a slider can be used inside. Many people thought I was crazy for using barn door hardware in our kitchen, but we were the OGs of that craze. And you can be the OG of whatever idea you think works safely for you.
Storage that Actually Stores
Families accumulate stuff. We’re just good at having extra lunchboxes, reusable water bottles, and mismatched plastic containers. Smart storage is a lifesaver. Deep drawers for pots, built-in organizers for snacks, and even a “drop zone” for backpacks can prevent your counters from looking like a yard sale exploded.
Recently I found this Nutribullet cups organizer that’s 3D-printed. It’s been a game changer for our family since my husband Mark is an avid Nutribullet drinker. We have more cups and tops than one human can actually use in a week.
The Joy of Durable Surfaces
Here’s the deal: sticky fingers happen. So do juice spills, marker accidents, and the occasional dropped frying pan. Durable countertops and flooring can save you from the heartbreak of stains, chips, or endless scrubbing. Quartz, butcher block, or even some of the newer laminates give you beauty without the stress of tiptoeing around your own kitchen.
Here’s how to remove crayon from the wall.
Seating for All (Even the Extra Guests)
Whether it’s family breakfast or Friday pizza night with friends and kids, comfortable and welcoming seating makes the kitchen feel inclusive. A big island with counter-height stools, a built-in bench by a window, or an expandable table with upholstered chairs can transform a kitchen into the place where everyone wants to hang out.
And yes, that means you might need a bigger snack budget. But, you’ll know where your kids are hanging out. So that could be a win?
Here is a fun look at how to update the same chair in 3 ways
Kitchen Remodeling: The Game-Changer
Sometimes, no amount of creative rearranging can fix a kitchen that just aches to retire. If your kitchen feels more like an obstacle course than a gathering place, kitchen remodeling might be the answer. Think of it as investing in both your home and your sanity.
A remodel lets you reimagine the space entirely, adding better lighting, modern appliances, or adding windows or even knocking out a wall to expand the footprint.
Yes, it’s expensive to do a total remodel. However, if you keep the general footprint of where the plumbing is located and don’t move light fixture locations, you can save a lot. The more of the layout you keep, the more dollars you keep in your account.
And you can always do a few quick updates that don’t break the bank: painting walls, backsplashes, and touching up scratches on appliances with appliance paint.
New flooring or pulls on cabinets, a show-stopping new light fixture, and even just clearing off the fridge clutter can be a transformative investment in time.
Personality Over Perfection
At the end of the day, a family kitchen doesn’t need to look like it belongs on Instagram. A family kitchen is at its best when it feels like it belongs in your family and serves your family’s needs. Make choices based on how you live and not on how you think you should live.
From my experience, my loved ones won’t change their behavior just because of design choices. I take their natural behaviors in mind when I make design choices. So at the end of the day, their way of interacting with the world is better streamlined and supported and I get to choose how that looks and feels. It’s a win-win. And don’t forget to add your personality!
Note: And if your family cares about color, texture, shine, etc., and wants to participate in the design choices, please include them. Here’s some advice on home improvement with a loved one.
Final Food for Thought
A family-friendly kitchen isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being lived in, loved, and ready for everything from late-night ice cream parties to giant pancake breakfasts. And if you can get through all of that with a little less clutter and a little more joy? Life is just so much easier and delightful.
More kitchen ideas and how-to.
