Minivans, Sportscars, … and your Kitchen
With room for car seats and a third row to accommodate afterschool carpool, a minivan signifies young family life while the sleek look and speed of a sports car is the coveted empty-nest upgrade you look forward to later in life.
While we upgrade our cars in different chapters in our lives, when it comes to kitchens, we think that you shouldn’t have to wait to upgrade your space but rather start with a beautiful and functional design that evolves with you and your family through all the phases of your life.
In other words, you shouldn’t have to compromise your kitchen must haves! You can have a sleek, sophisticated design with all the functional elements that you need for a family space.
On today’s blog we are going to share with you tips to help you create a timeless kitchen design that will grow with you and your family. From durable materials to innovative storage and creative cabinetry, we will help you design a kitchen with that sleek, sports car style and all those family friendly minivan features.
Materials
The materials you select for your kitchen design are a determining factor in how well your kitchen will stand up to years of wear and tear. Luckily in today’s market, there are plenty of materials to choose from that are as durable as they are beautiful!
- Stained Cabinetry: Stain is easier to repair than paint so it’s a great option for households with kids, as it has lasting durability. One of our recommendations is a wood species like Knotty Alder, with natural imperfections that are often filled as part of the manufacturing process. If a little more filler is needed for a repair, it will not be noticed! Another great option is a Rustic Cherry or Rustic Beach wood stain. These kinds of woods have a beautiful natural texture. And best of all, the appearance of the wood camouflages any dings and scratches that might occur.
- Laminate Cabinetry: This is another great cabinet material as it is both timeless and easy to clean. Laminate cabinets are super sleek and come in a variety of colors so that you can easily integrate them into any style kitchen. They can also be a great complement to enameled or painted cabinetry.
- Tile or Luxury Vinyl Flooring: There’s nothing that takes a hit like flooring! Between daily foot traffic, household pets, and the rollerblades that always find their way into the house, your floors need to as durable as they are beautiful. Tile or luxury vinyl are great options for flooring material as they come in a wide variety of styles and colors and will last for years. You shouldn’t have to compromise the look you desire for durability, and with today’s new flooring options, you can have the best of both!
- Quartz Countertops: Countertops are among the most used – and often abused – fixtures in our homes. When it comes to selecting a countertop material for your project, we highly recommend quartz. Quartz is one of the hardest minerals on earth making it more scratch resistant and durable than a standard granite countertop. Cambria quartz countertops are completely nonabsorbent, will not stain, and never need sealing. Best of all, quartz countertops never require professional polishing and sealing and can be cleaned with simple soap and water.
Storage
Quality storage serves us in all phases of life! It’s important to be conscious of the kind of storage you design into your kitchen so that it reflects your specific needs and lifestyle.
- Drawers, drawers, drawers!: We could go on and on about the benefits of utilizing drawers in your cabinetry design. The biggest benefit is that drawers allow your items to remain easily accessible. That means there’s no need to reach into the far recesses of a dark cabinet to find that urgently-needed item hiding in the very back corner. Another benefit is that items used daily, including dishware, can be stored in lower drawers for easy access.
Dura Supreme Drawer Storage
- Roll-outs: Roll-outs are another way to maximize storage in your kitchen. Have you ever cleaned out your pantry and found expired mystery items that have been tucked out of sight for who knows how long? Roll-outs allow you to have easy access to the entirety of your storage, even in the farthest corners that are usually out of reach!
- Corner swing-outs: While corner cabinetry is usually a dead zone when it comes to storage, swing outs allow you to use every inch of your space. This is a great place to store infrequently used appliances like blenders and food processors.
- Consider your lifestyle: Evaluate your lifestyle and discuss with your designer what storage elements would work best in your space! For example, a pull-out for your dish towels is a great way to keep towels away from tiny hands while also maintaining a super sleek look.
- Storage can be repurposed over time: In this Modern European kitchen the drawers on the sides of the island were designed to house homework and school items for the homeowners’ children. But as the years go by, these drawers can be repurposed to store items like placemats or serving utensils.
Project: European Modern Kitchen
Color palette
Just as your life goes through different phases, so does your style! A neutral color palette in your kitchen will help you achieve a timeless look but allow you to change elements of the design over time as your style changes.
- Neutrals: Whites, creams, and browns will never go out of style and will leave you loving your kitchen design for many years and through many phases of life. A neutral color palette also allows you to make style updates over time. Hardware is an example of an easy and cost-effective update you can make that will give a fresh new feel to your space. Check out our blog on 10 ways to give your kitchen a budget friendly makeover.
Multifunctional island
A multifunctional island is the best way to create a kitchen that will grow with you and your lifestyle. With ample storage and counterspace, you can accommodate everything from science projects to graduation parties and formal dinners with guests.
- There are many design elements you can customize in your kitchen island. We encourage you to get creative! For example, you could integrate beverage storage into your island with a mini refrigerator. This makes snacks and juices accessible to kids when they are young and gives you the option to convert to a wine cooler later on.
Project: Rustic Modern Kitchen
- You can also customize your island to your cooking or baking needs. Pull-out storage for a stand mixer is one great option for the serious home cook. In this space, we see that the homeowner added on a rolling pastry bench that tucks right into the side of the island. Another bonus of this feature is that it is slightly lower than the countertop and is a great height for kneading dough – and for kids who want to help in the kitchen!
Project: Modern Classic Double Island Kitchen
Lighting
Lighting in your kitchen plays a large roll in both the aesthetic and functional aspects of your design.
- Integrated lighting: Integrated lighting such as undercabinet lights are great for illuminating your workspace and improving visibility when cooking. This is a great feature for both young and old!
- Light fixtures: Light fixtures make a statement in any space. They are also a relatively inexpensive item to replace when you are looking to give your kitchen a fresh new look.
Seating
With the kitchen being the heart of the home, comfortable seating is a must!
- Consider your lifestyle: The seating in your kitchen has to check a lot of boxes – not only does it need to be comfortable for all ages, but it needs to be stain resistant and safe. Wood, leather, or metal chairs are all durable options for a kitchen design. Chairs with backs are also sturdier and more comfortable than stools.
- Utilize Island seating: While a breakfast bench seems like a fun idea for meals with kids, it’s not always easy for adults to slide into a long bench. A better alternative may be to invest in quality seating at your kitchen island. Select sturdier bar stools or chairs while children are young and then upgrade to a sleeker stool later on. This is an affordable upgrade that is far easier than redesigning your island!
This Bloom Project Island was designed with specific seating in mind. The homeowner wanted seats around the island that would accommodate their grandchildren but wanted it designed such that the cooktop was out of the children’s reach. The finished design is safe for young children and works for any other kind of entertaining these homeowners might do!
Project: The Bloom Project
Think BEYOND the kitchen!
Quality cabinetry isn’t just for your kitchen design. You can achieve functional, long-lasting spaces throughout your entire home!
- Mud Rooms: Miss-matched hat and mitten piles are the bane of our existence, especially in a rush for the bus! Try specific cubby space for each member in the home.
- Laundry: A well-designed laundry room might make washing and folding clothes less of a chore! Just maybe ;). Durable material and functional cabinetry will create an efficient space that will carry you through many phases of life and many loads of laundry.
Laundry Room: Dura Supreme
- Garage: consider a dog washing station and large cabinets to store everything from garden tools to toys.
- Bathrooms: Toe kicks in bathroom vanities give kids a built-in step stool while still maintaining a beautiful look.
With our cars, we often choose between family features and style, but when it comes to your kitchen design you should never have to be compromise. Let us help you create a space that you can enjoy through all the different phases of your life! To learn more about our design process or to schedule an appointment with a designer, contact us.