The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the entire house: it is where the evening meals are prepared and where the family gathers to share the comings and goings of the day. Because of this focus on family, the design of the space must reflect this by being fully functional and capable of meeting the needs of multiple generations. Fortunately, there are many ways you can create a family-friendly kitchen design; some of them are described below.

The first aspect that you must take into account for the design of your kitchen is the location of the refrigerator, the oven and the sink. With a busy family life, preparing meals as quickly and easily as possible is top priority. Mornings are often hectic, trying to get breakfast and pack the children’s lunches for school. The same can be said for nights when all you want to do is feed the kids and put them to bed so you can relax. By placing the oven, sink and refrigerator in a ‘working triangle’, your family can eat much faster.

It is also of the utmost importance that you carefully consider the floor plan before finalizing your kitchen design. Think about how your kitchen is commonly used: is the space just for preparing meals, or do you eat there as well? Are the adults the only people using the space or do the kids like to sit on the bench with you? The answers to these questions will help you decide on a floor plan that will keep everyone happy.

These days, the latest in family kitchen designs is having the space attached to a living room of the home. In most cases, this is the dining room, but it can also be the living room or a combination of both. This ensures that the family can still be together while mom or dad cooks dinner. Kids can watch TV or do homework knowing their parents are around and can help if they need it.

The final aspect of your kitchen design that needs to be considered is how the storage space is organized. If you have tall cabinets, be sure to use them to store your fine china and other breakables you don’t want kids getting their hands on. Use low cabinets to store crockery and cutlery that you need every day and that children can use. As you plan your storage, think about how things are arranged in your pantry and refrigerator – keep things that children can’t have out of reach.