The Heart of the Home: Redefining Family Kitchen Design
Over recent years, the kitchen has transcended its traditional role as a mere space for meal preparation. Today, it stands as the heart of the home, a multifaceted hub where cooking, entertaining, and family bonding seamlessly blend. Designing a family kitchen that encapsulates luxury whilst remaining functional is a delicate art. This week, we’ve asked a few design experts to share their top tips and considerations to keep in mind when designing a family-friendly scheme. Keep reading to find out.
Opt for Bespoke Cabinetry
Tom Howley, a brand synonymous with bespoke kitchen design, emphasises the importance of timeless elegance in family kitchens. Made-to-order cabinetry goes beyond design trends, offering homeowners a lasting solution that adapts to their evolving needs. By meticulously crafting each piece to suit the unique dimensions and requirements of the space, and the lifestyles of its clients, Tom Howley ensures that each scheme is built to last the test of time.
Richard Holden, sales designer at Tom Howley, comments: “The furniture we create is all made-to-measure and designed to last. When you have a carefully designed, bespoke space, you won’t need to think about updating it for the next 20 years. When you come to sell your house, if that time arises, it’s going to improve the value of your property and make it more desirable to potential buyers.”
Go Double
When it comes to family kitchens, the mindset that ‘more is better’ often proves to be true. This approach involves incorporating double elements such as islands, taps, dishwashers, ovens and even a secondary ‘back kitchen’ to enhance functionality and convenience.
Tom Howley, Creative Design Director at the eponymous kitchen company, notes: “Islands are a perennial favourite but are even more in demand for families as we treat our kitchens as workspaces, classrooms, and culinary hubs. We are now taking it to the next level and expanding our island space by doubling up for two worktops. Having double kitchen islands serves a variety of purposes to make multifunctional life easier – providing twice the counter space in the kitchen for food prep, and even offering a second sink to streamline the cooking process.”
Howley continues: “Typically, one island serves a more functional role – great for food prep and may include a second sink or even a dishwasher, streamlining the cooking process. The second island is then dedicated to entertaining or eating. It often has an area for bar stools, allowing guests to relax as you prepare a meal or for your children to do their homework while you whip up an after-school snack.”
For busy households, a back kitchen can be invaluable. Howley explains: “A back kitchen serves as a support system for the main kitchen, acting as a discreet space for storage, preparation, and organisation. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes area that keeps the main stage running smoothly. Ample storage is paramount in this space. A mix of closed cupboards and drawers and open shelving is essential to offer enough space to store ingredients, cookware and small appliances, ensuring that everything is conveniently within reach yet neatly tucked away. The best thing about a back kitchen is that once you’ve had enough, you can close the doors behind you, concealing all the mess and clutter until it’s time to tidy.”
Choose Worktops That Combine Form & Function
The worktop is a key element in any kitchen, setting the tone for the entire space. Given its extensive coverage, it not only shapes the aesthetic of the room, but also bears the brunt of daily activities. It’s therefore no surprise that materials such as porcelain continue to be a firm favourite amongst families looking for worktops that are beautiful, durable and easy to maintain.
Jonathan Stanley, VP of Marketing at premium surfaces leader Caesarstone, shares: “The trend for using porcelain in our homes is, without a doubt, continuing to grow. Beautifully combining aesthetic with durability, porcelain outperforms natural stone alternatives such as marble and granite. Whether you’re after a bolder, dramatic style with a darker hue or looking to create a light, natural atmosphere with something softer, then this material can offer just that. Beyond aesthetics, porcelain is highly resistant to heat, scratches and stains, whilst also being non-porous and simple to clean. Because of its high resistance to heat, sunlight, UV and extreme weather conditions, porcelain is also suitable for outdoor use, for those looking to recreate a stylish and practical look in their outdoor kitchen.”
Select a Flooring That Merges Design With Durability
The flooring is the foundation of any space, defining the framework for both style and functionality. When considering durable flooring for a high traffic area such as a busy family kitchen, vinyl options are proving to be a standout choice.
Neel Bradham, CEO of global flooring company Parador, notes: “There are many misconceptions about vinyl, notably that it is cheap-looking and not hardwearing. Although this may have been the case many years ago, vinyl has increased its design prowess and technological capabilities. As a material for the home, vinyl ticks all the boxes. Not only is it a great choice for design enthusiasts, but it also excels in resilience and technological performance. It is versatile, highly affordable, waterproof, and durable, making it an ideal choice for high traffic areas such as family kitchens.”
222 Kensal Rd,
London,
W10 5BN
T: +44207 138 3556
