The Ultimate Family Kitchen: A Guide

The Ultimate Family Kitchen: A Guide

The beating heart of any home is undoubtedly the kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you happen to be in a Burmese bungalow or a Maltese mansion, everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen to refresh themselves, to socialize and to plan meals together. Indeed, the etymology of the word ‘companion’ traces back to ‘pan’ – the Latin word for bread. We break bread with our nearest and dearest in the kitchen of our homes, and that’s why it’s the most important room in the house to get just right. Here’s how.

Think Stylistically

More so than any other room, there’s an elusive cohesion to a kitchen that can be rather difficult to nail down. Look through the stores, brochures and online marketplaces at kitchens, and you’ll see a wonderfully uniform style throughout. Look back at yours, and you may well see chaos.

The tip here is to think stylistically and to build downwards from the most prominent elements in your kitchen. Most kitchens combine a light wood paneling for cupboards with some kind of stone surface – perhaps granite or marble – on which to prepare and serve food. If that’s what you’re aiming for with your kitchen, you should talk with a kitchen installer who’ll be able to quote you a price on a new and updated style in your kitchen. If you’re happy with your current style, you can move swiftly onto point number two.

Appliances

Just as a home is nothing without a kitchen, a kitchen is nothing without its appliances. Especially crucial in family life are appliances such as a dishwasher, an oven, and microwave, and also clothes washers and a tumble dryer – although these are best housed in a utility room located off the kitchen.

In order to fit the right appliances into your kitchen, you should first consider what you have and what you might need. How’s the rusty old dishwasher doing? Is that fridge going to last through another year? Moreover, if your appliances have seen better days, you might want to consider reaching out to a team of appliance repair specialists such as https://www.TorringtonApplianceFix.com or other local repair experts in your area. Besides, sometimes repairing your existing appliances is more affordable than buying new equipment outright. Whatever you choose to buy, ensure it’s professionally installed to avoid faults and malfunctions that’ll leave only you to blame. Search, for instance, for dishwasher installation ‘near me’ to secure a handyman to install your appliances for you.

Smaller White Goods

A kitchen functions best when you can perform any kind of kitchen-based task with ease, with a machine or appliance that can help you cut corners on your way to making you and your family’s food and drinks. Some additional goods you should consider purchasing, then, are:

  • An espresso or coffee machine
  • A toaster or toastie maker
  • A kettle for tea and fast-boiled water
  • A water distiller to purify tap water
  • A blender – either hand-held or in its own plastic silo
  • A microwave

This list can go on and on, as you will be aware. The trick with purchasing all of the above is to fit them somewhat with your overarching style. You should find items that correspond with whatever color scheme and general style you’re aiming at with your kitchen. That way, you’ll be able to leave these extra and much-needed white goods on the side in your kitchen without it looking cluttered and disorganized. With any new appliance, you will need to see if it is covered under your home warranty, especially if it is an integrated appliance. Look online at companies like First American Home Warranty to see how they can be of assistance with this.

Social Space

Finally, it’s important to remember that your kitchen is one of two central social spaces in your home – the other being the living room, of course. In the kitchen, informal conversations and family get-togethers are the norm, whether you’re chatting over breakfast while the coffee is brewing before you head to work and your children head to school, or you’re cooking a delightful meal for the evening once everyone’s home.

The question is: how do you make your kitchen into the perfect social space for you and your family. Well, one feature is the lighting. In kitchens, it’s advisable to have varying degrees of light in order to set a mood for all occasions – bright breakfasts and atmospheric dinners or even parties can be achieved through variable lighting. You’ll also be able to set a mood in your kitchen by choosing the seating and the table that your family will perch on when they’re eating. Make them comfortable and homely to encourage your family to spend more time in the kitchen.

There you have it – the ultimate guide to setting up your kitchen to make it homely, family-friendly, and practical for all your cooking and cleaning needs.

Kelly Tate
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