Family Central
Meals, conversations, laughter—with all that transpires in the kitchen, shouldn’t it be built to accommodate everyone?
By: Karen Weir-Jimerson
What’s on your dream kitchen wish list?
Remodeling and building trends indicate that homeowners
want more space for cooking and communicating in
an open plan that feels roomy, yet inviting. Additional
seating and storage are top priorities.
The refigured space helps the kitchen fulfill its
modern-day purpose as a place for the family to connect.
The kitchen is the heart and soul of a home and often
the hub of family activity, especially during the
school year.
Opening Up
Knocking down walls has long been a metaphor for
increasing communication and freedom, and that’s
what the new trend in kitchen remodeling is all about.
Wall removal opens up small kitchens into great rooms
that can accommodate the whole family.
Bigger kitchens also mean that homeowners can add
luxe touches, such as commercial or restaurant-grade
appliances, and customized storage options. “We’ve
been taking down a lot of walls,” acknowledges
Eric Phillips, vice president and general manager
of DreamMaker® Bath & Kitchen of the Triangle
in Apex, North Carolina.
A Case Study
One of Phillips’ recent clients requested “a
bigger kitchen with room to cook together.” Walls
were eliminated, and surfaces and storage were added.
“An open design was our solution,” Phillips
says. “By removing the wall that separated
the kitchen from the living and dining areas, we
created an open floor plan designed for family interaction
and energized the space with warm pumpkin-color paint.” The
client added the finishing detail—the aroma
of baking throughout the house.
Space for Food and Memories
Driving the design in Phillips’ award-winning
kitchen was the desire to create a special area for
family to congregate. In place of the wall, they
designed a multi-height island, complete with breakfast-bar
seating for three, and an adjoining table with seating
for three more.
“With a creative approach to meeting the
client’s needs,” Phillips says, “we
turned a small, galley-style kitchen into a spacious,
functional family room.” Now the cook can prepare
meals while enjoying the family.
Phillips also notes that the redone kitchen boasts
a fabulous view of the fireplace. “With versatility
in seating and space,” he says, “the
new great room will be a host to family memories
and entertainment for years to come.”
Cooking with Your Kids
When there’s more to your kitchen, there’s
added incentive to do more in the kitchen such as
making a meal together. Lynn Fredericks, author of
Cooking Time Is Family Time:
Cooking Together, Eating Together, and Spending Time
Together (William Morrow & Company,
1999), says this about cooking with kids: “Since
cooking involves all the senses and touches on science,
geography, and history, as well as such life skills
as teamwork and following directions, parents can
use cooking time as a broad framework for learning.”
Food shopping, preparation and consumption are
all memory-making actions you can share with your
kids while spending quality time together.
Maximizing Space
Another trend in kitchen remodeling is carving
out areas often referred to as “drop zones.” These
are secluded spots where you can separate organizational
items, such as the phone and answering machine, but
you can also make a perfect area for kids who need
a place for doing homework. Almost a mini office,
it can create both a work and school-and-sports storage
area for kids.
Storage for the Way You Live
Like lizards, kids seem to shed their skins—backpacks,
papers, coats and shoes—wherever they go. Often
the kitchen seems to be the depository, given its “activity
central” status. Having storage space to stow
the stuff (and better yet, to be able to find it
again) keeps a family organized—a key in getting
everyone out of the house each morning for school
and work.
“Cabinet companies are addressing storage
needs by creating specific-use cabinets,” Phillips
says. “You can have a mixer cabinet—so
you open up the cabinet, and your KitchenAid® mixer
is right there.” Deeper cabinet drawer designs
enable the owner to store pots and pans there instead
of stacking them in a cupboard.
To accommodate kids, use wide spice racks with
baskets where you can store scissors, pens and pencils.
Cupboards for backpacks and sports supplies are another
plus in a big kitchen. Shoe storage slots at the
back door keep footwear out of the main traffic ways,
yet still accessible when the kids need them.