When planning your kitchen renovation, there are so many moving parts to think about. What colors do you like the best? What kind of tile do you want for the backsplash, and is it complementary to the new floors? How well does it all clean? These are all excellent questions to consider and should certainly be on your design agenda. Something that may be easy to overlook, however, is how well your new kitchen incorporates all generations and mobility in your home. Encouraging familial independence and interdependence is key when planning a renovation for your multigenerational home. According to a study conducted by Generations United, 25% of those surveyed living in multigenerational homes agreed that, “having designated kitchen time and/or routines contributes to successful functioning of their home.” 40% of members in the same study also said that family meal time with all members of the home helps them maintain a successful blend of generations within their household. Additionally, not everyone in your family may be able bodied. Everyone in your house deserves to feel at home. In this blog we will discuss a few different ways to keep all of the generations and different levels of ability in your family included in a functional, discreet way during your kitchen renovation journey.
If you have children or plan on having children, it is important to remember your littles! Sandra Edwards, the founder for the nonprofit Childesign, states in an interview with Kitchen & Bath Business (KBB), “Children’s needs are often lost amongst designers’ egos, building codes and the agendas of those who pay the bill.” According to Edwards, it is important that a child’s viewpoint is kept in mind when making design decisions that will directly impact their environment. A simple consideration to make is to include drawer storage that is easily accessible to your littles. By placing dishes and bowls in a middle drawer, children will be able to participate in kitchen activities in a way that is easy to monitor. Whether that means setting the table or helping themselves to cereal for breakfast, children will be able to become more familiar with the kitchen environment without setting the house on fire. It will also help foster a sense of wellbeing as they learn how to take care of themselves. Not to mention, it is extremely convenient for the adults in your home. Regardless of if you are able bodied or there is something that prevents you from reaching tall shelves - whether it is a mobility aid, physical impairment, or you are just short - the lower drawer storage solution provides accessibility with ease. No more precariously lifting a large stack of plates off of a shelf that is a little awkward to navigate or being unable to reach into a cabinet lower to the ground!
Pull out drawers and shelving are another simple way to make your kitchen more accessible. Not only will you be able to easily get to what you have stored without having to kneel down, you will not have to dig through a dark cabinet searching for the exact pot you need! As MasterBrand Cabinet director of design and trends Stephanie Pierce says to KBB, drawers and pullout functionality causes an “overall increased accessibility to stored items,” which “enhances ease-of-use for all ages.” Creating a storage solution that does not require too much heavy lifting from a low height will also make moving through your kitchen easy for those who may not be able to reach high or bend down.
Putting items like cookie sheets in a pull out shelf creates a simple storage hack that saves space in your cabinets. It is also a great way to keep your littles in mind. Incorporating this storage idea into a baking area is a great way to help everyone in the household be involved. By keeping the heavier items out of reach from little hands but making easy to lift items such as baking sheets or measuring cups reachable, you can create family activities that everyone can participate in.
Two other ways to incorporate different ages and levels of mobility into your kitchen design is an in-island microwave and message center. A message center provides a handy storage opportunity that is not only discreet, but can include every single member of your family. Hide your mail and magazines while also putting other things, such as photographs, at eye level for your littles. It also provides convenient storage opportunities for those in the home with mobility aids such as wheelchairs. Those of us with able bodies can easily disregard how difficult it can be to reach across a counter to grab the mail or the journal with the to do lists.
Incorporating your microwave into your island also has a variety of benefits. Whether your parents are moving in with you or coming to visit for the holidays, no one will have to balance lifting dishes into the microwave. The way kitchen appliances eat up counter space can be excessive, so it will also save you some elbow room!
There are so many factors that go into a kitchen design. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the aesthetic choices and practical applications for yourself, however it is important to keep everyone who is a part of your home in the design. As children grow, you will be able to support their autonomy in a way that also incorporates family activities. Designing sections such as the baking center keeps them safe while also providing an opportunity for kids to participate in family activities. It will help strengthen not only your interpersonal relationships, but everyone will be able to use the kitchen. Creating mobility friendly options such as the pull out drawers and shelves makes the kitchen more accessible for everyone, which in turn makes it more functional. Whether someone in your family is elderly, has a mobility aid or physical impairment, there are design choices that can support each person in the kitchen. When you work with our designer Adrienne at Kitchens By Design, she will be able to help direct your design in a way that works for you and each person you love.
Interested in what else KBD is cooking up on the blog or curious to see how we bring your renovation vision to life?
Blog Sources
Generation United, “Family Matters: Multigenerational Living Is On The Rise and Here To Stay,” Pages 19, 20.
Kitchen & Bath Business, September/October 2024 Issue, “Family Style,” by Leslie Clagett.
Interior images sourced from Ultracraft and Kemper. See more inspiration photos here.
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