So much goes on in a kitchen. It’s one room that everyone gravitates to.

Therefore, when you plan your kitchen, there’s more to consider than just the practicalities of cooking. To accommodate the needs of the whole family, you need to make it a place they can eat, drink, relax, chat and entertain.

Here are some ways you can turn your kitchen into a multifunctional hub that can be used and enjoyed by everyone at all times of the day and night.

Introduce a functional kitchen island

A kitchen island is anything you want it to be. At certain times of the day, it’s an extra workspace to prepare food and place hot dishes.

At other times, your kitchen island can be used as a breakfast bar. Simply place chairs or stools on one or both sides, and you have an informal dining area for hungry kids or grown-ups.

If you don’t want to include a dining table in your kitchen, then an island or bar is a handy alternative. You can also use the under-counter area of the island as a storage area to house pots, pans, and other utensils within easy reach.

Choose durable, practical worktops

In a well-used kitchen, you need worktops that are both hardwearing and easy to clean. The same goes for splashbacks and cupboard fronts.

Granite is one of the hardest natural products on earth and is heat, stain and scratch resistant. It looks stunning as part of any kitchen design and is a durable work surface around sinks and hobs.

A granite island worktop can become the striking centre point of your kitchen and is tough enough to withstand the wear and tear of continuous daily use.

Alternatively, quartz worktops are tough, non-porous and resistant to scratches, stains, and heat damage. They make an ideal kitchen surface as they’re easy to keep clean, requiring nothing more than a wipe with a soft, damp cloth and mild detergent.

Another choice is Corian, made from a blend of acrylic resins, minerals and colourings to form a stone-hard surface that can be shaped to any design or dimension. The material can be thermoformed into curves to create one-piece moulded sinks and splashbacks or islands.

Make your kitchen child-friendly

If you have young children, it’s essential to include plenty of high cupboards to store dangerous items. Anything with a sharp edge, including peelers, graters and food processing tools should be stored out of reach.

Also, try and have one low-level cupboard that’s lockable to store washing powders, detergents and other cleaning fluids as its hard work to lift these heavy items down from high cabinets.

If you have a young family, you may want to install worktops and units with rounded corners. A curved kitchen will lessen the risks of young children injuring themselves on sharp edges. You could also consider going handleless.

Try a handleless kitchen

Handleless cabinets and drawers allow you to move around your kitchen without having to worry about catching yourself or your clothes on sticking out handles or knobs. If you have small children, there’s less chance of them hurting themselves by bashing into protruding handles.

Instead, you can install push-to-open mechanisms, finger pulls, soft closing hinges and even electric devices on electronic handleless doors. As a result, your kitchen becomes even easier to maintain as there are no handles and knobs for dirt to accumulate around.

Let us create your dream kitchen

We can design the kitchen you want, one that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle and home.

Why not book a FREE kitchen design consultation and let us show you how we can transform your kitchen?

Call us on 01525 851830 or email: sales@kinteriorskitchens.co.uk