Your kitchen is the heart of the home, but it may also be the lung and the brain. Many homeowners have multi-functional kitchens, where their kitchen acts as a versatile room in the home. If you’re in this situation, your kitchen design needs to accommodate it. Check out these design tips for multi-purpose kitchens.
What Is a Multi-Purpose Kitchen?
A multi-purpose kitchen is used for more than prepping and serving food. It may be used as a homeschool space during the day and a cooking space in the evening. Perhaps it acts as a breakfast bar in the mornings or a homework zone when the kids come home from school. If your kitchen serves several functions, you should organize it for your needs. The design tips below will help you do just that.
Create Zones in the Kitchen for Each Purpose
Zoning is the key to identifying different purposes in the kitchen. For example, if you have a breakfast nook in your kitchen that doubles as a homework zone, you may keep school-related items in a nearby cabinet. If your kitchen island doubles as a work zone for your home business, you may store the business items in the island cabinets.
With regards to décor, you can either keep the kitchen looking cohesive, or you can use different décor for different zones. Most homeowners prefer the first option because it makes the kitchen feel like one big space. However, you may want to show off the different things you do in the kitchen with corresponding decorations for each zone.
Maximize Closed Storage to Hide Clutter between Uses
Closed storage is crucial in a multi-purpose kitchen. Chances are you don’t want to see your kids’ craft supplies or your work equipment when you’re cooking in the kitchen. You can hide all the clutter behind your cabinet doors, and then bring out the items as needed. Just make sure you organize your cabinets so that objects are easy to access. If taking the items out is a big hassle, you’re more likely to leave them out between uses.
Use Neutral and Durable Design Elements
A multi-purpose kitchen gets a ton of use. That inevitably leads to a ton of wear and tear. When selecting finishes and materials for your kitchen, prioritize durability. You want these items to handle everything you throw at them so you don’t have to invest in a new kitchen too quickly.
With regards to design elements, stick to a neutral theme. This will not only last longer, but it will also be easier to repair as needed. A simple subway tile backsplash and shaker style cabinets will look great regardless of trends, and those materials will still be available a decade from now.
Explain Your Needs to Your Kitchen Designer
If you’re renovating your kitchen or designing a whole new layout, communicate your needs to your kitchen designer. Let them know all the different purposes your kitchen serves so they can create a plan to accommodate. Maybe you have an area of open shelving that would be better off as closed cabinets. Perhaps you need a built-in dining area or a large, flat island. Your designer can adjust plans to fit your needs, but only if you’re transparent about them.
O’Hanlon Kitchens specializes in functional, high-end kitchen designs. We can work with your existing layout or create an entirely new kitchen from scratch. Give us a call at 443-285-0558 to setup your kitchen design consultation.
