5 Must-Have Kitchen Renovation Features For Large Families

The modern kitchen is truly the heart of the home. No longer just a place to prepare meals, it is now also equal parts social hub and style statement. This is particularly true for families, who use the space to gather, share stories, and pass on traditions.

The best kitchen designs acknowledge this and show a clear understanding of how we live. At their core, they are functional and perform a multitude of roles each and every day. They also show off personal tastes and should make being in the space an absolute joy.

With all of this in mind, it’s easy to see why, when it comes to renovations in Perth, the kitchen is the most popular room to tackle. But planning your kitchen design can be tough and needing to cater for a large family only makes it harder. Thankfully, there are a handful of key features that you can focus on to make sure your Perth kitchen renovation is both beautiful and practical.

The main kitchen pain points for large families

Before we get into the features you need to incorporate, we want to talk about some of the most common kitchen design mistakes.

In our experience, one of the biggest regrets many Perth kitchen renovators have is not including enough storage. When it comes to cupboard and drawer space, there is no such thing as too much. From pantry staples and weekly groceries to crockery, cutlery, and glassware; most people have much more stuff than they realise.

When planning their Perth kitchen renovations, a lot of people also fail to think about how they want to use the space. For example, if you and your partner like cooking together, the layout needs to allow you both to be the kitchen at the same time. Similarly, if you want to watch the kids do their homework while you cook dinner, you will need to make sure you have the necessary bench space.

Generally speaking, most features and requirements can be worked into a kitchen design. However, they need to be planned and budgeted for before building or renovation works begin.

The 5 features every Perth kitchen renovation needs to include

Now that we’ve covered what you should avoid, let’s focus on what you should include. When designing a kitchen for a large family, you should make sure you have:

• Plenty of bench space: Your kitchen needs to support an array of activities, all done at the same time. Bench space is crucial to this and you should aim to have areas for food preparation, homework, and quick meals. Including an island bench and a breakfast nook in your kitchen design can help increase your usable bench space.
• Soft close doors and drawers: Is there anything worse than the sound of a cupboard door being slammed? Soft close hinges can help with this, making your cupboards and drawers glide shut, no matter how hard they are closed. While these will cost more than normal hinges, they are an important investment in protecting your cabinetry – and sanity!
• Kid-friendly storage options: In addition to having enough storage space, you need to make sure your cabinetry caters for different family members. Lower-level shelving allows easy access to the things younger ones need regularly, while overhead cabinets keep sweet treats out of reach. Having different cabinetry sizes and heights in your kitchen design also increases its flexibility.
• Open plan layout: In Perth, kitchen renovations are often undertaken purely to open up the space. The traditional kitchen design of an enclosed room away from the main living areas no longer suits most families. An open plan kitchen allows multiple people to be in, and move around, the space at the same time.
• 900mm stainless steel appliances: Practically speaking, having more mouths to feed means you need extra cooking capacity. Larger appliances allow for greater quantities and more dishes to be prepared. And including stainless steel in your kitchen design will make it easier to clean and maintain.

It starts with the right layout

While all the above points are important, your kitchen layout is the most critical design decision you will make. In fact, most kitchen design professional strongly recommend starting with the layout as it will impact almost every other choice.

For large families, there are two layouts that are particularly practical:

• The L Shape: This is where cabinetry is installed along two adjoining walls. It is considered the most flexible layout as it allows a “zoned” kitchen design and easy movement between different areas. While this layout can be scaled to suit any space, it is best for large, open plan homes.
• The U Shape: This is where cabinetry is installed along three adjoining walls to create a semi-enclosed space. It is one of the more functional layouts and supports the traditional “work triangle” kitchen design. It is a great option for small kitchen renovations, where one wall can be removed to open up the space.

Whatever layout you choose, adding an island bench to your Perth kitchen renovation can significantly increase the functionality of the space. In addition to providing more benchtop area, an island makes your kitchen design more flexible and sociable. Being able to face out from your kitchen also allows you to keep an eye on the kids while you cook.

Need help planning your Perth kitchen renovation?

If you’re considering renovating your Perth kitchen, contact Select Residential Solutions. Whether you’re building or renovating, we can help you get both the look and functionality you’re after.

As part of our quoting process, we do a full site inspection and measurement. This gives us a better understanding of the unique requirements of your project. It also allows our experienced design team to come up with a tailored solution that truly suits your needs.

We are also small kitchen renovation specialists and are experts in getting the most out of a limited space. From knocking down walls to innovative cabinetry solutions, we know how to create an open and inviting area anywhere.