There are so many benefits to spending time together in the kitchen. Studies suggest that enjoying a meal together can have several positive impacts on your family, including:

• Better academic scores and language development for teens and children.
• Improved family relationships and strengthened by family discussions.
• The ability to make healthier, more nutritious food choices.
• Decreased risk of teenagers engaging in high-risk behaviors.
• Less emotional stress, thanks to a stronger support system.

Encourage your family to spend more time in the kitchen by creating the ultimate family-friendly space.

SIX TIPS FOR CREATING A FAMILY-FRIENDLY KITCHEN DESIGN

A family-friendly kitchen is one that is comfortable, functional, safe and engaging for the whole family. Following these six tips to begin designing your own family-friendly kitchen:

SEATING IS EVERYTHING

In a family-friendly kitchen, seating is everything. Whether your family gathers around a traditional dining room table or sits on counter-height barstools around the kitchen island, make sure there is plenty of comfortable seating available. The more comfortable your dinner-time seating is, the more time your family will want to spend sitting around the table.

Some of the most delicious family meals — like pasta, pizza and desserts — can also be some of the messiest. When choosing chairs or bar stools for your family kitchen, look for ones that are made with easy-to-clean fabrics. Alternatively, preserve delicate seating with washable slip-covers during mealtime.

HAVE A MENU BOARD

One of the smartest family kitchen ideas is to display a large menu in the dining area so your family can look ahead at the week’s dinner plans. Construct your menu out of chalkboard paint or use a dry-erase board, so it is easy to change each week.

Pre-planning your weekly menu is an excellent way to organize your grocery shopping list and give your family an idea of what to expect each night. For even more fun, consider implementing “theme nights” throughout the week, like Taco Tuesday or Leftovers Night.

CHOOSE EASY-TO-CLEAN BUILDING MATERIALS

Easy to clean building materials — especially for the countertops and flooring — are a must-have in family-friendly kitchens. Quartz, vinyl, and laminate countertops are all easy to maintain and stand up well to the chaos of family mealtime.

Stone, tile, and laminate materials are all great options for your floor, as they are typically non-porous and easy to clean. Avoid installing any carpet in your kitchen, as it will be difficult to keep clean and dry. Instead, opt for a colorful, washable rug to add more personality to the room.

Let’s be real. Life happens. When you use a kitchen, day in and day out, bad things can happen to good cabinets. But now you can make a mess, wipe it clean and get on with life.

CHILD-PROOF WHEN NECESSARY

If babies or toddlers live in your home, you are probably already familiar with the idea of child-proofing. In a family-friendly kitchen, child-proofing means installing high shelves and closed-door cabinetry to safely hide away dangerous items, like knives, kitchen gadgets, cleaning agents and more.

Baby gates are another good option for keeping children away from unsafe areas of the kitchen. For even more protection, consider placing corner guards on the edges of your kitchen counters, island and dining table to keep your little one from bumping their head.

LET THE KIDS GET INVOLVED

Make family time last longer and teach your child valuable life skills by letting them get involved in the meal preparations. Depending on your child’s age, there are several different ways your kid can get involved.

Teaching your children how to cook from a young age and letting them express themselves in the kitchen can encourage them to:

• Develop healthy eating habits.
• Be more creative.
• Become more adventurous eaters.
• Learn math and basic formulas while measuring ingredients.
• Improve their reading comprehension by consulting recipes.
• Learn more about where food comes from, including different cultures.
• Get a jump-start on learning how to care for themselves.
For kid-friendly kitchen design, install child-height furniture. If that isn’t possible, designate a special step-stool for your child, so they can easily assist. You could also set a special drawer in your kitchen aside for your children’s baking and cooking supplies so they can learn how to put away their tools and dishes during cleanup.

STORAGE, STORAGE, STORAGE

Kitchens for families require a lot of storage space to make room for all the dishes, pantry items, pots and pans. Implement traditional storage spaces throughout your kitchen design, including kitchen walk-in pantries, drawers, cabinetry and pot hangers.

If your kitchen is small or you are working on a limited budget, implement other space-saving tricks, like:

• Installing sliding, pull-out pantries.
• Invest in built-in spice racks inside your cabinets.
• Placing floating shelves on the wall.

For you, this means kitchen cabinetry that can:

• Withstand the heat, moisture, drops and spills that happen while cooking.
• Handle accidental scrapes and bumps without lasting damage.

Potomac Kitchen and Bath, you can also add optional additional storage or personalized touches to your cabinetry like built-in spice racks and decorative trims or moldings. Select Potomac Kitchen and Bath are available for Quick Ship, meaning you get your cabinetry within days, not weeks.

• Fast transit times: Select Potomac Kitchen and Bath are available for Quick Ship transit.
To learn more about Potomac Kitchen and Bath — or to browse our other premium cabinetry selections — visit Potomac Kitchen and Bath online. Then, find an independent Potomac Kitchen and Bath dealer near you to see the cabinets for yourself and begin designing the family kitchen of your dreams.

For further information about kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and countertops or to add granite, marble, or quartz countertops to your kitchen and vanity tops to your bathroom, call Potomac Kitchen & Bath Now! You can also make a free appointment to get service in:

Leesburg, McLean, Chantilly, Merrifield, Dunn Loring, Annandale, Dulles, Oakton,  Aldie, Warrenton, Lorton,  Sterling, Alexandria, Arlington, Potomac Falls, South Riding, Gainesville, Vienna, Gaithersburg, Great Falls, Bethesda, Rockville, Clifton, Haymarket, Burke,  Dumfries, Dalecity, Springfield, Reston, Centreville, Ashburn, Herndon, Manassas, Fairfax, Fairfax Station, VA.