The kitchen is the heart of any good home so it’s important to make the most out of this room and ensure it has multiple purpose. In this article we give you 8 ways that you can make your kitchen work for you in more than just the traditional sense!
Forget a stylish chrome sink that does little more than look fancy, instead opt for a traditional butler sink and instantly your kitchen can double up as bathroom for baby. When we were kids this was the done thing, but somehow along the way simple memories such as being bathed in the kitchen sink are a thing of the past, but think of the multi-tasking element! While your older child eats breakfast, you can bath baby, which will save you that all-important time when you’re doing the school run!
If you’re into cooking or baking then I bet your kitchen is definitely the warmest room in the house where everyone gravitates to in order to keep toasty. So why not capitalise on this situation by using your kitchen to also warm the rest of your house? You don’t have to live in the country on a grand farm to have an Aga, so consider having one of their wood-burning styles installed into your kitchen, which can heat your radiators throughout the house too.
If you find yourself at the kitchen sink or cooker cleaning up after your kids every day, why not consider at least having them for company while you take care of their needs rather than sending them off to their rooms or a TV den somewhere else in the house? If your kitchen is big enough, tuck a small sofa into a recess or corner, install a TV on the wall, and make your kitchen a real family room. Who knows, you may even manage to rope one of the kids into helping you out occasionally!
If you like to throw parties then you’ll know that the kitchen is where all the best one’s happen, so why not install a little corner cocktail bar for such occasions, or indeed for when you invite friends over for dinner. There is no better way to entice chums to keep you company while you whip up a fancy three-course meal for them, than to offer them a Brandy Alexander or Mojito and get the conversation started. So begin the evening as you mean to go on and get the party started in your kitchen!
If your home is small and you haven’t space for your own office, then you might think about creating a little cubby-hole in your kitchen where you can get to work in between meals. Computers themselves are so stylish these days that visitors would be hard pushed to know if it’s a toaster or a work-station sat on your desk! Files can be hidden away in a draw, a chalk board makes a good kitchen-friendly to-do list and why have a twizzly office chair when you can have a shabby chic rattan number?
There are some really classy cupboards out there and if there is any room that can carry floor to ceiling storage, it’s your kitchen. So invest in some tall cabinets that can house kitchen equipment and crockery in the lower areas, whilst hiding boxes of family photos or other items you don’t get out much on the higher shelves. Of course, you will need to invest in a nice step-ladder to access them, but whether shabby chic or sleek and stylish, that can be a feature all of its own!
If you have young children you’ll want them close throughout the day so that you can easily keep an eye on them while you go about your business. Creating a space where they can house a few of their toys and crafts is a great way to keep them happy. Funky boxes look pretty when everything is put away and a collapsible desk won’t take up permanent space. Every young child loves to make dens so if you have a large floor level cupboard, take off the door and replace with a curtain in a cutesy print!
OK so you don’t want your kitchen to look like a laundrette, but you could be missing out on the warmth of this room. Dryers are expensive and if the weather isn’t great you haven’t a hope of drying clothes outside, so why not get a Victorian-style lath Kitchen Maid dryer hoisted above your oven? It’s out of the way, practical and when you do need to hide away your smalls for visitors, it still looks stylish when empty.
Kit Stone
Bath Baby
Forget a stylish chrome sink that does little more than look fancy, instead opt for a traditional butler sink and instantly your kitchen can double up as bathroom for baby. When we were kids this was the done thing, but somehow along the way simple memories such as being bathed in the kitchen sink are a thing of the past, but think of the multi-tasking element! While your older child eats breakfast, you can bath baby, which will save you that all-important time when you’re doing the school run!
Heat your Home
If you’re into cooking or baking then I bet your kitchen is definitely the warmest room in the house where everyone gravitates to in order to keep toasty. So why not capitalise on this situation by using your kitchen to also warm the rest of your house? You don’t have to live in the country on a grand farm to have an Aga, so consider having one of their wood-burning styles installed into your kitchen, which can heat your radiators throughout the house too.
TV Den
If you find yourself at the kitchen sink or cooker cleaning up after your kids every day, why not consider at least having them for company while you take care of their needs rather than sending them off to their rooms or a TV den somewhere else in the house? If your kitchen is big enough, tuck a small sofa into a recess or corner, install a TV on the wall, and make your kitchen a real family room. Who knows, you may even manage to rope one of the kids into helping you out occasionally!
Cocktail Bar
If you like to throw parties then you’ll know that the kitchen is where all the best one’s happen, so why not install a little corner cocktail bar for such occasions, or indeed for when you invite friends over for dinner. There is no better way to entice chums to keep you company while you whip up a fancy three-course meal for them, than to offer them a Brandy Alexander or Mojito and get the conversation started. So begin the evening as you mean to go on and get the party started in your kitchen!
Kitchen Office
If your home is small and you haven’t space for your own office, then you might think about creating a little cubby-hole in your kitchen where you can get to work in between meals. Computers themselves are so stylish these days that visitors would be hard pushed to know if it’s a toaster or a work-station sat on your desk! Files can be hidden away in a draw, a chalk board makes a good kitchen-friendly to-do list and why have a twizzly office chair when you can have a shabby chic rattan number?
Storage
There are some really classy cupboards out there and if there is any room that can carry floor to ceiling storage, it’s your kitchen. So invest in some tall cabinets that can house kitchen equipment and crockery in the lower areas, whilst hiding boxes of family photos or other items you don’t get out much on the higher shelves. Of course, you will need to invest in a nice step-ladder to access them, but whether shabby chic or sleek and stylish, that can be a feature all of its own!
Play Room
If you have young children you’ll want them close throughout the day so that you can easily keep an eye on them while you go about your business. Creating a space where they can house a few of their toys and crafts is a great way to keep them happy. Funky boxes look pretty when everything is put away and a collapsible desk won’t take up permanent space. Every young child loves to make dens so if you have a large floor level cupboard, take off the door and replace with a curtain in a cutesy print!
Clothes Drying
OK so you don’t want your kitchen to look like a laundrette, but you could be missing out on the warmth of this room. Dryers are expensive and if the weather isn’t great you haven’t a hope of drying clothes outside, so why not get a Victorian-style lath Kitchen Maid dryer hoisted above your oven? It’s out of the way, practical and when you do need to hide away your smalls for visitors, it still looks stylish when empty.
Kit Stone
About the Author:
This guest post was contributed by Kit Stone, who certainly knows a thing or two about stylish kitchens - Providers of hand made kitchens, stunning interiors and quality garden furniture come with a refreshingly affordable price tag!
This guest post was contributed by Kit Stone, who certainly knows a thing or two about stylish kitchens - Providers of hand made kitchens, stunning interiors and quality garden furniture come with a refreshingly affordable price tag!
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