When you start looking at different kitchens in preparation for designing and building your own, it’s easy to just look at the materials and colours to form your dream kitchen. However, suppose you’re in a busy household with young children. In that case, it can sometimes be worth factoring their needs and safety into the design, as well.
Even though children don’t stay young forever, there are plenty of small, subtle changes you can make to a standard kitchen design to ensure it caters to them now and in the future.
Rounded Edges
There are plenty of beautiful, sharp-edged cabinets out there that meet the mark for style and functionality. But then you start thinking about how many times your kids have fallen over and bumped their heads. With that in mind, it can be a good idea to consider rounded-edge countertops instead.
They are not a significant change from a standard one, but they have smoother edges that can end up being more forgiving to a young child’s head, should they slip and fall.
Touch-Free Faucets
Touch-free faucets are not only convenient for homeowners but also for their kids. If children are not tall enough to comfortably turn a tap on and off, it’s easy enough for them to turn on scalding-hot water and accidentally burn themselves accidentally.
Touch-free faucets often come with the added benefit of allowing you to pre-set the water temperature. That single feature can offer much-needed peace of mind.
Everyone wants their kids to become independent. You might even jump for joy the day your children can make a sandwich safely for themselves. Let your kitchen design assist with this process. Instead of opting for high counters, bring their height down slightly. Children then won’t need to stand on their tippy-toes to reach something or prepare a snack.
Hygienic Materials
Ask any parent, and they will tell you that kids can be messy. Sticky finger marks can end up in the strangest places. That’s why it can be a good idea to opt for hygienic materials that are easy to clean. Quartz, for example, is not only forgiving, but it’s easy to clean and maintain.
Steer away from materials and colours that can show up marks and smears, like gloss or matte black finishes.
Low Storage
While you will, of course, store knives and dangerous appliances out of reach of children, it can sometimes be convenient to have low storage that your children can reach. In these cupboards, they may be able to access child-friendly cups, plates, and bowls, along with snacks they can prepare or get for themselves.
Invest in Locks
While child locks can sometimes be frustrating to manage, they can also be essential for keeping your children safe. Without them, children can open cupboards and retrieve items that could potentially be harmful.
Once you have worked with a cabinet maker to design and build a beautiful new kitchen, purchase a few child locks to go on them. It’s not a ‘forever feature’, and you can remove them when they are no longer necessary.
Kitchens can be dangerous areas for children to enter. However, with careful attention during your kitchen design phase and a few extra features, you can be on your way to a reasonably safe space that offers full peace of mind.
