There are many online guides about how to make a kitchen baby and toddler-proof. That’s fantastic, and we hope those guides have helped avoid many injuries over the years. It’s true that redesigning your home in this way, by adding catches to drawers and cupboards, adding foam corners to table corners, and using safety chairs, can be a little restrictive, but not seeing your children harmed is motivation enough.
When your little ones grow up into teens, then mature teens, then adults, however, you have the chance to remove some of these limits and enjoy your space anew. There are many kitchen freedoms to enjoy if your children have grown up. Perhaps now you won’t mind about having your chip pan fryer out for example, because you can warn anyone near about the hot oil and never worry about a younger child who may not grasp the full danger.
Let’s consider some of the design freedoms you may also invest in, or organisational tips worth trying anew:
Breakfast Bars & Stools
Any stylish breakfast bars and high stools are completely out of the picture when a child needs to be sat firmly and safely. Even if not seated, you’re always worrying about them climbing onto the stools and taking a tumble, or maybe bumping their head on the counter edge, so you end up getting rid of them or never installing them in the first place.
Though once the kids are older, or even out of the house, you can enjoy these features. They can also make your kitchen more sociable, as you don’t need to eat each meal at the dining space. Stools don’t have to feel restricting either, as there are many comfortable and luxurious high-backed options on the market. It’s a great way to start off a kitchen makeover that feels renewed.
More Appliances
Before, your priority for appliances was usually safety and keeping the counters clear of clutter that could be pulled down, so appliances like an always-out kettle that’s always plugged in or a big stand mixer just weren’t an option at the time.
Now, you can finally bring in all any appliances that make cooking more fun, or just easier, depending on your kitchen style, and you don’t have to worry about little fingers exploring or yanking anything off the side. You might invest in a proper, large coffee machine sitting out permanently on the counter, or maybe finally bring out the bread maker that you always wanted but couldn’t keep out of reach.
Pull Out Cupboards Storage
Pull out cupboards storage systems, where all the contents come sliding out on a rack, are very convenient for finding all the provisions and pieces of kitchen equipment you have, but they’re an absolute disaster waiting to happen with small children who think they’ve just found a fun ride or a great way to knock over all your spices. You may have locked them or be avoiding them altogether, but that can really limit how organized you can be in the kitchen.
Now you can change that, thinking about huge pantry drawers that pull all the way out so you can see every single can and box at a glance, or specialized drawers for pots and pans for your baking. If thought through, it makes the kitchen much more functional and pleasant to use, and you get to maximize every inch of space..
Unique Installations
For years, you probably had to stick to durable, soft-cornered countertops and flooring that could handle constant spills and impacts, but now you have so many more options. For instance, you can finally think about having implementations like open shelving to display nice glasses or decorative items, without the fear of them being smashed after a hand goes searching. That’s a huge design freedom, and it instantly makes the kitchen look more mature and stylish too.
Moreover, expensive trimmings like cabinet handles or decorative centrepieces that have some value to them are fine now, and you can finally focus on pure aesthetics instead of just child safety. Maybe you can put in a larger and more dramatic range hood, or a hanging pot rack over an island, which both would have been a no-go for safety reasons before. It’s a great chance to integrate your own taste one more and have a fun time doing so. And hey, perhaps your child can have some input too! Now is the time to teach them to cook, after all!
With this advice, we hope you can feel rejuvenated in your kitchen space once more.
