Cabinet Refacing Ideas: Designing a Kid-friendly Kitchen

by Melissa Bullard
Face Your Kitchen Columnist

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Everyone needs to eat, and kitchens often serve as informal gathering places around meal times, a central communication station (how many notes and to-do lists are posted on refrigerators?), and, if you have little kids, a place where snacks and memories are made. That's why kitchen remodel and reface projects are a great time to design kitchens that are kid-friendly. Whether you don't have your own family yet, are in the middle of raising children, or are redesigning your kitchen with the grandchildren in mind, at some point your kitchen will likely have kids in it. So follow these tips to create a space that welcomes everybody between the ages of 2 and 92.

• Designate a Cabinet Space: If your kids are at the age where they want to try to do everything themselves, designating a particular shelf or even cabinet box as their own is a great way to let them develop their independence. They can access their toys and snacks and not get into things they're not ready for.
• Give Them a Workspace: Whether kids are helping you put dough on cookie sheets or just want a place to color while they hang out with you, your kitchen remodel should create a space that allows everyone to feel included. High countertops with barstools are not the safest option for young ones, so consider installing an island with a lower ledge and shorter stools for kids, or maybe put a table in the kitchen itself.
• Create a Space for a Step-Stool: Bringing a collapsible step stool into your kitchen is a great way to instantly make it more welcoming to kids. Collapsible step stools can be placed in a cabinet or in the space between the refrigerator and a cabinet side. If you want it out of sight, consider installing a toekick drawer. If you're handy with cabinetry or carpentry, this could be an easy part of your kitchen reface job; if not, hire a contractor. Your step stool is out of sight but still quickly accessible.
• Corner-Free Spaces: If part of your kitchen reface includes redoing your kitchen countertops, consider installing countertops without corners, making trips and falls a little less dangerous.

It doesn't take much to make your kitchen more friendly for kids, so if you're working on a kitchen reface or remodel anyway, now is the perfect time to create a space that's appropriate for all ages.

 

About the Author

Melissa Bullard earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, then a Master's Degree in Spanish Language and Literatures from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has taught writing, literature, and Spanish classes, and is currently working as a fre