Getting started
TIP of the Month
Kids in the
Kitchen
As a mother of two, I have mopped up my share of spilled milk and cleaned up after more than a few cooking experiments gone wrong. From the time I carried them as babies in Snugglies while chopping vegetables for dinner, my children have spent a lot of time in the kitchen. They have serenaded me as toddlers on pots and pans, helped decorate cupcakes for class parties, hung out with their friends after school, reluctantly cooked dinner and done dishes on their chore night and more recently hosted a dinner party for college friends.
As a kitchen designer I put my personal experience to use when planning family friendly kitchens. Many things can be done to make kitchens safe, functional and fun for families starting with the layout.
The floor plan should be divided into zones and traffic patterns set to allow for good flow. This will not only make it more fun to work in but will also make it safer. A child running through the kitchen to reach the back door should not cross the path of a cook carrying a pot of boiling water from the range to the sink. That’s a recipe for an accident.
If you want to encourage children to participate in cooking and clean up, make it more workable. Choose finishes that can be easily maintained and durable. Children are experts at making messes and spills are inevitable.
A child’s body and mental maturity is constantly changing as does their ability to handle cooking tasks so you need to supervise closely and decide what they are ready to handle. Making sure your kitchen is ‘kid friendly’ will go a long way towards helping them to be active participants in the kitchen, reaping lessons and making memories that will last a lifetime.
True North Cabinets by Debra Tan Designs provides design and installation of quality cabinetry for every room of your home.
Debra believes that your home should be as unique as you are. No two families are alike, so why should you settle for cookie cutter design. Whether you are a gourmet chef or like to order your meals in, Debra takes the time to get to know you to make sure the finished project suits your unique needs and style.
To get started, e-mail your contact information, regional location and a brief description of your project using the link below. Don’t forget to do your homework!
Planning a kitchen renovation? Take some time to do your homework; visit kitchen and appliance show rooms, leaf through magazines and talk to friends or relatives who have recently installed new kitchens. It will give you a lot of insight into what is involved. Most people are caught off guard by how many decisions they will need to make and the expense involved in a renovation project.
Keep a file folder that you can carry around for easy reference to your notes, photos and swatches. Shop around to get an idea of what you can afford to spend on the project before you start. Not only will it help you make better decisions, it will make working with designers and contractors easier. If they know your limitations they are more likely to work within them and let you know what you can afford.
Spend time up front making sure the plan works before you order your cabinets. Not only is a poorly laid out kitchen frustrating to work it, it’s a recipe for accidents. You shouldn’t have to carry a boiling pot of water a long distance or through a busy part of the kitchen to reach a sink to drain it.
Make sure everything you need is included in the finished design so you get a more accurate price and avoid delays during construction. A design professional can help you avoid costly mistakes and their drawings illustrate what your new kitchen will look like.
TRUE NORTH
custom cabinets
tel (450) 923-9559
