The Top 5 Kitchen Remodel Must-Haves for a Busy Family

This post is sponsored on behalf of Howard’s and Monogram, however, all opinions are my own.

Sharing today The Top 5 Kitchen Remodel Must-Haves for a Busy family today! The role of the kitchen has changed SO much in the last 30 years. If you go into an older house, the kitchen is tiny, was NEVER a hangout spot, and back then (usually mom) was alone, trudging away with the daily kitchen duties. 

The Top 5 Kitchen Remodel Must-Haves for a Busy Family:

Well, thank goodness times have changed. The kitchen is the hub of the home! It’s where we gather to cook together, chat, have a glass of wine, entertain, watch TV, read the news – pretty much all of the action happens in the kitchen.

Kitchens are a busy place for any family – but in the prime child-raising years’ kitchens really make life so much easier if they have some key components.

The first stop for me when designing a kitchen is Howard’s Marina Pacifica Flagship Store in Long Beach. I love working with their Monogram product specialists, I’ve really come to rely on their expertise on all things appliance related. They always seem to point me to exactly what my clients need. If you are not just a busy family but anyone building a kitchen right now, it is an exciting time because you can create a Smart Kitchen – think the kitchen of the future is here today! This new technology makes life so much easier. 

The Monogram ovens – and other Monogram appliances as well, allow you to manage your appliances from an app on your phone. Imagine this: you are on your way home from soccer practice and everyone is STARVING. It’s so tempting to just swing through drive thru but you have chicken marinating that you really need to cook. Grab your phone, go to your Smart HQ app and preheat the oven so it’s ready to go right when you get home. Hey, maybe run the Monogram Dishwasher from the app too while you are at it! Truly amazing technology that every busy family needs. 

Second up, in the kitchen remodel must haves: the “organization hub”. It’s essential for a family juggling multiple calendars. Having a laptop, charging station, chore chart, paper schedules for the kids to see, all in one spot is a sanity saver. If there isn’t space to create a small desk, no worries. In this day and age of laptops and cell phones, your ‘desk” can be anywhere and almost no one has a chance to actually sit down anyway! Maybe your organization hub is a designated kitchen cabinet with baskets inside devoted to school papers and a nearby bulletin board with the kids’ visual calendars. Just space completely and only devoted to these items so the kids always know where to look, where to put their important papers, and you do too. And of course, in the kitchen, where everything happens before you start the day.

My third must-have for the child-raising years: a large welcoming kitchen island for seating. A big kitchen island is great for prep – plenty of counter space no matter how large the gathering. But what families really love about them is how easy it is at feeding time. Line the kids up and dinner is right in front of them. Snack time too. And kids love to be part of the kitchen activity, helping in the kitchen – or doing their homework while mom and dad get dinner ready. But what most people don’t realize until later is that the bar stools and kitchen islands are even more important in the teen years!  You want every moment you can get, any chance to talk, and when your teen plops himself down at your island for a quick chit chat when you are busy in the kitchen, that talking time is pure gold! 

Teen secret: they love to talk when you are doing something else, no eye-to-eye-sit-down-serious conversation. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, those connections mean so much.

And finally, number four on my list that also comes hand in hand with raising kids is… a need for a break, a treat, something to relax you. For most parents I know – that means wine. If you have kids or are living through a pandemic, especially BOTH, you need a wine fridge nearby. I mean you don’t need one but treat yourself! This might land in the “Luxury Kitchen” department, but if you are a wine lover, it’s nice to have this and to have a full stock of your beloved beverage – whatever that may be. I love the Monogram Beverage Center with the custom paneling so that it can seamlessly fit into your kitchen design. Add it to your large kitchen island, or a beverage bar. And hey, you can fully stock it with juice boxes or sodas too! Super handy for entertaining. Everyone can just help themselves.

I’d love to hear what is on YOUR list when designing a kitchen for a busy family. The heart of the home, the hub of the home, whatever you want to call it, a well-designed kitchen brings family and friends together and makes life easier. I hope you enjoyed reading The Top 5 Kitchen Remodel Must-Haves for a Busy Family. For more on our kitchen design series click here.

XO, 

Bethany