“On TV, a family is Mom, Dad, two kids and a golden retriever,” Mona said. “In real life, my family is me, my Mother, who is eighty-two, my adult son, his little girl and two dogs – Sparky and Bandit. We need a kitchen that works for all of us.”
Multigenerational households are becoming increasingly common. Current data puts the total at one in every twenty-five homes contains more than one generation. Culturally, there’s increasing recognition that many people live in their parents’ home into their twenties or thirties. The expense of senior housing and caregiving needs that come with age lead to more seniors choosing to live with their children.
Creating a kitchen that works well for a multi-generational family can mean:
Space for Everyone to Be Comfortable in the Kitchen
When setting up the kitchen, it’s important to think through who will be in the room and how they’ll be using it. A good rule of thumb is to design workflows that make it as simple as possible for each family member to accomplish what they want to in the kitchen. In Mona’s situation, her Mother has her routine in the morning of tea and toast; creating a station that has the kettle, toaster, and all the necessities conveniently on hand without searching, bending or stooping greatly improved her day without adding to the overall cost of the kitchen upgrade.
Smart Storage Solutions
Sharing a kitchen doesn’t necessarily mean sharing all the groceries. A good kitchen designer will help you make sure everyone has a space for their stuff. It’s not unusual for multi-generational households to have multiple refrigerators as well as designated pantry spaces. Particularly in instances where a parent is returning to live with their child, there may be multiples of small appliances and cookware that no one wants to give up. The easiest way to work through this is to ensure there’s space enough for everyone to keep the things that are important to them.
