Cooking is something that some people love. They spend hours in their kitchen creating new recipes, trying new flavours, and creating masterpieces. Others will do almost anything to avoid it. Most of us fall into the middle. Maybe you’d like to love cooking, but you never have time. Perhaps you’ve got fussy kids, and it makes cooking stressful. Maybe you’ve at some point started to avoid cooking just because you’ve lost the buzz that comes with making something that really tastes fantastic.
Often, a big problem when we lose our cooking mojo isn’t the food, but the kitchen. If your kitchen is dirty, dark, untidy, or if it’s poorly organised and hard to use, cooking might be far harder than it needs to be. The good news is, in most cases, just a few small changes can help you to design a kitchen that you love to cook in. A kitchen that inspires you, that helps you to relax, and that makes you want to cook.
Make Sure it’s Easy to Clean
Let’s face it, few of us enjoy cleaning the kitchen. Even those of us that love to cook could probably do without all the grease and debris that can come with it. Unless you can afford to hire a cleaner, or you have a very helpful spouse, there’s very little that you can do to get out of cleaning the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make it easier for yourself.
Make sure work surfaces are easy to wipe down, your cooker hood filters are regularly cleaned or changed and that textiles are regularly washed. Wooden floors or laminate can be much easier to clean than carpet, and kitchen blinds are easier to look after than curtains. Then, get into good habits and encourage your family to do the same. Practice cleaning as you go, and put bigger jobs such as cleaning the windows, light fixtures, and oven on a cleaning rota so that they are never left for too long.
Welcome in Light
Dark rooms are never inspiring. They look smaller than they are, they never seem clean, and the air can be heavy or even damp. Bright rooms are often the opposite. They feel bigger than they are, they inspire us, they look clean and healthy, and we want to spend time in them. Without replacing your windows, there’s probably little that you can do to make your room lighter, but there are plenty of ways to make it appear brighter such as through the use of blinds. Make My Blinds has the best blinds for kitchens, including custom made kitchen blinds in neutral colors that create an open feel and the appearance of more space and light.
Add Some Entertainment
If cooking doesn’t fill you with joy, or if you find the idea of spending a long time working on something a little daunting, why not add some entertainment? Adding a TV, a radio or a smart speaker to your kitchen can make the idea of spending time in their more exciting. Dancing around while you cook or bake is a great way to fall in love with cooking. It can also be fabulous exercise, and a great way to spend time with your friends and family.
Give Yourself Space to Work
A cramped kitchen is harder to work in. If your space is small, creating extra space to work is more complicated, but not impossible. Leave clear workspace around appliances, so that you’ve got areas for cooking and preparation. Add clever storage solutions to help keep things organised and reduce clutter and utilise the height of the room, putting things that you don’t use often out of reach and out of the way.
Fill it with Inspiration
What inspires you? What makes you feel creative? This is different for all of us, but some of the things that you could add to your kitchen include artwork, pictures your kids have painted, plants and flowers, cookbooks and colourful accessories and textiles. Fill your kitchen with things that make you smile, and you might find it easier to relax and enjoy cooking. Consider adding a black and gold kitchen faucet to your kitchen space to make it pop.
Make Sure You’ve Got What You Need
Cooking is never fun when you can’t find the things that you need, or don’t have the tools that you need to cook the things that you want to. Make sure you’ve got everything that you need to cook your favourite meals easily, and that the things you use most often are easy to reach. You might also want to think about where things are placed, so that your kids can reach their own utensils easily, and that everything is easy to find.
Make Sure it Works
Many people try to save money by installing kitchen counters, cupboards, and worktops themselves. They spend hours tiling, fitting cupboards to the walls and adding doors. Most of these people even take the time to measure the area to make sure that everything fits, only to find that when they come to use their kitchen, it doesn’t work. Corner units in particular can pose a problem. One door may open, but not the other. Or, in some cases, one door must be opened to open the other. Sometimes, there’s a random space left that’s too small to do anything with. If you are planning any changes, make sure everything works before you invest in units or start work.
If You Have an Island, Give it Purpose
A kitchen island can be wonderful. They are trendy, they add extra storage, and they can be a great way to make your kitchen more social. But, to make the most of your island, it’s a good idea to know why you want one. Is it a seating area? Is it for storage? Will it be used for preparation? Or to use appliances?
Of course, your island can do all these things, but it’s still a good idea to know that when you design your kitchen.
Add Seating
If you haven’t got an island, adding a small table, breakfast bar or just a few stools can give your kitchen new life. Seating automatically makes a room more sociable and welcomes the rest of your family in. Most things are better if we do them with people that make us happy, cooking included.
Design a Kitchen to Cook in
With every decision that you make, think about cooking. Will that move or addition help you to cook? Will it make your life easier and your kitchen more functional? If not, consider a rethink. The kitchen is such an important room in your home. It’s where you cook for your family, bake delicious cakes to improve your mood and spend time relaxing. It might be where you teach your children to cook, or where they do their homework. A comfortable, well-designed, and inspiring kitchen can have so many benefits for you, your family, your health, and your mood. Many people go as far as to describe their kitchen as the heart of their home. If yours doesn’t feel like that, start making some changes so that you can get more from it.
About the Author
Lucy Hudson is a lifestyle writer who loves to share her knowledge and tips for savvy parents looking to save themselves time, effort, and money.
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