Planning A Family Kitchen? Your Essential Checklist Is Here!

There are so many important things to consider when designing your new kitchen. Essentially, the cabinetry style, the layout and your appliances are the most important decisions to make, but if you want to ensure your kitchen is suitable for use by all the family too, then it is worth thinking about some useful additions to your initial design ideas. We have put together our top tips for creating a kitchen design that is perfect for a busy family household...


Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Hythe. ©Sarah London Photographer.

Create a Kitchen-Diner

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so by creating a multi-functional room to cook, eat, work and socialise, it means the family can utilise the space, as well as spend time together. A dining table within your kitchen gives you plenty of room to dine, sit and chat; and help your children with their homework etc.


Burlanes bespoke Hoyden kitchen, Greenwich. ©Sarah London Photographer.

Breakfast Bar or Island

An absolute must-have if you have the available space, a breakfast bar or central kitchen island will give you so much more storage and worktop space, as well as additional seating too. Including a breakfast bar or island in your kitchen design will form a much more sociable layout in your kitchen, and it will act as a central hub for your family and guests to gather at. A kitchen island or breakfast bar is also a great alternative to a dining room table if space is limited.

Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Sevenoaks. ©Sarah London Photographer.

A Lovely Big Larder

The iconic kitchen larder can come in all different shapes and sizes and can be freestanding or integrated, but we think it is an essential in kitchen design, especially for a hardworking family kitchen!! Whether you opt for a dedicated cupboard within your run of cabinetry or a lovely big freestanding piece of furniture, we always recommend including a larder within your kitchen design. Having all your herbs, spices, tins, jars and dry goods in one place and within easy reach is super useful.

Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Leigh-On-Sea. ©Sarah London Photographer.

You can also make the most of awkward alcoves and room shapes with a made-to-measure larder. With fully adjustable shelving, handmade spice racks and vegetable drawers, and even power sockets, a Burlanes signature larder is such a useful addition to your home!!

Burlanes bespoke Hoyden kitchen, Sevenoaks. ©Sarah London Photographer. 

A Big Fridge

You can never have enough refrigerator space, especially if you have young children! A corner fridge integrated within your cabinetry will give you all the space you need, whilst keeping the aesthetics of your kitchen traditional.

Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Kent. ©Sarah London Photographer. 

Having ice and cold water on tap from your fridge is also a great idea, allowing the children and guests to help themselves to drinks when needed. A second wine cooler is also super useful when entertaining, and ensures valuable space is not taken up in your main fridge by bulky bottles and cans of drink. 

Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Sevenoaks. ©Sarah London Photographer. 

If you opt for integrated appliances, you may find your refrigeration space is not quite enough. (Integrated appliances tend to be slightly smaller than freestanding!) Chiller drawers elsewhere in your kitchen (like at the base of the breakfast pantry in the Wellsdown kitchen in Hythe) are the perfect solution. They are integrated and therefore concealed as standard drawers, and they are easily reached and accessed by the children too.

Burlanes bespoke Wellsdown kitchen, Hythe. ©Sarah London Photographer. 

Our design team are specialists in what they do, and our bespoke service means that we design, handmade and install your kitchen to suit your needs and lifestyle perfectly. If you are looking for inspiration or advice on your family kitchen, pop into one of our design studios for a chat with our design team, or call us to book an appointment or home visit.

We provide a bespoke service from the first meeting to the final handover of a project. By listening to our clients' needs and working with them closely every step of the way; the result is a living space that works for lifestyle and budget.