Tip #1 - Plan storage that children can reach. One day, I realized that my daughter was more than capable of getting a cup off the shelf and putting water into it - IF she could reach the shelf. So, I stocked one lower cabinet with a kid-friendly selection of plates, cups and bowls, and she's been serving herself ever since. 

Drawer-mounted plate racks, like the one below, are the best way to move dishes down to a kid's level. Order a rack like this with your new cabinets, or add it to an existing deep drawer.  The one below is by Crystal Cabinet Works, our go-to cabinet manufacturer.

Tip #2 - Provide a safe step up. Kitchen cabinets are just another set of monkey bars for some kids. You remember how the thinking goes, "If I hook my toes around this drawer pull, rest my opposite knee on the countertop and hold onto the door with my left hand, I know I can reach the Pop Tarts with my right."

Seriously though, falls are the leading cause of injury to kids under 15 according to the CDC. So, figure out where you're going to put a step stool. It'll be safer for children and for you.  A broom closet will work, or you can even hide one under the toe kick of a cabinet. Here's a picture of the Stepfix by Hafele.

Tip #3 - Be careful around corners. Children run when they should walk. There's no avoiding it. So, think about what a child is going to be faced with when they run around a blind corner.

Is it an open wall oven with a hot door that is right at their eye level?  Or, will it be you standing at the kitchen sink cutting vegetables with a knife?  Or, you again, only this time turning with a hot pot in your hands?

In general, avoid putting potentially dangerous appliances or work areas where children, or adults for that matter, might blunder into them.

Do you have other tips on keeping kids safe in the kitchen? Share them here. I'd love to hear from you.

Looking for more kitchen design tips? Download our FREE guide.

Jackie Lopey is a Certified Interior Designer and the CEO of Venue. Read about Jackie's journey from a DIY home remodeler to Certified Interior Designer & CEO.

One of our most commonly asked questions is: How can I make more space in my home. Answer? Hire a great interior designer who is terrific at making the most of your space (we happen to know a great one)! You might not be ready for a remodel just yet, so you need to look at how you organize your home. We are not asking you to fold your clothes in a different way or hug all your possessions and see if they bring you joy! However, Claire in marketing, is a huge fan of Marie Kondo and really does feel "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" when sorting and ridding her home of unwanted clutter. She actually enjoys making sure her clothes neatly stand to attention before putting them away! However, if you feel this is all too much effort, the simple trick it to have a house filled with great organizational and storage options.

KITCHEN
We know you can never have enough surfaces or storage in your kitchen. Here are some of our favorite organizational and storage options for your kitchen.

Spice Rack & Pan Drawers

Now you see me...now, you don't.  The perfect way to hide kitchen appliances!

Clever kitchen appliances give you more space and keep your surfaces clutter free.

A kitchen pantry with doors can hide a multitude of sins and is the perfect way to hide your kitchen appliances and ugly packages, whilst having all your supplies in one place.

Glass fronted display kitchen cabinets showcase a favorite collection

Narrow slide out drawers keep appliances off counter tops but still easily accessible

Developing an accurate budget for your kitchen remodel is a little bit of work, but will be so worth it when you're standing in your dream kitchen and still have money left in the bank. The proof is in these before and after pictures from one of our recent projects.

Question 1: What Will It Cost To Remodel My Kitchen?

This is, of course, the most common question. Where we work (Lafayette, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Pleasant Hill), the average cost of a kitchen remodel is about $45,000. The lower third of kitchen remodels runs about $14,000, and the top third about $82,000. The top 5% comes in at $128,000. All of the totals above are from the Houzz Real Cost Finder, August 2018.

Based on the many kitchens we’ve designed, small and large, those numbers sound right. However, you need to go further to develop a real-world budget for your project. We use a 5-Step Process:

1. Finalize the Space Plan: Only when you know everything that is going in the room and where it is going can you start to budget.

2. Get Contractor Estimates for Labor & Building Materials: Send your finalized space plan out to one or more contractors for bidding.

3. Get Quotes for all Finishes, Furnishings & Fixtures: Quantify each and every item and send them out for quotes.

4. Total It All Up: Add Your Contractor Labor and Building Materials to your Furnishings, Finishes, and Fixtures for a Total Budget.

5. Make Adjustments: Now – with your detailed budget in hand and before you’ve purchased anything – is there time to make adjustments? Would you like to spend less? Identify areas to trim. Do you have a few more dollars for this project? Upgrade in areas that are important to you.

Are You Ready To Tackle Your Biggest, Most Expensive Home Improvement Project?

Most of our kitchen remodel clients are willing but not ready - willing in that they really want a beautiful, new kitchen and not ready because they still have many, many unanswered questions. Does that describe you? If so please get in touch:

Call 925-285-0815 or email jackie@venueathome.com now to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation. Yours FREE when you mention this blog post.

Missed our blog series What You Need to Know About Kitchen Design, the Top 10 Questions homeowners ask us again and again?

Don't panic! Here's the full countdown:

Question 10: When Remodeling My Kitchen, Where Do I Start?

Question 9: I Want To Move (Or Remove) A Wall, Door Or Window. Do I Need An Architect?

Question 8: Who Should I Talk To First—A Designer Or A Contractor?

Question 7: Do I Need A Building Permit?

Question 6: How Much Of My Time Is This Project Going To Absorb?

Question 5: How Do I Choose Cabinets?

Question 4: Is It Okay To Put A Wood Floor In A Kitchen?

Question 3: How Do I Get More Space In My Kitchen Without Adding On?

Question 2: How Long Will It Take To Remodel My Kitchen?

Question 1: What Will It Cost To Remodel My Kitchen?

Jackie Lopey embraced her creativity and passion over 10 years ago when she left her corporate job in San Francisco to become an interior designer. Since then she has worked with over a hundred satisfied clients transforming hundreds of rooms, and Jackie’s reputation now precedes her as one of the top Certified Interior Designers in the East Bay.

She has a keen eye for detail and uniquely intuits her clients wants and needs. If you want a home that is breathtaking and deeply personal, Jackie Lopey and her team at Venue are the experts you need to talk to.

Time costs money, so it’s not surprising that it relates to the second most commonly asked question.

Question 2: How Long Will It Take To Remodel My Kitchen?  

The construction phase of a kitchen remodel usually runs 4 to 12 weeks.

Why such a wide range?

A lot depends on how well you’ve planned. We like to get all of the materials for our kitchen remodels to the job site – or at the very least to a local warehouse – before the contractor starts work. Then, your kitchen is completed rapidly and you’re not paying for your contractor to sit around waiting for materials or losing your construction crew to another project with materials at the ready.

That kind of coordination requires a deep level of planning.

Our master item list – furnishings and fixtures commonly used in remodels – includes over 200 items. No room needs all 200, but we check for each and every one to avoid nasty surprises that blow the budget and the timeline.

Still have questions? Call 925-285-0815 or email jackie@venueathome.com now to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation. Yours FREE when you mention this blog post.

Next week we’ll answer Kitchen Design Question 1: What Will It Cost To Remodel My Kitchen?

Jackie Lopey embraced her creativity and passion over 10 years ago when she left her corporate job in San Francisco to become an interior designer. Since then she has worked with over a hundred satisfied clients transforming hundreds of rooms, and Jackie’s reputation now precedes her as one of the top Certified Interior Designers in the East Bay.

She has a keen eye for detail and uniquely intuits her clients wants and needs. If you want a home that is breathtaking and deeply personal, Jackie Lopey and her team at Venue are the experts you need to talk to.

Want more kitchen design ideas? Our blog series, What You Need to Know About Kitchen Design, addresses the questions we get asked time after time. We are now down to the top three questions.

Question 3: How Do I Get More Space In My Kitchen Without Adding On?

There are four ways to get more space in your kitchen without adding onto your house. Here they are in order, easiest and least costly first:

1. Boost the storage within your current layout

2. Create a more efficient layout within your current kitchen

3. Take space from an adjacent room

4. “Flip” your kitchen to a larger room in your house.

All four are successful strategies depending on what you mean by more space. Is more space room for an island with an eat-in breakfast bar? Or, is it ample storage so that food and small appliances aren’t overflowing from your cabinets onto your countertops?

Think an addition is your only option? Think again! Ask your designer to show you two or three ways to layout a new kitchen within your existing home. Creating multiple floor plans for every project is standard operating procedure at Venue. We want our clients to “see” options before deciding on a layout. Your designer should create floor plans, elevations, and 3D models that bring your new space alive.

BEFORE

AFTER

Want help making your dream kitchen a reality? Call 925-285-0815 or email jackie@venueathome.com now to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation. Yours FREE when you mention this blog post.

Next week we’ll answer Kitchen Design Question 2: How Long Will It Take To Remodel My Kitchen?

Question 4: Is It Okay To Put A Wood Floor In A Kitchen?

Yes, you can put a wood floor in your kitchen. Wood floors never go out of style and look great with today’s white and gray painted cabinets. Be realistic, though.

Are you and your family willing to quickly clean up water and food that spills on the floor? Wood floors, in any room of the house, are susceptible to warping and staining when exposed to water. Still interested in wood?

A kitchen is a great place for a reclaimed or distressed wood floor. Distressed floors hide a multitude of sins and will let you relax and enjoy your new kitchen, including the wood floor.

Still have questions? Call 925-285-0815 or email jackie@venueathome.com now to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation. Yours FREE when you mention this blog post.

Next week we’ll answer Kitchen Design Question 3: How Do I Get More Space In My Kitchen Without Adding On?

Still have questions? Call 925-285-0815 or email jackie@venueathome.com now to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation. Yours FREE when you mention this blog post.

Next week we’ll answer Kitchen Design Question 9: I Want To Move (or Remove) a Wall, Door or Window. Do I Need an Architect?