Designing a Kitchen for a Multi-generational Home

February 27, 2024

Mrinmoy Dey

Designing a kitchen for a multi-generational home requires a thoughtful balance between functionality, accessibility, and inclusivity, writes Mrinmoy Dey

The concept of a multi-generational home has always been popular in India, as families seek to live together under one roof to share resources, support one another, and foster strong familial bonds. One of the most critical spaces in a multi-generational home is the kitchen. It serves as a hub for daily activities, a gathering place for family members of all ages, and a functional workspace for preparing meals.

Distinct work zones within the kitchen should be created to allow multiple activities to happen simultaneously. Photo Courtesy: Freepik

Key Design Considerations

Designing a kitchen for a multi-generational home requires careful consideration of the diverse needs and preferences of different age groups while creating a harmonious and functional space. It requires a deep understanding of each family member’s unique needs, preferences, and lifestyles.

Accessibility: A key consideration in designing a kitchen for a multi-generational home is ensuring accessibility and accommodating the varying age and mobility levels of family members. This includes wide walkways, adjustable countertops, pull-out shelves etc.

Work Zones: Distinct work zones within the kitchen should be created to allow multiple activities to happen simultaneously. This can include the main cooking area, baking and pastry zone, breakfast area, and food prep zone.

Seating and Gathering Spaces: The kitchen is increasingly becoming an activity space. Therefore, seating and gathering spaces should be planned to encourage family interaction and inclusivity. Space permitting, adding a kitchen island with comfortable seating can’t go wrong. This can serve as a central gathering point for family members. Additionally, the dining area should be planned adjacent to the kitchen. One can add a children’s corner as well with toys, books, and other materials to keep them engaged and entertained.

Integration of Technology: Since the kitchen is now not merely a space for cooking, one should consider integrating technology into the kitchen to cater to different generations. For instance, having a charging station for devices, a smart speaker for music and assistance, or a digital recipe display can enhance the kitchen’s functionality.

Lighting: Adequate and well-designed lighting is essential for all family members. A combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting should be used to ensure the kitchen is well-lit and visually appealing.

"In a joint family, the clients want their kitchens to be closed, mostly. However, the newer generation and the nuclear families want the open kitchen format."

Devyani Jaiswal

Founder and Principal Architect, DJ Associates

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The Challenges

Designing a kitchen for a multi-generational household can be a rewarding but challenging task due to the complex needs and preferences of family members spanning different age groups.

Talking about the complexities of designing kitchens for multi-generational homes, Smita Datta Makhija, Partner, Avesana shares, “The multi-generational families have the maximum complexities in kitchen design. Sometimes, you have to work with food preferences like veg and non-veg and different people wanting to eat different types of cuisines. Also, the relationship and power dynamics within the family impact the design of the kitchen.”

Different generations have varying kitchen equipment and storage needs. Older family members may be used to working with traditional cooking equipment, while younger ones might prefer modern gadgets. Balancing storage space for these diverse needs while maintaining an organised kitchen can be a challenge.

"Irrespective of the sizes of the apartments, people love open kitchens. In a smaller space, it opens up the volume. In a larger space, there is an additional closed wet kitchen."

Kavita Sastry

Principal Architect,

KS Designs