Kitchens have long since been a place where you go in, cook and get out. But, when you design a social kitchen, you turn your kitchen into the entertaining hub of your home.
Instead of spending the evening away from your guests, they get to join you in the kitchen for drinks, snacks and conversation.
From gathering the family together for meals to hosting events with friends, turn your kitchen into a truly social area. While your living room might get jealous, your kitchen’s going to love the attention.
Islands Are Ideal To Gather Around
For a truly social kitchen, you need an area for everyone to gather around. That’s why you need a kitchen island. They provide a central area to gather and plenty of space to sit drinks and snacks. Plus, it also helps keep people out of the cook’s way if you’re trying to socialize and prep a meal.
Plus, islands also give you a place to add stools or chairs for people to sit. Think of it like a mini-dining room table. Larger islands actually work well to replace your dining room, allowing you to expand your kitchen.
Keep The Room Open
If you’re trying to keep the kitchen cozy, but not crowded, opt for an open floor plan. The more space you have between your cabinets, island and walls, the better. This gives everyone room to mingle around freely. Even with a small kitchen, you could opt for a smaller island to give everyone more space.
Keep The Cooking Area Free
Odds are, you’ll still need to cook when using your social kitchen. Maybe you’re prepping more snacks or even the main meal. However, it’s hard to get things out of your oven with several people right in front of it.
Instead of getting frustrated, design your kitchen to keep the cooking area free. The kitchen triangle design works best and keeps everything within easy reach. Your social area is then just outside your triangle, making it easy to socialize and cook at the same time.
Add A Bar Or Drink Cart
A great addition to any social kitchen is a custom bar or a drink cart. Everything you need to make drinks is in one place and easily accessible. Plus, it creates a dedicated social area. Some people actually add a bar to their kitchen island to conserve space in small kitchens. You can even have a pull out area in your island just for this.
A cart works well if you need to save space when you’re not entertaining. They also serve as a good alternative to an island if you don’t have room.
Storage Keeps Counters Clean
Obviously, you want your social kitchen to look amazing. Cabinets piled high with clutter aren’t going to do that. Keep your counters clear and clean by optimizing your storage space. While you can buy all types of organizers, it’s usually easier to design custom cabinets that cater to your storage needs. For instance, you might need storage for special types of small appliances or a display cabinet for special dishes.
Make Room For Seating
While standing and mingling is nice, seating is a good idea. This is especially true if your social kitchen is mainly used for your family to eat. You don’t need large, clunky chairs though.
Design a kitchen island with an overhang for stools to sit under. This keeps the stools out of the way until you need them. Some people even have small benches instead that slide against the island.
If you have the space, you can even add a bench or some stools along a free wall along with a shelf for holding drinks and food.
Brighten The Space
It’s not unusual for kitchens to focus all of their lighting specifically around the stove and refrigerator area. But, with a social kitchen, you need to brighten the space. Get creative with light fixtures throughout the kitchen. You might also want to opt for lighter countertop colors to reflect the light and make the space look larger and more welcoming.
Ready to design your dream social kitchen? Contact the pros at Edgewood Cabinetry today to get started.
Image: Lisa Fotios
