Kitchens Designed for Holiday Entertaining
Open Kitchens and Dining Areas
Creating functional space is a major trend in today's homes, both in new construction and remodeling, to address the busy lifestyles of homeowners. An open floor plan links food prep, dining and living room areas rather than separating these spaces. People can easily move about in the space, which is more accommodating for a crowd.
In the photo below, we tore down 2 walls that originally separated the small kitchen to their living room and dining room to create an open floor plan important to homeowners who enjoy entertaining.
The bar top height countertop serves both the kitchen & living room by providing additional seating. There are also electrical outlets for crockpots, coffee makers, and other small appliances.
The back of the island below mainly serves the dining room. It is slightly raised to keep the two open spaces separate. The raised countertop can be used for meal set up and the open shelves with lighting gives the homeowner some room to display items in the dining room
There was no additional square footage added to the above project. Changes in the layout of the rooms changed the function of the kitchen that was originally designed for one cook and a dining room that did not allow room for seating a crowd or comfortably entertaining guests in their living room.
Beverage Centers
More homeowners are adding a beverage center to a kitchen, dining area, family room or living room. This is a place for an additional refrigerator, wine cooler or bar sink. Cabinetry to store wine bottles, stemware or coffee cups can be incorporated into the design.
In the picture below, the beverage center is located in the kitchen, near the dining room area. It has a bar sink and glass doors on the wall cabinets, which displays stemware. Puck lights in the cabinets are on a dimmer switch, as is the under-cabinet lighting, which supplies great task lighting and illuminants the space. There are outlets for coffee makers and an electric teapot. The base cabinet provides additional storage and there is an under-counter wine cooler.
Tiered/Multi-Level Kitchen Islands
Islands are the heart of many kitchens and can be designed for a variety of functions with a tiered configuration. Heights to consider in designing an island are 36", which is the standard; 28"-30" is table height; and 42"-48' is bar stool height.
This kitchen island is multifunctional for cooking, dining and entertaining. It includes a range and plenty of counter space for preparing meals. It has granite countertops at bar stool height for seating/entertaining and the base cabinets provide additional storage for cookware.
Multi-Purpose Kitchen Additions
Many of the home additions that we design and build are geared for entertaining and casual living. Spaces are designed for the specific needs and d�cor tastes of the homeowners.
The home below had a small kitchen that did not adequately meet the home owners needs. The homeowners have a large extended family that regularly gathers at their home. They needed more space and built this beautiful addition that allowed for a larger kitchen, dining room, and beverage station. The open plan gives the couple a place to prepare meals and interact with guests. When they're not entertaining, the children do their homework and enjoy informal meals at the bar height counter.