The kitchen is the heart of the home for many people and an open plan kitchen-diner creates a more sociable space, where you can hang out with friends, spend quality time together as a family or entertain guests on special occasions. If you’re looking to create the perfect kitchen diner in your home, here are some top tips to make the most of your space.
Making It a Cohesive Space
A kitchen-diner needs to be two rooms in one, meaning that it needs to be cohesive whilst still honouring the need for separate spaces and distinct functions. The kitchen area needs to be practical for cooking and cleaning but you also need space for eating, as well as sitting around, chatting, and relaxing.
Kitchen-diners work best where you already have a large kitchen area that could incorporate a dining space or where the two rooms exist side-by-side and you can knock through a wall to open out the space. If you have a small, narrow kitchen, such as a galley kitchen, for example, then a kitchen diner will be more difficult. However, it is possible to create social spaces and dining areas even in very small kitchens, through clever designs such as incorporating a breakfast bar, for example.
Combining Style & Comfort
Getting the colour palette right for your kitchen diner is essential to creating a stylish, comfortable space that’s fit for purpose. Trends come and go but you’ll need to live with your chosen colour scheme so try not to be swayed by what’s fashionable and instead stick to shades that you know will stand the test of time, such as neutrals like white, and black and dove grey along with accents in green or blue or metallics.
You’ll also want to think about the materials you use and how these will affect the space. Stainless steel is contemporary and easy to clean. Paired with subway tiles, it can create a chic, modern look that will bring a touch of class to social gatherings. If, on the other hand, you’re wanting to create a warm, family-friendly space where your kids can do their homework while you make tea, wooden cabinets and a kitchen rug might be more appropriate.
Create Focal Points
Your kitchen-diner should have a focal point and in most cases, this will be the seating area. There are several different seating options for a kitchen diner, including having a dining table that’s separate from the kitchen area, having a modern breakfast bar with high stools, or an option for a kitchen island that can double as a dining table or space for socialising or preparing meals.
Don’t forget to upgrade the lighting in your kitchen diner, as this can have a huge impact on where our eyes are drawn to and where they focus their attention. A bold, modern chandelier above your table will fill empty vertical space and if you choose one that matches the look of your kitchen diner it will help to tie everything together to create one cohesive space.
