The kitchen is the heart of your home and a place where family comes together. Day to day, it’s a space to share meals, coffee and snacks but it’s also a place where guests can mill around and have a chat over drinks and nibbles.
A functional and stylish kitchen will make both your family life and gatherings more enjoyable. Whether it’s your immediate household, in-laws or extended family— everyone will feel comfortable in a well-designed space.
Want to know more? Read on for our top tips for creating a welcoming kitchen space for families of all sizes.
The perfect flooring for durability and style
The right flooring will tie the kitchen to the rest of your home. You’ll need something that’s durable and easy to clean. The solution? Luxury vinyl plank or hybrid flooring. With these options, you’ll get the look of real wood without the maintenance. Plus, there are a range of different designs to suit your cabinets and countertops.
Light flooring such as ash or oak will brighten up the space and make the room feel bigger than it is, but go for darker colours if you want to add warmth and depth. The decision will depend on your personal taste and your home’s overall design theme.
An open layout to encourage movement and interaction
If you want to create a communal space, an open-plan kitchen is a good solution. Without the restriction of walls, nobody needs to feel left out of the family chit-chat, even when it’s their turn to cook. With open-plan layouts, parents can also supervise children while cooking dinner, but it also makes it easier for little helpers to get involved.
For an even more social atmosphere, a kitchen island or breakfast bar will give everyone a convenient place to sit and chat. Line stools along your island for casual gatherings, making it easy for people to pull up a chair. This is fit for any occasion — serve cereal, fruit, soup or even cocktails straight from the kitchen counter.
Functional and stylish storage solutions
Innovative storage solutions are essential if you want a clutter-free kitchen as they’ll ensure that everything has a place to go. To improve the flow of the space and ensure it’s welcoming, make storage a top priority.
Your cupboards should be functional with enough room for crockery, drinking glasses and mugs. Pull-out shelves are also worth investing in, as these make grabbing things from the back of the cupboard much easier. Deep drawers can usually fit more than traditional shelves, so they’re great for housing any bulky pots and pans that you want to keep out of sight. For items you don’t use every day, consider using the more difficult to access shelves at the top.
Don’t forget your pantry. If space allows, a butler’s pantry will give you more than enough space to hide away ingredients and appliances. Otherwise, you can make the best use of small pantries spaces by adding storage containers, baskets and Lazy Susans.
Lighting that sets the mood
The ambience of the kitchen should draw people in, but as the space has many functions you’ll need a few different solutions. This is where strategic, multifunctional lighting comes in.
For cooking, something light and bright will help you accurately read recipes and safely prepare food, with surface lighting or pendants acting both functionally and as a design feature. You can complement these with a traditional oyster light in the centre of the room. When it’s time to make the space feel warm and cosy, softer light is the answer. Get the best of both worlds with LED dimmable downlights that let you tailor the space to your mood.
Natural lighting can also play a role in how your kitchen feels, so don’t forget to take this into account. Notice where the sun shines in and if there’s any areas that have a lot of glare, adding sheer curtains to soften the light if needed.
Comfortable and versatile seating arrangements
Attract everyone from kids to adults to the kitchen with comfortable seating. You can have multiple options depending on the layout of the room.
If there’s space for a dining table, consider cushioned seats with removable covers you can easily wash. Making the space comfortable will help everyone linger over dinner or drinks, and make gatherings all that more enjoyable. Have a table with straight edges? A bench seat can be placed along the wall or window to create a cosy nook, with plush scatter cushions to make it even comfier.
Think about furniture that can be moved around easily too, so no matter what type of gathering you’re having, your space can be altered to suit the event. Nesting tables, bar carts, extendable dining tables, and barstools are all items that are easily matched to the occasion.
Creating memories in a warm kitchen
Your kitchen is a place where people come to gather, so by turning this humble cooking area into a warm and inviting space, long-lasting memories can be made. Whether it’s through flooring, an open plan layout, storage, lighting, or adding a mix of easily adaptable furniture, your space is there to be used.
With careful planning your kitchen will be a comfortable and usable space where everyone wants to be.