Kitchens are no longer just somewhere for cooking, it has become a family and social space with many people using the space to host their guests and integrate cooking and dining. With numerous kitchen trends that have arisen over the last few years, it has become possible to host guests in the same space as preparing food for them. Turning your kitchen into a fully-functional social space needs a lot of consideration, and it’s important to get the layout right in order to get the best use out of it. We’ve come up with a few tips on how to make your kitchen a great space for entertaining your guests:
Bar Area
A bar area is great for small and large gatherings. Not only does it give your guests somewhere to sit and socialise, but it saves them hanging around your work surfaces and getting in the way when you’re trying to prepare food. A bar area with bar stools is a great way to add an extra social space to your kitchen whilst making sure you have room for everyone. If this sounds ideal for your kitchen, why not take a look at our range of worktops, which can be transformed into the perfect kitchen bar space. Don’t forger that we also supply the best range of bar stools to complement your bar.
Zones
If you plan on using your kitchen as an entertaining space, it’s important to consider how your guests are going to move around. Think about where you’ll be cooking and where you plan on serving the food and if you want your guests to socialise in one space or throughout your kitchen. We find that the best way to utilise your space is to keep it open-plan, allowing the host to talk to guests but also keeping your guests out of the preparation area.
Smart Storage
If you have guests in your kitchen, you’re probably going to want as much spaces as possible to accommodate everyone. We recommend following these smart kitchen storage tips to make entertaining your guests that little bit easier. Clever kitchen design can prevent your work area from being too cluttered. For example, applicances such as your sink and dishwasher can be kept out of view, but position the hob and preparation areas so when cooking you can engage with your guests as well.
Ensure your glassware, cutlery and wine racks are near your dining area so that anyone who wants to help set the table can do so without getting in the way of you and your food preparation. Pull out racks and dividers are great for ensuring things are kept organised.
Appliances
When it comes to entertaining people in your kitchen, you want things to run as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. That’s why we suggest getting appliances that help you with your food prep, such as food mixers, slow cookers, and yes, even dishwashers. No one wants to see a huge stack of dirty dishes and kitchenware waiting to be washed up after a long night of entertaining! A dishwasher will ensure that after your guests have gone home, you can go to bed and without having to stay up until the early hours of the morning trying to get your kitchen back to a normal, tidy state.
