‘You’ll always find me in the kitchen at parties’ sang Jona Lewie and he was right! Despite all your efforts to create a welcoming lounge area, a flowing drinks cabinet, and plenty of food for your get together, your guests will nearly always end up in your kitchen, whether you want them to or not. So why not have the party in the kitchen to begin with?
We asked our expert kitchen design team what they would consider when creating a kitchen perfect for entertaining.
Layout
How you use your space will be key to your design. If you plan to cook whilst your guests gather you might want to consider your oven and food preparation area to be facing your guests.
Kitchen islands or peninsula designs are perfect for this as you can also incorporate dining and seating areas so you as the host can still interact with your guests.
Locating your fridge, drinks cabinet (more of that later) away from this area will ensure you won’t be interrupted whilst you work and guests can keep themselves topped up.
Seating
Open plan kitchens that seamlessly merge with living spaces naturally lend themselves to entertaining as you have access to your lounge too. If your kitchen is a room in its own right there are a number of ways to incorporate seating so your guests are encouraged to linger and relax.
The traditional dining table is the obvious answer. This doesn’t have to be a stand alone table but can be an extension of your kitchen island so your friends and family can be close to you and it’s easier to continue the conversation.If space doesn’t allow a separate dining table then consider peninsula seating to create a home bar.
Storage
A clutter free kitchen space is essential when you’re entertaining so you can keep the every day aspects of your kitchen neatly tucked away so you can concentrate on creating a party space. Open shelving to display crockey or a glazed display cabinet for your glassware can make great features in your kitchen design and also ensure your guests have easy access to what they need, when they need it.
Start entertaining. . .
Wine fridges come in all shapes and sizes meaning you don’t have to have a large kitchen to fit one in. These are great additions to the end of a kitchen island so you’re not giving up key storage where you need it.
If you’ve got the space then you can have a tall wine fridge like you see in restaurants - or both to ensure your good stuff only gets drunk when you want it to!
If you’re celebrating, how about your own Champagne bucket built into your kitchen worktop? This not only looks great but offers easy access to drinks for your guests and can free up valuable fridge space, often at a premium when you’re entertaining.
Alternatively, for the professional, enhance your dinner parties with your own bespoke drinks cabinet.
This can be designed to reflect the style of your kitchen and include everything you need from mixers and garnishes to the all important glasses.
Have we inspired you?
Our Atlantis designers have a wealth of experience in creating the perfect kitchen for however you wish to entertain your family and friends. Make an appointment for a free design home visit to discuss your dream kitchen - and don’t forget the dishwasher for all the dirty dishes!