A kitchen is always the heart of any home, but it can also be the ideal place to entertain loved ones too. Lots of good parties and celebrations are often held in the kitchen. Eating, drinking, and relaxing all in place is ideal, whether you are holding a small family get-together or a dinner party for eight friends. To get the most out of your kitchen area, you need to have a design to work with. Without a design, you might end up wasting valuable space.
Measuring the Space
Before ripping out old kitchen cabinets, you need to measure the space you have now. It is ideal to measure the kitchen, both with and without cabinets installed. When you do this, you can then see if you are maximising the space as it is currently laid out. When you also measure wall to wall, you can see if you can incorporate a new configuration or layout for cabinets and units. When you are measuring the space, you need to get another person to help you. If you try and do it by yourself, you are going to end up with inaccurate measurements.
Deciding What Appliances to Install
After measuring, you then need to look at the appliances you have now. Do you want to change all the appliances and swap them for new ones? Are there any appliances that you wish to install that you do not have now? For example, when you are entertaining, you will find that a Wine fridge will be a must. Wine fridges can be integrated, or they can be freestanding. Including one will allow you to have the perfect bottle of wine or champagne ready to go for any occasion.
Space to Relax
As well as having enough space for cabinets and appliances, you also need to have enough space to relax. If you are adding cabinets to every available space in the kitchen, you may find that you do not leave enough room for somewhere to relax. This space does not have to be huge, and it can double up as storage as well. For example, you could have a build in storage seat in the corner of the kitchen. Or you could have foldable chairs that are easy to store. When you are creating a place to relax, think about having some sort of entertainment system or unit present. For example, a TV on the wall can be perfect.
Room to Cook
Even though you are creating a space to entertain, you still need enough room to cook. Think about how you use your kitchen configuration now. Establish if you have enough room to cook and prepare the way you want. If you find that you do not have enough space, then think about what you will do to make changes. For example, will you look at having hide-and-slide worktops or fold-down worktops that allow you to have all the units and appliances you want?
Dining Tables
Ideally, you will have room in your kitchen to have a dining table or dining set. However, if you do not have enough space, then what are you going to include that will allow you to enjoy your kitchen as much as possible? For example, are you going to once again utilize fold-down tables and bar areas with fold-down chairs? How are you going to create a dining space? Bar stools and slimline chairs are ideal for entertaining spaces, and they are often perfect for smaller kitchens (or galley kitchens). When you are looking at purchasing dining tables, make sure they fit comfortably in a space. If they are too restricted, it will put people off sitting down.
Decorating the New Kitchen
A kitchen that is suitable for entertaining will be one that is well-lit (and well-decorated). Keeping this in mind, you should think about the colour scheme that you want to use and the lights you want to feature. Remember that the colours and the lights will have an impact on the ambience of the kitchen. Keeping things as light and bright as airy is important. Large statement lights can be good, but they can make a kitchen feel smaller. If your kitchen is small or narrow, you need to be creative with the lighting. Think about inserting sunken lighting in the ceiling and think about having lights fitted under cabinets (As this creates a relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for parties and entertaining).
