Q. I love to entertain, I want to remodel my kitchen to make it easier having company over, do you have any tips?
A. Whether you aspire to be an Iron Chef or just a microwave magician, the kitchen can be a wonderful place to entertain guests. The following will help you start thinking about how to transform your kitchen into a social hub:
- Evaluate if and where you have room to expand or unify adjoining rooms. If your dining area or family room sits adjacent to your kitchen, then you may have the option to knock a portion of the wall out or remove countertops and cabinets that divide the two rooms.
- Reconfiguring your floor plan opens up new possibilities – such as installing a breakfast bar. Bring in a few barstools, and you’ve added casual seating that encourages the easy conversation that can happen so often while preparing a meal.
- If you have a wide open space in the middle of your kitchen, an island can function as a serving space for drinks and snacks and, if you also include a sink, you’ll gain a highly functional secondary workspace.
- Think about appliances you’ll want to make entertaining easier. Your decisions might include a larger refrigerator, refrigerated wine cooler or second oven.
- Remember design choices that can help your guests “help themselves,” such as an under-the-counter wine glass rack. Include a few cabinet doors with glass inserts to reveal where dishes and glassware are stored.
- Use a flexible lighting system. While high-intensity fixtures may be great for meal prep times or clean-up, you’ll want something a little softer when guests or family are gathered around a birthday cake or bowl of punch.
