Kitchens are the heart of the home. Some people say life is created in bedrooms but lives are catered to in the kitchen. Kitchen shows the family’s lifestyle, structure and traditional value. How we serve and decorate our kitchen tells much more about our traits and culture. Kitchen is the place where we could be more energetic, lively and active if it is well taken care of. Similarly, cooking and eating is now considered a time that could be relished and enjoyed with the family.
In older days, more importance used to be given to the dining and living rooms. Kitchens were solely meant for cooking. They were the rooms that were filled with energy, aroma and textures. Parents used to cook while children used to help and create lifelong memories.
In the recent years, most of the families have started to live in isolation. Women started to earn and now they have limited time to be at home. They struggle to keep balance between home and their work. Usually in this struggle, they compromise fun and enjoying moments in their lives with their families. Now, they have no time to cook and get prepared for invited guests, well in time. Therefore, the trend has been changed. Kitchens are now considered as the area not only for cooking but for living too. It is the place that is considered now to entertain the family and guests along with cooking and serving. This helps in saving the time and allows everyone to help in cooking, chopping and cuttings as well.
Entertaining kitchens are more trendy and in demand. It is the Kitchen where it brings family and friends together. They can chat and have fun while cooking and eating. They are also called socialable kitchens. These are family friendly kitchens where all the members of the family is treated properly, while at the same time kitchen remains neat and tidy because of the company you have and one or the other could do the cleaning. A Beauty, comfort and functionality is focused in these entertaining kitchens to make life easy and entertaining as such kitchens are more functional and friendly. Entertaining kitchen also help to make your guests feel welcomed and keeps the hosts at their ease and comfort during cooking and serving. There is no pressure on host to entertain the guests and follow up on the stove or oven in the kitchen and run to and fro for it. Guests also feel free like home.
Features of Entertaining Kitchens
1. Size of the kitchen
Big kitchen with big windows having more space and light are encouraged than small and tiny ones. This allows not only cooking and feeling comfortable but also allows serving the guests freely and in good, airy and spacious place.
2. Open floor kitchen
Center dining with no wall between kitchen and dining area or no wall between kitchen and living room seems like open floor kitchen, where the host can easily communicate with the guests while cooking.
3. Double sink
During cooking, one sink could be used to clutter all the washable dishes at one side while other one could be used for dishing after dinner or for washing hands etc. If managed in this way, the kitchen would remain organized and clean. With this structure, the family members would also like to help in doing dishes.
4. Center dinning in kitchen
This will allow the guests to get self served and feel comfortable about the amount of portion they want, elevating the pressure from the host to serve. This also allows the host to put on a good display of the artistic collection of the dishes, on their center table.
5. Work zone
Preparation, cooking and cleaning are the three basic areas that need to be taken care for in the kitchen, in order to manage it properly. Well planned work zones would allow multiple people to cook and serve in the kitchen appropriately without messing things up or getting into each other’s way. Each work zone should be kept functional by incorporating proper and necessary appliances as per the zone’s requirements and needs.
6. Water refrigerator
Having a separate refrigerator for juices or water under the counter, with control temperature, could help to keep home refrigerator not too overwhelmed.
7. Maximizing seating area
Warm welcome is the key for entertaining kitchen. If the guests could not find proper place for seating in kitchen, it would become difficult to entertain them properly. Therefore, it is necessary that the seaters or sofa could be added at a side along with the dining chairs. However, the cluttering should be avoided.
8. Cabinets and storage area
Plenty of cabinets and storage is the key to get neat and clean kitchen. More cabinets and storage area means less mess and more space to work freely.
9. Control temperature
While cooking, the temperature of the kitchen could raise especially during summer time, which could be inappropriate or uncomfortable for the guests. It also affects the temperature of the whole house because of the open floor system. Therefore, control temperature should be kept in mind while making entertaining kitchens.
10. Writing board
Magnet or writing board in the kitchen could allow keeping menu list on display, small reminders to take care for in view and could also allow guests to leave any note for you.
11. Having heavy and many burners
Cooking two or three dishes at once allows you to clean, cook and serve instantly. It makes the life much easier which is why in entertaining kitchen, you must have more burners.
12. Moving appliances from counter
Blender, toaster, juicer etc. could be kept in cabinets and could be taken out as and when required. This would help to get rid of junk and would allow creating more space on the counters. This will also give neat and tidy look to the kitchen.
13. Having light weight chairs around counter
This is very useful to keep light weight chairs around counters of your kitchen and table. It would look nice and would also allow the guests to help you during cooking. You can also move chairs as per your convenience, easily.
14. Center located hub for drinks
Having a separate corner for hot and cold beverages would encourage the guests to get as and when required. They will also feel comfortable to help themselves to some, without having to bother you with their request.
How To Turn Your Kitchen Into an Entertaining Kitchen
- Creating More Space In Existing Kitchen: Entertaining kitchen should have vast space. It is necessary to have the eating place or dinning in the kitchen. Stools and comfortable environment is the key. If you have the small kitchen then you should remove the wall between the kitchen and living or dining room. This could allow creating more space and would allow you to entertain the guests and family alike while cooking.
- Lighting: Naturally well-lit kitchen tends to be more inviting; it becomes more pleasant place to spend time at. Therefore, big windows are essential. Lights under cabinets also give very soothing effect. Hanging lamps over counter give feeling of control atmosphere whereas hanging lamps on the dinning gives more pleasure and vision while eating which is definitely more likeable.
- Changing The Colors Scheme Of Floor In Kitchen: Just changing color scheme of the floor or tiles could create drastic and nice impact on the kitchen. Flooring with ceramic tiles or porcelain can give soothing effect and open up the space to a better & roomy look. Following are few of the best color options to consider:
- Adopting Strong Colors: Strong colors can add more life and energy in the kitchen. Yellow color is related to sun and energy, thus, using yellow color in kitchen could boost up energy. Orange is related to warmth and stability where as light blue is for soothing and comfort, so a nice and easy blend of orange and light blue colors could also be a good change and might help in lifting up the mood and spirit of everyone around.
- Colors That Make Kitchen Spacious: If you are not up for vivid and vibrant color schemes then do remember that adopting colors like brown, black and grey are not good for kitchen. They can create an effect of making your kitchen look smaller. You can on the other hand go for White and cream colors which can make the kitchen look spacious.
- Red Kitchen Stimulates Appetite: Ceramic wall tiles with red shade and placing them under kitchen cabinets can increase the beauty and mood. Red has energizing and stimulating qualities but it is better to limit red color for accessories. Too much red gives overwhelmed and cluttered effect.
- Green Kitchen Gives Cooling Effect: Green colors are good to use in warmer countries. It is the color of nature and greenery always gives cool and relaxing affect. Countries where there is less greenery could enjoy this color in their kitchen and thus, could enjoy their meals in a more relaxed environment and atmosphere too.
- Blue Or Turquoise Kitchen Is A Stress Buster: Blue or turquoise colored kitchen is good to improve efficiency and focus. It gives deep relaxing affect with long and easy respirations. It is good to lower the blood pressure too which is very handy while you are focused and tired in cooking.
- Yellow Kitchen Is A Sign Of Optimism: As mentioned before, Yellow is related to sunshine and summer and thus it is a good color option for the cold countries. This color cheers up the mood and gives more energy. It also boosts up the metabolism as it is known as vibrant energy booster.
- Red, Orange And Yellow Give Cozy Effect: These colors should be used by cold countries to acquire a cozy affect or you can also blend them together for a more vivid and fiery look for your kitchen. This will also be an impressive look to carry for an entertaining kitchen.
- White Kitchen Create Clear Effect: White kitchen gives feeling of clarity, sharpness, cleanliness, energy and brightness. People with white kitchen get less stressed. White kitchen also brings feeling of cold and sterile. For creating a balance, some work of wood or wicker can also be introduced in your entertaining kitchen.
Conclusion
Entertaining kitchen simply means rejoicing food with family while cooking, serving and dining. The food we eat does not only flavor our mouth but also our brain. The things we see, touch, hear, taste and smell, all stimulates our sensory organs and come together to create the taste we cherish and love.
