Homeowners are forgoing the formal dining room and using their islands not only for cooking but dining as well. A smart and beautiful kitchen island can serve all your kitchen and dining needs, helping you get the best of both worlds. In our recent designer survey, we found that 52% of kitchen updates include eat-in spaces for dining or seating. Let’s look at some ways you can incorporate eat-in spaces into your kitchen.
Functional Kitchen Island for Dining
A kitchen island can really ground the space and enhance the dining experience. By simply adding a space for chairs, this is a wonderful idea for a family kitchen or for people who enjoy cooking for guests. Combining a table with an island is a great space saver, and an extendable table can seat a crowd without taking up too much space and providing increased functionality of your overall floorplan.
There are some kitchen island shapes that would be better suited for dining. The L shaped island would lend itself well to be a dining kitchen island. Giving the cook space for food preparation while also allowing guests to converse at the table. The T shaped island which essentially bumps a table up against the island, provides plenty of seating for six or even more. This shape gives guests the ability to face each other while dining. Dining kitchen islands are a great option when you may have a tight space but love entertaining.
Another way to include an eat-in space is to add banquette seating to your island. This can create a warm and cozy spot for the entire family to gather for daily meals. Guests can still sit and comfortably chat with the chef while they finish cooking or the whole group can relax back and enjoy a leisurely dining experience. The bench seating can provide a benefit that is often overlooked, extra storage that is hidden from sight and increased comfort in the hub of the home.
Since the kitchen island serves so many purposes, this design choice should not be made lightly. During your next kitchen island design keep in mind the idea of adding a dining space to your wish list along with functional storage.
