21 Dec The Center of Entertainment: How to Get Your Kitchen Ready for the Holidays
The kitchen has often been called the heart of the home, and during the busy holiday season it’s also the center of entertainment, family bonding and culinary creations. But how can you best prepare this busy space in your home for the holidays? In many families the kitchen is the place the family gathers to share quality time. Open plan and beautifully designed kitchens offer the perfect backdrop to sharing a glass of wine and nibbles with guests while you finish cooking the main dish. But achieving the perfect kitchen for the holiday season relies on seamless kitchen remodel design and flow. Here we look at how you can prepare your kitchen for the holiday season, as well as future entertaining endeavors.
Open Design
Achieving the perfect entertaining kitchen relies on having an easy flow, open plan design. There should be plenty of room to move around and prepare meals while also providing space for guests or family members to sit and relax. Bar style seating against a counter alongside cooking and preparation areas maximizes the use of your kitchen and bench space and integrates cooking and entertaining. An open design allows you to talk to your guests or watch kids finishing homework while simultaneously completing cooking and food preparation.
Room to Work, Room to Move
When it comes to kitchen remodel, the most important areas to leave space around are the refrigerator, the stove top and the sink. These are the kitchen ‘hotspots’, the areas the cook needs easiest access to and plenty of space around to complete their job effectively.
Designing and building a kitchen remodel that’s made for entertaining should incorporate a flow and space around these areas to make the kitchen a more pleasant place for the cook and guests.
Design That Flows
Many older kitchens are small, cramped and one way, making them an awkward environment for entertaining. Kitchen design with a traffic pattern
that flows allows a casual and welcoming entertaining space where guests can feel comfortable. A kitchen island provides the perfect ‘centerpiece’ of kitchen design which allows for guest seating, extra counter top preparation space and the right traffic flow for kitchen performance and comfort.
Specialized Stations
Nowadays, more kitchens are including specialized gadgets and food preparation tools to make cooking and entertaining easier and more enjoyable. If you’re thinking of remodeling a kitchen for entertaining, incorporating these specialized preparation stations can really add something unique. Add an espresso corner for coffee lovers or a wet bar station for those who want something a little stronger. An electric appliance station can house mixers, food processors or juicers for easy access or to really boost your kitchen preparation and storage space, talk to your remodel contractor about adding a butler’s pantry.
>>Planning a Kitchen Remodel: Where Do You Start?
The kitchen is the ideal center point of holiday cooking, entertaining and celebrations, so why not build a kitchen that’s worthy of the time you spend in it? Ask your remodel contractor about the best kitchen remodels for entertaining today.