They say that home is where the heart is; and if that’s true, you’ve undoubtedly got a room that you spend most of your time in. From this perspective, the kitchen seems like the obvious choice. Everyone will enter it at some point of the day, you can fit multiple people in there, and if you’re hosting a party, someone will have to be stuck in the kitchen – so why not bring the party direct to them?
Almost everyone dreams of an open-plan kitchen-dining area, but the reality isn’t always quite so easy.
Nevertheless, there are still ways you can achieve the kitchen of your dreams without breaking the bank. Look at some ways you can turn the kitchen into the social hub of your home no matter what your budget.
Go for an open-plan layout
First and foremost, if you’ve got the budget, a home improvement will certainly be the way to go. An open-plan area provides a social hub which can easily incorporate areas for both work and relaxation – the host won’t be left out while the guests are entertained. There are plenty of stylish workbench options available for you depending on your budget. Look at some pictures of fantastic kitchens of all sorts of distinctions if you need some inspiration.
If possible, you might be tempted to invest in a breakfast bar – a countertop which guests or family members can sit at and eat. It’s also great for people on-the-go, a place to rest briefly while you have a snack or a bowl of cereal with minimal distance from workplace to eating place.
Explore alternatives
Alternatively, an open-plan area might not be the one for you. Perhaps it’s out of your budget; perhaps the layout of your home doesn’t allow for it; maybe it just isn’t an appealing set-up, and you want to keep your cooking and dining areas separate. Whatever the reason, there are other ways you can make your kitchen a social area without having a complete renovation.
First of all, it’s important to make your kitchen a place you want to spend time in. If your kitchen is shared between a lot of people or frequently dirty, that will involve cleaning. It’s not something to be scared of! The most important thing you can do is make sure all of the work surfaces are clean.
Putting away any items you have in cupboards should do this fairly efficiently. Washing up as you go throughout the day or putting dirty items in the dishwasher as soon as they’re used can also make a world of difference, as you’ll find yourself with clean worktops and less to do at the end of the day!
With this done, it can help to organise things to make them pretty. This will depend on what you have in your kitchen and what your interests are. If you’re a big fan of cooking, organising your spices in a spice rack can be both practical and stylish – or you might hang your pans up nicely on the wall. If you’re a connoisseur of tea or another type of drink, you might want to invest in some canisters which you can label ready to go. The key to this stage is making your kitchen a place you want to be in, rather than just have to.
Reorganise our schedule
Of course, if you truly want to make your kitchen a social space, you’ll need everyone there at the same time. This won’t work if one of you is cooking early in the evening and another makes a meal at midnight, although it certainly might make the kitchen less busy! To get the best of both worlds, why not try and organise a cooking rota, with each person making a communal meal one day a week. That way, everyone eats together, and you can get help with both the cooking and the washing up after if needed! It’s a great daily social activity which won’t break the bank and will truly make the kitchen the place to be in your home.
