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Kitchen Dining - Count The Ways!
Certified Kitchen Designer, author of http://www.thekitchendesigner.org blog and http://www.scandinaviankitchens.com
Certified Kitchen Designer, author of http://www.thekitchendesigner.org... More »
The dining area...it sends so many messages, doesn't it? Formality, lack thereof, color, contrast, size, material, shape, comfort, durability, theme, are just some of the decisions we have to make as we consider how to design our dining spaces.
My one recommendation, if nothing else, is to allow ample space for the kitchen dining area. Your guests, and family, need to feel comfortable, not confined. With comfort comes relaxation. With relaxation comes good times. I stress this because I have seen the dining area in plans brought to me be, most often, an after thought in terms of size specified, until it's too late.
Planning for the number of people you want to accommodate is one very tricky piece to the design of the dining area. I will say, typically, my clients will tell me they would like to fit 6 people, and sometimes that number is 8 people. I believe strongly in living flexibly. If there is a way that a dining table can extend, or a temporary top can be put on top of the existing table (plywood) to accommodate more people, if there is sufficient space in the dining area, that should be considered. In one situation, I recommended my clients install a very long banquette against a long wall, areas of which could be used for lounging, and other functions OR serve as seating for a super long table as required, so think flexibly!
In terms of style...look at images and then more images! Durability in kitchen dining furniture is a practical factor to consider. Are there small children and pets for years to come? If so, are your table and chairs able to be refinished down the road? That could be a great solution to get what you want now, knowing your pieces may be later renewed...a sustainable way to think.
And do not forget comfort! Sitting, lounging, chatting, hanging out in the kitchen definitely calls for comfort built into your chairs...therefore, select your fabric carefully for durability. Relaxing is an important part of living in the kitchen!
My one recommendation, if nothing else, is to allow ample space for the kitchen dining area. Your guests, and family, need to feel comfortable, not confined. With comfort comes relaxation. With relaxation comes good times. I stress this because I have seen the dining area in plans brought to me be, most often, an after thought in terms of size specified, until it's too late.
Planning for the number of people you want to accommodate is one very tricky piece to the design of the dining area. I will say, typically, my clients will tell me they would like to fit 6 people, and sometimes that number is 8 people. I believe strongly in living flexibly. If there is a way that a dining table can extend, or a temporary top can be put on top of the existing table (plywood) to accommodate more people, if there is sufficient space in the dining area, that should be considered. In one situation, I recommended my clients install a very long banquette against a long wall, areas of which could be used for lounging, and other functions OR serve as seating for a super long table as required, so think flexibly!
In terms of style...look at images and then more images! Durability in kitchen dining furniture is a practical factor to consider. Are there small children and pets for years to come? If so, are your table and chairs able to be refinished down the road? That could be a great solution to get what you want now, knowing your pieces may be later renewed...a sustainable way to think.
And do not forget comfort! Sitting, lounging, chatting, hanging out in the kitchen definitely calls for comfort built into your chairs...therefore, select your fabric carefully for durability. Relaxing is an important part of living in the kitchen!
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Right off the kitchen, this casual dining area is suitable for flexible seating. The neutrals contribute warmth and calmness, even with the contrast in shades.
by CWB Architects
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Welcome to the family! In this endearing little spot in the kitchen, this family is reminded daily, while eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, that mealtime is definitely family time (with those sitting beside you, or hanging in a photo on the wall!) A dynamic feature, and why not?
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The perfect solid square of the kitchen is the anchor of this room. This allows the various objects to float comfortably withing the open space. The eclectic mix of chairs playfully orbit around the Saarinen table like satellites. Our feeling of the "outer space", though, is the outdoors we are drawn to look at via the floor-to-ceiling windows.
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There is something about this kitchen that is so very Domino Magazine, that (now defunct) lovely paean to the eclectic, everyday home. Most of all, I love the buttoned leather Chesterfield sofa, it makes the space. Anything goes...just feel it!
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| Love the tier'd effect of this kitchen-dining combo space. The attached dining table sits on a lower plane than the kitchen. One activity trickles down to the next, like water trickling down steps --- here, from cooking, to eating. The "tiers" of this design connects to the tiered brick plantings just outside the sliding doors. |
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The kitchen's lack of wall cabinets takes the emphasis off the walls. Instead, the emphasis is on the enchanting, shimmering chandelier in the dining room next door, a very gracious dining spot, almost unbelievably just next to the kitchen. Again, why not?
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| This sleek and quite masculine space, with its use of dark contrasts and strong horizontal lines, reads much like the interior of a luxury yacht. Or a boardroom! One barely even notices that there is also a kitchen here, discreetly placed along the side wall. |
by Celia James
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I imagine what might once have been a rather plain Jane apartment space, is now turned it into something a bit single-girl glamorous. Bridget Jones would be proud! The rectilinear shape of dining table, along with the mirror, define the space as separate from the kitchen. The glass material of the table and mirrors, provides just the perfect amount of contrast from the solid material of the kitchen cabinets.
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This elegant European-styled kitchen is brought down to earth with a ... is that a carpet in the kitchen? Where else to drop all of those crumbs of delicate pâte à choux? Or a hearty, countryside cassoulet? The beauty of bringing in a country wood dining table to the all white kitchen is the ability to add contrast, perhaps to a space that otherwise might go too much in one direction.
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A tiny little corner off the kitchen is put to perfect use. The key to making the most of this small space is the banquette seating. Neutral tones add an elegant flow.
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Modern life calls for flexibility -- and sometimes a table works in place of an island.
| Space is not an issue in this large modern home. The dining table is free to float comfortably right off the kitchen, with a separate seating to boot. |
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| a fully formal dining area, essentially inside the kitchen, as you see a bit of granite countertop in the foreground, blends seamlessly with the space beyond and with the architecture of the home. |
| In this modern kitchen, the dark cabinetry does not so much "take up" a lot of space, as it defines it. |
Ideabook updated on March 4, 2010.
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victoria_d Glad you are comfortable...comfort is everything.