How to Design the Ultimate Hosting Kitchen
Every household utilizes the kitchen in a different way – some strictly for private use, while others to regularly serve guests and host gatherings with friends and family. Certain types of kitchen design ideas are better suited for hosting than others, which is important to know if you love having people over to celebrate and socialize.
Here the best kitchen designs for creating the ultimate hosting kitchen, regardless of how large or small your home’s kitchen is.
What Is a Hosting Kitchen?
Although kitchens were traditionally reserved for preparing food, they often become social gathering places where guests congregate to talk and dine. A hosting kitchen is a kitchen where you can simultaneously prepare a meal and entertain guests. Small, medium, and large kitchens can all be hosting kitchens with the right types of countertops, seating, storage, lighting, and cleaning options.
Buy the Right Kitchen Fixtures
The kitchen fixtures you choose can either make or break your kitchen when it comes to hosting. Unlike a kitchen that is exclusively reserved for food prep, your kitchen fixtures will be on display for all your guests to see. Undermount sinks with gooseneck faucets are often the best kitchen designs for hosting kitchens because they are easy to clean and prepare meals with. At Central Plumbing Specialties, we carry the most beautiful and functional faucets and sinks to transform your kitchen into a hosting kitchen.
Have a Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands are natural gathering places for guests and can fit well in kitchens of varying sizes. They can be useful while chopping vegetables and mixing ingredients and then cleared off and chairs brought in to enjoy a shared meal. Among the best kitchen design ideas are placing tall chairs on all sides of the island and hanging pendant lights above the island to illuminate the place settings. Alternatively, a long bar with barstools in the kitchen can provide excellent in-kitchen seating space as well.
Allow Room for a Buffet Line
If you don’t have room for an island or don’t want to install one, another option is to create counterspace for a self-serve buffet line in your kitchen. This is a great option for very small kitchens to prevent an overcrowded space and allow organized movement through the kitchen. We can assist you with counter options for your kitchen, as well as the plumbing supplies you need to create a fully functional space.
Keep High-Traffic Paths Clear
Kitchens tend to become crowded and unproductive if they are filled with clutter, so make sure that only the essentials are left out before your guests arrive. This means storing away small kitchen appliances that you don’t immediately need and any dishes so that they don’t get in the way of your food preparations and guest dining space. To reduce kitchen clutter when you have guests over, it’s also a smart idea to inform your guests of where items are located and should be put away so that your kitchen can serve multiple purposes at the same time. This is where good kitchen storage really comes in handy.
Having a hosting kitchen is a fun way to stay involved with your guests even while you’re busy making them delicious things to eat and drink. We’d love to help you create the hosting kitchen of your dreams, so stop by one of our New York showrooms for inspiration!