How to Design a Kitchen That Brings People Together

Your kitchen tends to be a social gathering place. By focusing on comfort and connection, you can have a kitchen that draws people in and brings family and friends together. Here are 10 ways to achieve it.

Today’s kitchen is more than just a place to cook. It’s the heart and soul of your home. Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, throwing a football watch party, or inviting a neighbor over for coffee, you’ll want your kitchen to be a space where people can relax and enjoy spending time. Read on to discover ways to design a practical kitchen that encourages socializing.

1. Add an Island with Seating
An entertainer’s kitchen is rarely complete without a generous central island, and it’s easy to understand its appeal. A kitchen island acts as a social magnet, drawing people to a central gathering spot in your home while giving you workspace to prep meals. Add a few comfortable bar stools and the island becomes the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxed breakfast or weeknight meal. Make your island a standout feature by selecting a color or material that contrasts with the rest of your kitchen cabinetry.

2. Open it Up
Whether you’re hosting a large formal gathering or a casual lunch for two, an open floor plan makes everyone feel connected. Open your kitchen to adjoining dining, living, and outdoor areas to encourage guests to move freely among these spaces. Design your kitchen layout with meal prep movement in mind, ensuring sufficient flow to maneuver between the fridge, stove, sink, and seating areas.

3. Introduce Built-In Seating
A breakfast nook with built-in bench-type seating is a space-savvy way to incorporate a casual dining area into your kitchen while adding warmth and a sense of hospitality. Top your bench with colorful, comfortable cushions to create a cozy spot for relaxed breakfasts or somewhere to enjoy a cup of coffee when a friend pops by.

This arrangement also helps if you like to cook and socialize when family or neighbors visit, or if you want to oversee the kids’ homework while dinner is on the stove. For added storage, incorporate deep drawers or a lift-up lid to your bench seat to create extra space for less-frequently used kitchen tools.

4. Create Storage Solutions
Keeping clutter at bay and utensils in their place is key to a kitchen that feels calm and functions well.

A butler’s pantry is a boon for entertainers and busy chefs, providing the perfect staging place while giving you useful extra counter space to prep meals — all while keeping your main kitchen countertops clear. If you don’t have room for a separate butler’s pantry, consider concealing a mini pantry behind sliding, bifold, or pocket doors or installing a niche to tuck everyday small appliances or a snack station for the kids.

Know the 3 Zones of Kitchen Storage.

• Concealing large appliances such as the refrigerator and dishwasher behind panels that sit flush with the rest of the cabinetry instantly makes your kitchen feel more polished and less like a workspace.
• If you’re an avid cook and entertainer, you’ll want to ensure you have the right tools. This may include a second oven so you can cook two dishes at different temperatures simultaneously, a prep sink, or an additional dishwasher in the butler’s pantry.
• With a kitchen geared toward entertaining, it also pays to consider noise levels. You don’t want your guests’ conversation to be drowned out by sounds from the dishwasher or humming refrigerator. When choosing appliances, opt for ones with a low decibel (dBA) rating. As a guide, a quiet dishwasher will run at about 40 dBA and a refrigerator at about 35 dBA (although these figures can be affected by factors such as flooring type, the size of your kitchen, and whether appliances are in contact with walls).

5. Step Down the Dining Zone
Create an appealing spot for family dinners or for guests to relax with a glass of wine while you finish cooking by stepping down a section of your kitchen island. This subtle change in elevation helps define the area, making it feel like a cozy nook within the kitchen.

For a seamless look, use the same countertop color and material across both levels. Or add visual drama by choosing a contrasting tone or finish, such as a stone island with a stepped-down dining section in warm wood.

6. Install a Beverage Fridge
A wine or beverage fridge is a small addition that can make a big difference to your social kitchen. It keeps beverages handy while adding a touch of hospitality — after all, a cold drink at the ready is always a welcome treat.

You’ll want to position the beverage fridge away from your main prep and cooking areas, such as at the end of the kitchen island facing out toward the living area or at the end of a run of cabinetry, so guests can help themselves without getting in the way of the chef.

7. Add a Wow Moment
Every room benefits from having a focal point. Including a single standout feature, such as a bold vent hood, a striking light fixture, or a backsplash in a unique tile or richly patterned stone, will infuse your kitchen with personality and capture guests’ attention as soon as they step inside.

It can also be a great conversation starter, helping to create that warm, inviting vibe that shifts your kitchen from utility to a vibrant gathering space.

8. Light It Right
Lighting can make a huge impact in your kitchen, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. A layered lighting scheme that includes a mix of task, ambient, and accent lights will create a warm and inviting environment that’s perfect for socializing, whether you’re hosting a large-scale festive get-together or an intimate meal.

Think about adding under cabinet LEDs to brighten your work surfaces, a pendant light on a dimmer over the kitchen island so it can transition smoothly from prep zone to meal area, and wall sconces or directional downlights to highlight special features such as art.

9. Make Comfort a Priority
When your kitchen is designed with comfort in mind, it becomes a space where people want to gather, relax, and stay awhile. Dial up the cozy factor by introducing padded bar stools with footrests, cushioned dining chairs with supportive armrests, or a plush bench seat topped with a few throw pillows.

10. Soften With Curves
Whether it’s a curved island, an arched range hood alcove, or round edges on countertops and cabinetry, gentle curves will soften the harsh lines of your cooking space and make it feel more welcoming.

If you’re ready to make your kitchen a social gathering space to be proud of, contact the experts at Striking Kitchen and Bath by Bell. Enjoy degreed Interior Designers, certified age-in-place specialists, and talented craftsmen. Offering Design Only, Design + Materials, and Design + Construction options to suit your needs.