Is your kitchen the heart of your home? A place where the family gathers at the end of a long day? A place for guests to gather and celebrate? If yes is the answer to any – or all – of those questions, then you might wonder how you can design a kitchen that’s fit for each of these purposes. 

Kitchen design experts Harvey Jones has stacks of advice and inspiration to help you design the perfect kitchen that is fit for all occasions: 

1. Add an island or peninsula for party guests to gather
   Having an area central to the kitchen space is ideal for both day-to-day family living and a party. It serves as a breakfast bar come homework station for the family which can be easily transformed into a party buffet station at any occasion. A prime spot for your guests to gather, take a seat (if you have bar stools) and raise a glass of champers.
2. Create your own make-shift bar
   A tambour-fronted or double-doored breakfast station can be transformed into a bar station for guests’ all important beverages. Replace your breakfast cereals and toaster with champagne flutes, cocktail-making paraphernalia and snacks. Also impress your guests by incorporating a wine cooler or mini beer-fridge in the early design stages. Their favourite tipple will always be at hand, and chilled.
3. Have plenty of places to sit
   Whilst islands provide bar seating, another popular dimension is bench seating – or alternatively, if you have the space for it, an extending dining table is a great investment. You can add extra seats for your guests, or host a dining party for close friends and family.
   In the design stages, it is also worth considering a built-in utility cupboard as it’ll be a space to hide away all your essentials such as the vacuum, ironing board and mop – and of course, those extra chairs. Out of sight, but always at hand when you need them.
4. Light it up
   Nothing sets the vibe better for a party than good lighting. At the beginning of the kitchen design process, you might want to consider adding extra lighting. Think colour-change LED strips and spot lights that can be put inside cupboards, under worktops and around the plinths. They are perfect for adding a little something at a party.
   You could also consider zoning your lighting and adding dimmable switches so that you can define areas and create different moods quickly and easily. 

 

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