Whatever size your kitchen may be, chances are your guests will congregate there when you are entertaining. Yes, having a beautiful living area with comfortable seating is still a great feature in any home, but having a kitchen that you can easily entertain in is just as important. If you are thinking of installing a custom kitchen in your home that is perfect for entertaining, Veneta Cucine can help! We sell Italian kitchens that range from classic to modern in styling, and can truly make any kitchen space a welcoming entertainment spot. Read on to see what design features lend themselves to making your kitchen perfect for entertaining.
Space
Not everyone has the option of having a large kitchen. Even if you are limited on square footage, you can still make your kitchen seem as open as possible and create a good flow through the space. If you are able to remove a wall to make your kitchen bigger, possibly by utilizing a neglected dining room or office, do it! Since everyone ends up in the kitchen anyway, you want to make sure there is enough space. Even if you don’t have the luxury of fully removing a wall, making a doorway opening larger, or removing a partial wall can help. If your kitchen has clear sight to another room, people in both areas can feel connected during parties. If no walls can be moved, possibly the ceiling height can be raised, even by a small amount, to create a feeling of more space and light. An experienced kitchen designer like Veneta Cucine can help you plan out how your new custom kitchen can function best for you.
An Island
An island is the workhorse of an entertaining kitchen. Not only does it provide ample space for food preparation before guests arrive, but can be where you beautifully display your food and drinks. If the island is large enough, it can even be where guests can sit and snack on drinks and appetizers. A beautiful material for your island countertop will be a showstopper in a large kitchen built for entertaining: deeply veined marble or a matte finish granite will have your guests loving the time spent in the kitchen. With a custom kitchen you can plan out the island of your dreams, with seating, cabinets and a beautiful countertop. Make your new custom kitchen function for everyday life and entertaining with a large island.
Custom Appliances
If you do a lot of entertaining, keeping cold drinks on hand and the dishes quickly cleaned up after a party can be quite a daunting task. With a new custom kitchen you can incorporate appliances that keep up with your entertaining lifestyle. Installing more than one dishwasher can make cleaning up after a party more efficient. Don’t stay up late to put another load of dishes in; two dishwashers get through all of your party ware in half the time! Along with two dishwashers, having more than one refrigerator can come in handy as well. Installing under-counter cold drawers and other “point of service” refrigeration can take the party load off of your regular refrigerator. Whether you are serving wine, beer or sparkling juice to your guests, an additional refrigerator conveniently located in the kitchen can be perfect for keeping the cold drinks flowing while entertaining. Warming drawers are another feature that can be incorporated into a custom kitchen. These drawers give extra space for dishes that need to be kept hot if your oven is already in use. Don’t wait around for the second round of appetizers with a warming drawer! All of these appliances are easily integrated when you are planning a brand new custom kitchen!
Storage
If you are using your kitchen for entertaining, you want the beautiful design and materials to stand out, not your daily coffeemaker! When you design a custom kitchen, you can make sure that all of your dishes, glassware and daily appliances have a home and are neatly concealed. Keeping counters clear of clutter can really open up your space and give you plenty of room for entertaining! Storage doesn’t have to be concealed, and if you have a beautiful collection of dishes or pots and pans, open shelving can be a great way to add unique interest to your kitchen. Plus, with open shelving everything is just arm’s reach away! However you choose to organize your new kitchen, going with a custom design for your cabinets can make sure that your most used items are easily accessible while keeping your kitchen beautiful.
If you have been feeling less than impressed with your current kitchen’s entertaining abilities, it may be time to consider a custom kitchen from Veneta Cucine! Our showroom (close to Manhattan) will inspire you, and hopefully give you great ideas for your new, custom kitchen.