The year-end holidays are upon us again, and you may be feeling frenzied whipping up dinners for every get-together from Thanksgiving and then to New Year’s. Has toiling by the oven and stove been making you wish for a better cooking space?
Kitchen remodeling could be on your to-do list the moment you wrap up the holidays. An improved kitchen will not only make your life easier by next November; it could also make preparing meals a pleasure anytime you entertain guests throughout the year.
Here are four features that can serve you well, whether you’re cooking for yourself or inviting the whole of Atlanta.
The open floor plan
One tried-and-true method of making a kitchen more spacious and versatile is converting it into an open-floor layout. With walls between the kitchen and dining areas removed, you free up space to install new fixtures and reposition appliances and furniture. More importantly, you are able to mingle with guests as you oversee the flow of food and dishes. Being in plain sight, you might even inspire them to help you!
Center islands and “peninsulas” become more pivotal in open kitchens. They bridge and define the cooking and dining spaces, make it convenient for you to place serving trays where guests can easily help themselves, and, with clever construction, obscure the messier aspects of food prep.
Tandem features
If your kitchen is large enough, you can even experiment with a double island. One island would be for preparing dishes and the other could be a buffet table. You could serve food on both, or eat there for casual dining.
Kitchen remodeling can also take a smaller scale and simply make room for larger appliances. These include double sinks, double ranges, and double dishwashers – tandem features that will speed up work before and after the party.
Multiple work zones
Who said you should remodel the kitchen so all the work could be easier for only you? You can also reconfigure the room so everyone in your group or family can have their own “work zones” and do their tasks – chopping, cooking, baking, roasting, washing, cleaning – with ample room and equipment. Your kitchen would zip along like the best restaurant assembly line.
Ergonomic storage and shelving
Another feature that could make kitchen activities flow more easily is ergonomic storage and shelving. Do you need more space but don’t want an open floor plan? Reconfigure cabinets so you can store more items, clearing your countertop. Do you love to keep a tidy kitchen yet show off your plates and pans? Devise open shelving so you can grab everything from tableware to toasters whenever you need them. You won’t even have to bump your head on a cabinet door.
What do you think is the best way to improve your food prep and cooking workspace? Consult your trusted Atlanta kitchen remodeling team to discuss your best ideas.
Sources:
Kitchens Designed for Entertaining, TraditionalHome.com
The 10 Best Kitchens for Entertaining, HuffingtonPost.com
Creating a Kitchen for Entertaining, HGTV.com
