Island Entertaining

Custom kitchenYour kitchen is the most memorable and probably most used room in your home, and when it comes to entertaining, there is no more important area. But if you have an open-concept design and your kitchen looks out into your main living area, how do you maintain the balance between the flow and the compartmentalization that entertaining calls for?

Enter: your island.

You’ve heard it said for years: Parties always end up in the kitchen. These days, many of them start there, too. If you enjoy hosting friends and family at home, you might want to create an entertaining island for your special events.

 

Things to focus on when designing your entertaining area:

Lighting. There’s nothing worse than a glare coming from harsh lighting (and then being reflected by a shiny countertop), except a room so dimly lit you can’t tell what kind of cheese you’re eating. Go for mood lighting, adjustable if possible, and allow for natural light.

cool islandSpace. Allowing for the ebb and flow of entertaining means making sure there is enough space all the way around for two lanes of foot traffic. Also, take into account moving and managing of people when deciding what to put in your island drawers – you don’t want to make every move every ten minutes during a gathering!

Add-ons. There are so many ways to make your island stand out, and be the talk of the party! Built-in planters, bottle openers and other gadgets attached, extra features hidden in drawers – really your imagination is the limit. Be creative (but be aware of overdoing it!)

Appliances. Planning to entertain year-round? Install a mini bar fridge and never have to waste valuable refrigerator real estate! Include a water or ice machine to keep drinks flowing all night, or a small range to add warming space.

No matter how you choose to design your island entertainment, all you really need is great friends, great food, and your style!

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