Planning a Kitchen for Entertaining

Home Design

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If you’re anything like us, you love entertaining your family and friends in your beautiful home. However, a home remodel can temporarily derail your typical hostess and entertaining habits – especially a kitchen remodel. Here are a few ways to plan for a smooth home remodel that will make your future gatherings amazing.

In the summer months of a kitchen remodel, you can move informal gatherings to the outdoors, using the grill for cooking the main course and ordering companion food trays from a caterer; or, if you’re remodeling a master bathroom, entertaining will be less of a problem as long as guests have a convenient bathroom to use.

To Get the Best Results

If you’re planning a remodel that will make your hostess duties easier, your designer will need to know the answers to a few questions:

1. How often do you entertain?

2. How large/small are the groups?

3. How formal or informal do the events tend to be?

4. Do you use a caterer, or do you do all the preparation and serving?

5. How many people cook at one time when you entertain?

6. Where do you serve the food? Do you serve people in the kitchen, or do you plate and serve elsewhere?

Depending on the answers to these and other questions, a space can be designed a variety of ways. Every family and every home are different, which is why it’s important to work with a kitchen designer who understands how to maximize the use of the space according to each client’s needs and goals.

When it’s time to consider what features to include in your Chicago home remodel, again, it’s important to consider your family’s specific needs. For kitchen appliances, not everyone wants professional grade equipment. Stainless steel appliances do look beautiful, and high-quality appliances will work well for your needs. Some other appliances you might want to consider are warming drawers, two dishwashers, or an under counter refrigerator (to give the host and guests better access to beverages and food waiting to be served).

You might want to think about adding a raised countertop on your island or peninsula for your new remodel layout. This way, dishes can be hidden and a cooking station can be created on the lower side, while the higher side gives guests a surface to eat and drink on. This type of countertop can also work as a breakfast bar, snack station, or casual gathering place great for entertaining.

Transitional kitchen design by Drury Design with white cabinets

If you frequently host large groups or use a catering staff, you might want to consider building a butler’s pantry. Outfitting a butler’s pantry with key appliances like an oven, warming drawer, sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator can give your guests more room to gather in the kitchen, dining, and living rooms without being in the way.

transitional kitchen design by drury design

You can include many more small touches in your home remodel to show off your hostessing finesse: glass cabinets to display beautiful dish and stemware, a wet bar near a television for sporting events, unique task lighting, a farmhouse sink, and a built-in task compactor may all enhance your entertaining needs during your home remodel.

transitional kitchen design with rustic wood finishes by Drury Design

Designing a home remodel with your entertaining interests in mind can enhance the time you spend in your home with your friends and family. No matter what, approach your home redesign with the same preparation and calmness that you would approach hosting an event at your house, and everything will go smoothly!