Photo: Harvey Jones
Large kitchens equal more seating and dining options. So, why not have it all: kitchen island ideas with bar stools for casual eating or a quick coffee, and a separate, freestanding table and chairs for sit-down feasts and get-togethers.
Photo: Benjamin Moore
For smaller households – or those with a separate dining room – try squeezing a petite dining zone into the kitchen hub.
Interrupt a run of cabinetry with a low-slung, built-in bench seat and furnish with a neat, circular, dining table and accent color chairs.
Photo: Martin Moore
Upholster the banquette in a tough yet luxurious fabric – seek out one of the new-generation of hardwearing, wipeable velvets to inject an extra pop of color and tactility to the scheme.
Pair with a table and a couple of occasional chairs for an eat-in kitchen that will be well-used and well-loved for so many different occasions at every time of the day.
Photo: Kibler & Kirch/Gibeon Photography
Eat-in kitchens call for furniture and fabrics that are tough and wipeable; alternatively, consider upholstering in a busy pattern that won’t show up stains and scuffs quite so much as a plain.
Photo: Havwoods
Break up the hard lines of a kitchen by introducing a curved dining table.
An oval or circular shaped table, with no corners, creates a good flow of space and more room for people to get in and out of their seats.
Round tables have smaller footprints than rectangular tables; it’s also easier to squeeze in an extra guest around a curved perimeter.
Photo: deVOL
In this coastal cottage, eating, socializing and relaxing are all top of the agenda, so any dining area needed to be centrally located in the property and comfortable.
The mix and match mood includes a vintage prep table on castors, painted in an uplifting green shade, alongside an old dining table and chairs. The result offers a low key cool that is effortlessly charming with the central, freestanding prepping and dining zone the star of the room.
Photo: Drew Forsyth
It’s important that the eat-in kitchen has adequate space for a table and chairs, otherwise day-to-day dining experiences will prove uncomfortable.
Allow at least 24 inches of table space for each person as a general rule, with space between a table and wall behind it, at least 36 inches – or 48 inches if the area needs to accommodate passing traffic with people walking past the table.
Photo: Future / Emma Lee / Sally Denning
A popular solution says Sharon L Sherman of Thyme & Place Design is to recreate a modern farmhouse look by using a table as the island. It also gives double duty to the table so it can be tasked as a hardworking surface for food preparation and baking as well as a dining area.
Photo: Tom Howley
Curved booth seating is the perfect solution for informal dining or a spot of brunch.
Unlike breakfast bar ideas, breakfast nooks offer more space, and a more sociable feel.
Photo: Interior Fox/Veronica Rodriguez
This compact kitchen in a London apartment proves that island units are not the only solution for dining where space is tight.