The kitchen can be the perfect place to entertain family and friends, whilst it can also be great for chilling out after a long day at work.
According to a 2015 report by Houzz, we spend an average of 12% of our lives in the kitchen. That works out at around 2.8 hours a day. Despite this, with our constantly busy schedules, there is a chance that it will become a space we use less often outside of cooking a quick meal.
With this in mind, our tips on getting your kitchen back to being the ultimate social space in the house are perfect for anyone wanting to fall back in love with their kitchen.
Colours
If you find yourself spending less time in the kitchen, have you contemplated whether it’s to do with the look and feel of the space? By having a visually-appealing kitchen and making it look good, you’ll find that more people want to spend time in it.
If it suits your tastes and interests, bright colours are a great way of creating a positive and fun space for the whole family to enjoy, whilst warmer colours can make the space feel cosy and inviting. Red can also be a great colour for your kitchen as it’s often associated with food and can help to bring out a fresh atmosphere that will really get you cooking up an appetite.
Accessories
Sometimes, the thought of having to clean up afterwards can be enough to put people off the kitchen altogether. Invest in creative, easy-to-use and easy to clean up tools that will help inspire the inner-chef in you.
Food blenders, juicers and cake pop makers are all great suggestions to help bring out the fun and inventive side to cooking that the whole family can get involved in. Why not invest in a popcorn maker? The kids will love it and it’ll be a great snack for your guests at your next gathering.
Technology
We all know that technology is everywhere these days, and the kitchen is booming with gadgets and gizmos that can help you get inspired when it comes to cooking. Having a kitchen full of the latest tech can also be a great way of bringing everyone together and will even woo your guests when they next come over.
Whilst it may sound like equipping your children with a tablet or laptop isn’t the most sociable of things, it’s a great way to get them involved in the cooking process. Incorporate their interest in tech by letting them search online for their favourite recipes and even integrate some of the many creative apps and tablet-based appliances out there to really get the excitement flowing.
Lighting
With the right amount of natural and indoor lighting, you’ll be able to build the ultimate ambience for any social setting in your kitchen.
During the summer, let the natural light shine through as it’ll help create an inviting atmosphere for all the family to spend time in. In colder months, you can let your indoor lighting take centre stage alongside a selection of candles to help craft that warm and relaxed setting.
Seating
If you want your kitchen to become the social hub of all activity, then you should consider how you can incorporate seating into your layout.
If you’ve got lots of space to work with then you could always look at quirky and comfy arm chairs, tables and breakfast bars. Meanwhile, those with a limited amount of space could bring in bar stools or even bean bags that will be just as effective at creating that relaxed and sociable setting for you and your guests.
Clutter
If you want your kitchen to be a hive of activity, then you’re going to have to make it a clutter-free environment.
Use shelves and storage spaces to store all of your books, gadgets and tools so that all your clutter is neatly organised away. This will help to encourage people to spend more time in your kitchen and this can even help to boost productivity – including a great studying space for your children.
Whether it’s catching-up with friends or having a big family get-together, the kitchen can be one the most welcoming and social spaces in the house. As we spend so much of our lives in the kitchen, it’s time for us to make sure it’s a space we can all spend time in and enjoy.
Adam Maidment is a guest contributor from premium kitchen appliance provider Britannia Living.