Fine dining…in the Kitchen!

By Susan Serra, Decorati Contributing Guest Blogger and author of The Kitchen Designer blog.

Dining is a very special experience, soulful in many ways. An end to meal preparation, a gathering of loved ones to share the days’ events, a place for celebrations. The casual dining experience in one’s home can feel relaxed, comfortable, be visually beautiful, cozy, or, it can be confining, visually nondescript, and uncomfortable. I prefer the former.

Having a dining space near to the kitchen that accommodates the number of people you need/hope to seat comfortably, is the goal. It’s such a simple concept, almost an after thought, as one is busy planning many other areas in the case of a whole house renovation, for example.

I am presented with more plans (new construction or renovations) where the breakfast room/casual dining area IS an after thought. More often than not, my clients are focused on the working sections of the kitchen when they first come to me, certainly not the dining area. I focus immediately on the traffic flow and in short order, the space allocated to a dining area. Why? I know that each section (working/dining) may very well have a push/pull effect on the other. Therefore, the dining area must be addressed sooner than later. Invariably, the space allocated to the dining area is too small.

Following are tips as well as questions to ask yourself, as you plan your dining space. I will leave specific dimensions out, as your design professional will get into more specific dimensional detail with you.

Short on space? Seriously consider a banquette. A banquette is the very best space saving design, it accommodates a flexible number of people, and has the “cozy” factor built right in.
Realistically, how many people do you want to accommodate? Visualize as many lifestyle dining scenarios as you can to determine which situations will be designated for the casual dining area and which ones will not be.

Will you want an expandable table? Is there space for it? Do you have an island nearby? Check carefully for spacing between stools and chairs. Imagine both stools and chairs in use as well as one who is passing through the chair/stool path. Beware of the possibility of guests feeling confined.

Is there media which must be accommodated in the space? Think about appropriate proximity of chair positions in relation to the media location. Take extra care in planning where inside or outside doors are in relation to the table. Can the door swing fully open? Will chairs impede the traffic flow?

What shape table will work best in your space? I will tell you this from experience: it may not be the shape that you are very sure of! Consult your design professional and be open to alternative shapes and sizes.

How near or far is the dining table to kitchen cabinetry? Take care there is adequate room to move around the table.

I have a theory on designing dining spaces. I feel that a well planned, spacious, dining area is conducive to your guests feeling relaxed, a real desire to linger, and their ability and desire to stretch out a bit, as they become comfortable. In my view, comfort equals enjoyment, quality conversation, relaxation, and so many more good things.

I will share with you my most original and favorite idea for comfortable dining. A piece in my kitchen that I will never live without is a sofa as an integral part of the dining table. A (real) sofa has an advantage over a banquette in that it is the most comfortable choice for dining by virtue of its spring system. A sofa’s optimal height is approximately 6 1/2″ higher than it sits on the floor…but that is also dependent on its original height and the type of cushion, which must be evaluated. Any sofa can be built higher in a built-in situation or legs can be a customized height.

And, comfort? In my experience there is no equal to the “kitchen sofa” as I refer to this dining concept. Relaxation, in this situation, reaches the ultimate level. Another advantage is it’s viability as an alternative seating area in a smaller home. Pick up your feet, head down on the pillows, ahhhhhh…..can you really be in the kitchen and be so comfortable? Why not?