Most people see the dining room and the kitchen as the heart of every home. It’s where moms bond with their kids, baking cookies. It’s where dads flip pancakes for breakfast. Dining is also where children invite their friends after school or on special occasions like birthdays.
Unsurprisingly, both are a buyer’s hot spot. According to experts, it can increase the property’s resale value by as much as $60,000, depending on the quality of building or remodeling. But when done wrong, it can disappoint, probably even those on a budget.
Image by THAM YUAN YUAN
How do you design a kitchen and dining area? Donnybrae already shares some major pointers on how to select a dining table. But you can also rethink the layout and style of these areas in the following ways:
1. Create a Breakfast Nook
A breakfast nook is one of the smartest options for the oddest corners of the house. Usually, these are the sections near the window, which makes the spot even more perfect for the first meal of the day.
Nooks don’t occupy a lot of space, so you won’t have to search for more room to have them. You can also build a custom-made bench and convert the bottom into drawers for extra storage.
2. Make the Most of Unmatched Chairs
When you want to add a twist to your dining setup but don’t want to step away too much from elegance, you can work on the chairs instead. Mix and match them!
If you have a four-seater, you can choose a pair of similar chairs and a long bench on the other side. They can also be of the same size and build, but the cushion will feature various designs from bright solid colors to prints like floral.
This dining-table style also lets you repurpose old chairs that no longer match the rest of the room’s theme.
3. Combine Open Shelves and Cabinets
It doesn’t matter whether your kitchen is small or large-you’re likely going to accumulate many kitchenware and utensils. But often, you find yourself debating if you should go for open shelving or full cabinetry. Well, why don’t you do both?
Houzz Australia recommends using open shelves for places that you can reach. Usually, these are above the sink and the sides of the kitchen. You can also utilize the full length of a wall-floor to ceiling-especially if you have some beautiful collection to showcase.
For the other parts of the kitchen, install cupboards. They are also an excellent way to conceal the most common eyesores in this part of the house, like the pipes and waste bins.
4. Think Cleanliness
Because of the amount of activity in the kitchen and the dining room, these are often the messiest part of the house, and cleaning can be exhausting. You can spend less time fixing them up without compromising safety with the following ideas:
5. Add a Pop of Color
Kitchens and dining areas can be either engaging or boring. If you don’t want it to be the latter but don’t have enough funds to do major changes, just include a pop of color.
The easiest will be to paint one side of the wall with a solid color, ranging from bright yellow to dark blue and even black. You can also make it more functional by using chalkboard paint.
Redesigning your kitchen and dining areas doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or require many creative juices. Instead, focus on two things: aesthetics and functionality. If you can combine both, you’ll never be wrong.
