Making cooking and dining zones work effectively both on their own and together is no easy task; creating a kitchen-diner doesn't necessarily require acres of space but it does require a little forward thinking and careful planning. The design challenge in combining a cooking zone and an eating zone is making them work effectively both on their own and together.
Layout
Most kitchens can accommodate some kind of dining space, whether it's just a simple bench for breakfasts or a big table and chairs for family meals and entertaining. If you're creating a kitchen-diner from scratch, assess your space and choose the most appropriate layout.
- Split-Space to create two distinct areas within the kitchen - a space for cooking and one for dining - arrange your units so one run of units acts as a natural room divider. This will allow you to face your guests when you're preparing food and it can be used as an informal breakfast bar too with the addition of stools.
- U-Shaped: This layout requires space, so is not suited to small rooms. Units are arranged in a u-shape along a back wall and two side walls. An island positioned in the centre of the room acts as a preparation area and breakfast bar.
- L-Shaped: Create an instant kitchen-diner by placing a table into a kitchen with units along two adjoining walls. Even a small table will tempt you or a guest to spend more time in the kitchen. A round table is best as it frees up space to move around without bumping into any sharp corners.
- Open-Plan: This layout, which incorporates a kitchen, dining and even living space is becoming even more popular, with the kitchen acting as the real heart of the home. If you have knocked a kitchen through into an adjacent living/dining room, you don't need to make the new space completely open plan. Take down just part of the dividing wall for a connection that doesn't lose the sense of individual zones.
Practicalities
So you've decided on a kitchen-diner, now it's time to think about the practicalities. A big decision is whether to make a feature of the kitchen area, to make it look as unobtrusive as possible or even to hide it away when you're not using it. Low walls, extra-high base cupboards, screens and clever angles can all help to hide unwanted sights. Changes of floor level can also work well by stepping down or up as though you are entering another room. Smell is also a consideration. Who wants to have nasty food smells wafting into the room where you eat? An oven with a catalyser system will help remove cooking smells; also you'll need a good extractor fan. Look out too for extra quiet appliances with a low decibel level, 42dB is good. You will want to use the dishwasher and still be able to chat to friends and hear what they're saying.
Aesthetics
Make your kitchen-diner a stylish space by considering the following elements.
- Decor: Go for a unified decorative scheme that doesn't compromise the needs of either area. A squeaky clean white kitchen flowing into a rich red dining room will look disjointed, so use the same wall colouring for both spaces.
- Flooring: Kitchen-diner flooring should be durable and stain proof but relaxed enough for socialising. If the room is one open space lay the same flooring throughout both zones. Wood is warm and aesthetically appealing or go for tiles. If the kitchen has been knocked through to an adjoining dining room and some of the dividing wall remains you could define the areas with two different types of flooring, although for a cohesive look they will need to be of the same colour or tonal variation.
- Furniture : For family kitchen-diners go for a simple table and chairs that will survive any spills; a round table is child-friendly and perfect if there's a lot of through traffic. If you like to entertain and space is not an issue, choose a table that will sit at least eight comfortably. Where space is tight, a fold-out and collapsible table and stacking chairs are perfect and can be stored away easily when not in use.
- Lighting: In the cooking area you'll need good task lights, such as directional spotlights so you can see what you're doing. Most people prefer soft ambient lighting in dining areas, such as hanging pendants, and it's a good idea to get an electrician to wire in a flexible lighting system so that different moods can be created at the same time.
