Having a dining room can be great if you do a lot of entertaining, yet for most homeowners, kitchen renos that add comfortable eat-in dining spaces are at the top of the home renovation list.
Whether you have a lot of space to work with or just a little, there are many creative ways that kitchen remodeling contractors can give your home the convenience of kitchen dining.
If you are considering kitchen remodeling and want to include dine-in features, here are some great ideas to discuss with your contractor to come up with the perfect renovation plan!
1. Kitchen Islands
A very popular addition to many kitchen renos is turning unused or poorly-used floor space into a multi-functional kitchen island.
Islands offer not only a huge countertop to work on but can also serve as a comfortable dining area when the countertop overhangs on the back and one or two sides to allow for seating around this space.
Why are islands are among the most requested elements that remodeling contractors install in the kitchen?
They provide the convenience of food preparation space, eating space, space for kids to do homework or crafts in a safe and supervised place, and even space for doing other work, right within the most used room of the house.
2. Breakfast Nooks, Banquettes, and Booths
Another popular kitchen remodeling option is to turn an open corner or the space around a big window into a useful dining space.
Breakfast nooks centered around windows look great while preserving the natural light brought in as can built-in booths, both of which can easily occupy an empty wall or corner.
A simple banquette with corner seating and a small cafe table can work equally well and be scaled to the size of the available space.
All three can become comfortable eating areas that make efficient use of corners and other spaces that cannot be used for appliances, cabinets, or other typical kitchen elements.
3. Back Bar Dining
For galley kitchens that are wide enough or any space that has a lot of unused wall space and less floor space, adding a back bar eating area is another efficient kitchen reno idea.
Whether facing a wall or a window, back bar counters make useful workspaces and casual dining areas in kitchens where the island or nook area will not work.
4. Oversized Kitchen Carts
If a kitchen island is appealing but permanently taking up that space is not, another option is to have your kitchen remodeling contractor build a custom oversized kitchen cart on wheels.
Designed to be multi-functional with storage and fold-down leaves, a big kitchen cart can act as an island work and eating space wherever you need it.
Whether it gets positioned in the middle of the kitchen for food prep or moved to the side to then serve as an eat-in dining area, a rolling surface with storage could be the best thing your kitchen has ever had!
5. Fold-Down or Pull-Out Work and Eating Spaces
When space is limited in smaller kitchens, the good news is that your kitchen remodel can still include eat-in convenience using collapsible and hidden surfaces.
Pull-out butcher blocks with unfolding legs can easily work for kitchen dining depending on which cabinet it retracts into.
Fold-down back bar tables, corner tables, or even full-size tables for 3-sided seating can all work depending on the floor plan and space available.
Include Creative Eat-In Dining In Your Kitchen Reno
Nothing beats an in-kitchen dining area for convenience, easy cleanup, and efficient use of open surfaces.
Any one of the above ideas added to your kitchen reno can create a useful dining space and more in your existing kitchen.
Whether you prefer a kitchen island, drop-down surfaces, a corner banquette, or a combination of them all, a great kitchen remodel contractor can plan with you to achieve your multi-purpose kitchen dreams.
The right remodeling plan can make eat-in dining a reality in almost any kitchen!
