The Social Kitchen

“The Social Kitchen” underpins a design philosophy which recognizes the kitchen as the center of the home. Whereas in years past, cooking was viewed as a chore carried out in the back of the home, it is now seen as creative and a social event. When appliances arrived in everyday kitchens across America in the 1950s, the primitive design of such appliances set the layout of the room, leaving little flexibility in design placement.

Our routines today in contrast are complicated, busy, and varied. With ever increasing technology, appliances are much more sophisticated and flexible in design to meet our individual lifestyles. The kitchen is a place we perch when a friend arrives, a makeshift office and where parties inevitably congregate. Design trends have picked up on the tendency to congregate, as well as, the versatility people desire in their kitchens by providing comfortable working areas and focusing on socialization. Here are some of the elements of a social kitchen broken down.

Clean, Open Look One of the easiest ways to make a room enjoyable/attractive to be in is by adding light. In the modern kitchen dominated by stainless steel appliances, this is accomplished by concealing appliances behind doors or using cabinetry finish on dishwashers and refrigerators. Unframed cooktops help to almost seamlessly blend into countertops. Using whiter, brighter colors in the kitchen and utilizing natural light makes for an eye-catching environment. Combine a bright, clean look with open spaces, such as large empty countertops as well as physical space to move around, and both the chef and the guest will feel comfortable to work and play.

Functional Design The Social Kitchen understands that homeowners need an environment in which they can do their chores efficiently and comfortably. Features such as multiple dishwashers, or dishwasher drawers (as we recently talked about here), double ovens with specialized features, refrigerators with temperature specific drawers, all help to streamline the work of prepping and cleaning up food. Just as important as the appliances themselves, is a work triangle that allows the chef to work efficiently while still allowing for chatting with guests. A prep sink or cooktop on the island across from guest stools is a perfect example of a social-friendly workflow.  

Accomodating to Guests Probably the most important element of the Social Kitchen, is that it is comfortable to any guest who enters its doors. This means both a comfortable working space for the chef, as well as comfortable areas for guests to congregate. For the latter, this can look like a variety of things: Bars with guest stools, nooks in the kitchen, using an island to create a lovely focal point and provide an additional, social workspace.