While we’re currently doing a mini makeover in the kitchen, I’ve been tossing around the idea of making it ‘eat-in’. We rarely use the dining room to eat. I use it all of the time when I’m working on projects and in fact, I can’t even see the dining room table right now. It’s certainly big enough for my favorite choices of kitchen tables.
So, I set about looking for some eat-in kitchen inspiration. Here is what I came up with:
What do you think? Do you have an eat-in kitchen? Would you? And after looking at these…I’m thinking my big kitchen all of a sudden looks much smaller! Maybe an island is a better choice. But I still would love an eat-in area in the kitchen or at least a spot to sit and talk to the cook, Mr. DIY, while he’s whipping up a delicious meal.
i had an eat-in kitchen in my last house, and i miss it! this house is smaller and there is no island, no eat in…. we ate all of our meals there. if i could have it again i would in a heartbeat!
I would love to have an eat in kitchen, currently we don't but everyone seems to gather in there anyway.
I always have this argument with my husband. I grew up with a table in the kitchen and really want to have one when we redo our kitchen. He would rather have an island and then eat meals in the dining room. To me, the dining room was always for special occasions only, so it seems weird to me. Hard decision!
While you are ordering one of those kitchens…would you place an order for me too, please! They are lovely! I grew up in a home with an eat-in kitchen and a center island. In fact, the folks who bought my beautiful custom-designed (by my dad & gpa) childhood home….gut it!!! So…I still have my beloved daddy's kitchen island! Though, it's now on the back porch…which I hope to one day make a kitchen dining room. : )
Happy planning!
: )
Julie M.
ps I also have the kitchen floor, bannisters, cupboard doors & drawers….etc…..
Our kitchen has a space for an eat-in style, but we haven't done anything to it yet. I would LOVE to have a pub table and chairs!
An eat in kitchen with a table is THE way to go! Who doesn't gather in the kitchen?
If we are not in our bedrooms, you will most often find us in the kitchen and I think that that is the way you will find most families.
There's plus and minus to having an eat in kitchen. Plus is it's easy to get the food to the table, others can sit at the table and visit while you're cooking and it's quick to get forgotten things during the meal. Minus is you see all the cooking mess, you get the cooking smells (and with things like fish – that's not a good thing) and to me, it has more of a 'on the go' feeling where a dining room has more of a 'sit and linger' feeling.
That second kitchen is beautiful!
I guess our kitchen might be called an eat in kitchen? I call our eating area a breakfast room, but it's all open to the kitchen, like the second pic, just WAY smaller 🙂
I am glad I don't have a dining room, I would never use it.
We have one and love it. Our house is small and doesn't have a dining room, island or bar, so the table is used 3 x a day.
absolutely!
We bought a house w/ an eat in kitchen but no island or a pantry. We'll probably go with a table but an island and a pantry would be nice…
Love those inspiration photo's, Personally I love an eat in kitchen!
I'm sure you'll make it fabulous!!
~Ashli
Well I am blessed to have a nice big island and an eat-in table. However, before you get too jealous you need to know that this is the 13th house we have rehabbed and lived in. Seems I have spent my entire adult life rehabbing a house for someone else…and I am definitely enjoying this one. Diana
Well I like both. I have an island and I can't imagine not having it. So much extra work space, a place for everyone to hang out and a place to eat. So, I guess I am really partial to islands. However I do have a breakfast area next to the kitchen, so that helps too. Good luck can't wait to see what you do. Hugs, Marty
LOVE our eat in and couldn't stand it any other way. At least, put a small circular table (you can find em cheap on craiglist then just spraypaint, baby!) it's perfect for cereal, lunch time, chats w/ wee ones while you cook, homework, etc. do it!
We have an eat in; It's all how you arrange the table.
We have an island with stools around it and a table in our Breakfast nook. I love seeing my hubby and the kids "reading" the paper around that island on Sunday mornings and when one of them pulls up a stool to visit with mommy while she is cooking! I feel blessed to have both spaces!
Vanessa
http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com
Love ours…I vote YES!
In our new-to-us house, we have a large open kitchen with a table and an island. We love it so much! On any given day I'm cooking or washing dishes with someone sitting at the island, and kids at the table doing homework or playing games.
It didn't take long to realized that we would never use our small formal dining room so we turned it into a craft room.
I love, love an eat-in kitchen. We eat there everyday. It was extremely important to us since we have an 18-mth old (fighting flying food in the dining room everyday would make me insane). We save our dining room for when there are more than 4 people or special occassions. It was on my Must Have list when looking for a new home. My husband thought I was being ridiculous at first, but has since come to his senses 🙂 I would definitely go for it, or at least a large enough island for casual meals.
growing up we had an eat-in kitchen as there wasn't a diningroom in the small cape cod style home. we now have both- an eat-in kitchen & diningroom since we live in an old farmhouse. i prefer the kitchen for everyday meals and the diningroom for special occasions or a larger number of people.
i say go with your gut (good advice given to me) and ask yourself if you would regret not having it one way or the other.
look forward to seeing what you decide.
judi 😉
Unless one hosts a lot of formal dinners, I just don't see the need for a formal dining room. I would much prefer having a dining table in the kitchen area and have casual dinners.
Unless one hosts a lot of formal dinners, I just don't see the need for a formal dining room. I would much prefer having a dining table in the kitchen area and have casual dinners.
We love our eat-in kitchen. We have a dining room too but we eat in our kitchen more.
the other night i was thinking about that very thing–what elements do i want in my kitchen. does anyone else lay awake at night and dream of what possible rennovations they could persue in their current or future home??