dining in the kitchen

by Sharon Santoni
[blank]Dining space in the kitchen always looks relaxed and friendly, but I sometimes wonder how practical it can be when you’re really entertaining?[blank]
[blank] You know what I mean …. the table is laid beautifully, your guests arrive, everyone moves staight into the kitchen to enjoy an aperiitif and watch the finishing touches be added to the meal; wine is poured, the first course enjoyed … then cleared for the main course and so what do you do with the dishes?![blank]

[blank]If you are all sitting in the kitchen, you don’t want dirty dishes spoiling the decor, and neither to do you want to start piling plates into the dishwasher… or the sink…[blank]

[blank]So I wondered, with the fashion for big open kitchen and family rooms, how do you work it?  Where do you like to eat?  I mean for big family meals, or if you invite friends over for dinner or lunch.[blank][blank]Here in the summer (if it ever arrives!) we enjoy nearly all our meals outside, but the rest of the year it’s mostly in the kitchen for breakfast and quick family lunches, then in the dining room for ‘proper’ meals and when we have guests or friends with us.As we finish with plates they are taken out of the dining room and into the kitchen to wait.

The kitchen looks like a riot broke out by the end of the meal, but I don’t mind because it is all out of sight, and I just clear away once every one has gone.

So how do you work it?  Do you think that dirty dishes just adds to the fun, or do you hate the thought of your guests seeing your kitchen in a muddle?
Do tell, I’d love to know  :)[blank]
[blank]hope you have a happy weekend, thank you for reading me

all pictures from Pinterest[blank]

82 comments

Anonymous May 24, 2013 - 3:25 pm

We contemplated removing the wall between our kitchen and dining room to create one big open eat-in kitchen, but decided against it. I love having a separate space to dine and entertain away from the clutter of the kitchen.
A compromise could be enlarging the door opening between the two spaces to give a more open feel.

Reply
Down Raspberry Lane May 24, 2013 - 3:30 pm

I think I would reserve the kitchen table for family suppers, and perhaps very casual, simple entertaining among close friends and neighbors. Nothing wrong with stacking a few plates and utensils in the sink if there aren't very many of them. No one sees these things when the company and the food are good!

Reply
Karen L. Bates May 24, 2013 - 3:43 pm

It's all about the meal and friends…no worries.

Reply
elizabeth May 24, 2013 - 4:00 pm

Our kitchen and dining room run together, all open with vaulted ceilings. It does get unsightly at times but most every guest or family member dining with us rinse their plates and we just stack by the sink in an orderly fashion. On to the next course and or dessert. All of our children were raised in such a manner that you always carry your plate to the sink and rinse when done eating. We always do buffet style from the island separating the dining room and kitchen, which I think helps immensely. I really don't think family and friends mind being in the center of all this…good food and good friends/family really love being in your kitchen.

Reply
Country French Judi May 24, 2013 - 4:06 pm

I agree it's all about the meals and friends but my kitchen has a huge island with backless stools. So for regular meals we all sit at the island but when friends or other family members are over we eat in the dining room. It allows for a slower, relaxed meal. Summer meals are on our patio which is directly outside the french doors in the kitchen. Now Sharon your outside area looks like it is either on the side of your house or towards the front. How do you bring your food out?

Reply
Curtains in My Tree May 24, 2013 - 4:12 pm

I am having 7 people over for dinner next Sunday and we will have to eat in my small kitchen

these people in my dinner for 8 club have huge kitchens and no problem with them however my little area will be cozy and comfy and with good food and company , served on my vintage dishes

Reply
The Blue Farmhouse May 24, 2013 - 4:29 pm

I like open dining spaces but I agree with Karen B. "it's all about the meal and friends". So why do create lovely spaces if we don't plan to live in them? Good magazines pictures portray beauty and perfection…real life says relax and enjoy..that's how memories are made… we can always clean later!

Thanks for asking:)

Rita

Reply
Lorrie May 24, 2013 - 5:26 pm

We once bought a house that had a huge eat-in kitchen. I hated the dishes sitting all over the counters when I cleared between courses, and conversation practically stopped if I whipped the cream or clattered the coffee cups. It wasn't just about looking pretty – it wasn't practical. So we divided the space (it was enormous) and I loved it.
In another house, we created an open concept, but the lower cabinets that divided the kitchen from the dining room had a slightly higher backsplash and a ledge – just so I could stack dishes beneath it and they not be visible from the dining room.
Our current home has a separate dining space adjoining the kitchen, with a pocket door I can close if necessary. It does work well for confining the mess, but I do miss out on bits of conversation. I think I prefer it this way, though.

Reply
Angie Burrett May 24, 2013 - 5:53 pm

Love eating in a friendly kitchen: we used to have a dining room in our previous home, now we just have a farmhouse kitchen with 10 ft table down the middle. I would never go back to formal dining, if they are true friends a few dirty dishes won't matter being stacked in the sink or dishwasher. User friendly fun! Then coffee by the fire in the living room – works for me anyway!

Reply
Miche May 24, 2013 - 6:10 pm

I'd suggest keeping room screens in storage for entertaining. When you entertain, set up the screens in front of the kitchen area to hide the mess from guest's eyes. Plus it could add a festive feeling if you get the right screens or paint them right.

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:26 pm

I've been thinking over the exact same idea!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:27 pm

You are right, but sometimes even with close friends and family, it's nice to forget about the dishes until after the meal

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:27 pm

of course …. but I still don't like to see stacks of dishes!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:28 pm

sounds like you are very organised Elizabeth, but you are right, the kitchen is always the best place to be!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:29 pm

Hi Judi

OUr terrace is indeed at the front of the house, so I just walk out of the kitchen, through the hall and straight out … not very far!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:29 pm

I bet everyone is looking forward to your cosiness 🙂

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:30 pm

you are totally right Rita,

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 24, 2013 - 6:31 pm

Sounds like you have tested all the possibilities Lorrie! Interesting that you finally prefer the discreet option

thank you for your comment

Reply
Celia M. High Heeled Life May 24, 2013 - 7:53 pm

Dearest Sharon, we are blessed to have one of those kitchens … and I understand exactly what you are saying. Deep sinks have been most helpful for stacking dishes out of sight. But eventually we have to remember it's about the food and the wonderful people we are sharing it with. So, if the dishes are piled up – it must mean there was lots of food and good to go round… what a blessing. Happy week-end, C. (HHL)

Reply
wendi yates May 24, 2013 - 7:58 pm

I am so with you Sharon about the mess of the kitchen. I had an open plan kitchen and while there were some benefits – being a part of the action, seeing where my children were etc, there were drawbacks – the MESS! Now that my kids have left, I am happy to putter around in my small kitchen and leave the mess there while enjoying the conversation around the table either in during the winter or out in the garden in the summer!

Reply
Marina Pérez May 24, 2013 - 8:10 pm

I agree totally with you. Usually, we have breakfast and diary lunch in the kitchen, we have dinner in the dinning room but in a small table. And we have meals in the proper diningroom when we have guests. I don't like to have the dirty plates near the guests even if they belong to the family. And of course, I have to say that my house is a little bit smaller than yours.

Hugs from Jerez (Spain)

Reply
Jennifer May 24, 2013 - 8:37 pm

I had this same dilemma when we recently remodeled our kitchen. I went for taking the wall out and having the open space. And I am so happy I did, I love the open feel. And we put in a deep farmhouse sink and you would be amazed how many dishes you can stack in there without being seen while we linger at the table.

Reply
Country French Judi May 24, 2013 - 8:48 pm

Here in the USA everyone HIDES in the back of the house with " great fences make great neighbors" LOL I have a wraparound front porch and we have a large farmhouse that sits WAY back from the road. The porch has railing for safety and no one can really see us so I entertain there also. My favorite is right out the kitchen. It is on the side of the house and I can see front and back. In Paris when I visited friends I noticed there is no BACK YARD just these huge front courtyards that are hidden behind beautiful doors.

Reply
Home Wasnt Built In A Day May 24, 2013 - 10:12 pm

We are doing a self build with a kitchen/breakfast/family room and a separate dining room. I'm with Down Raspberry Lane for informal dining at the kitchen table but as I am not a very confident hostess I will be able to hide and prepare the food in the kitchen in a fluster and present it in the dining room as though I had it under control all along!! 🙂

Reply
Roxane May 24, 2013 - 10:21 pm

We have a farmhouse sink in our island in the kitchen. We also have a pantry between our kitchen & dining room & there is another farmhouse sink in there. When we have large family gatherings during the holidays, we always use the dining room. After clean-up, I'm able to close the pocket door between the DR and kitchen, blocking out the stacks of dishes in the sink & on the counters. I agree with Jennifer, the farmhouse sinks store a lot of dirty dishes!

Reply
Linda May 24, 2013 - 10:50 pm

When we had children at home the open concept home would have worked. Now that we are empty nesters I am SO very grateful for a separate kitchen where I can hide the unsightly and unappetizing mess!

Reply
Hilltop Farm May 25, 2013 - 12:07 am

We have a large farmhouse kitchen with a small table for 4, and a big cosy couch. Our friends relax on the sofa, sit at the small table, help themselves to drinks and appetizers, and chat with us, while others hang out in the kitchen and help us cook. Then we all march thru the arch and into the proper dining room for the actual meal. Very relaxing for all!

Reply
Julie West Wales May 25, 2013 - 1:49 am

When we moved into our current house I was delighted that there was room in the kitchen for a large table. I was even more delighted that we had an adjoining utility room, which was plumbed for the dishwasher. When the pots, pans and plates are finished with they are quickly moved onto the worktop in the utility room, where they stay out of sight until I have time to sort them. I love the informal atmosphere of the kitchen – when we have friends or family we stay at the table chatting long after the meal has been eaten. The kitchens in your photos look great places for entertaining, especially the last one. Hope you have a happy weekend too!

Reply
Jennifer Clark May 25, 2013 - 1:51 am

My dining room is right next to the kitchen, divided by the breakfast bar. Which is where everyone congregates during parties. At the very top of my wish list for my next house is a dining room where you cannot see the mess in the kitchen. I like to give dinners, and my grandmother's table is too big for my little dining room. So, a larger dining room, with some walls I could decorate and I could enjoy my diner w/o looking at the mess I just made. And will most probably have to clean up. That's what would make me happy!

Reply
Today's Treasure by Jen May 25, 2013 - 4:20 am

I like a separate kitchen… big enough to allow for visiting and/or team cooking but not large enough to dine in or open to other spaces of the house. As much as I try to clean as I cook, there always seems to be a bit of a mess as a dinner party begins. I do not want to see it while I enjoy the evening and I do not want my guests to see the remnants of meal prep… just enjoy the magic of it arriving on the table! I very much like how your kitchen is separate from the dining room. It allows the dining room to be a warm oasis free of any other focus aside from food, family & friends.

Reply
Pat May 25, 2013 - 4:24 am

We eat in the kitchen for family, dining room for dinner parties. Everyone gravitates to the kitchen for parties, even though I stage food in the dining room or on the deck. I'm pretty OC about clearing the counters before I sit to eat ( since I face the mess). We do have an adjacent laundry room to clear to, I hadn't thought of that but I'll be stealing the idea. My second dishwasher is downstairs and I have just taken things right to it.

Reply
penelopebianchi May 25, 2013 - 7:29 am

these pictures are brilliant solutions to such a great "problem"! How to integrate the dining area in to the kitchen (without involving dirty dishes and cooking detritus !!)

The kitchen and dining room can be combined……however……no one wants to see dishes ! and no one wants guests to feel like they have to "do dishes"!

Your wonderful photos show excellent solutions! those spaces prove it can be done

I will save them forever! Brilliant!!! This is how people live!

Bravo!!

A wom]nderful

Reply
penelopebianchi May 25, 2013 - 7:31 am

it was supposed to say, "a wonderful post!"

now it does!

thank you! that is a wonderful and valuable post!

Reply
Parisbreakfasts May 25, 2013 - 7:58 am

It could be very warm and cosy to eat in that space. Right now it is not in Paris. But then who has the luxury of so much space. My kitchen is lobotomy-inducing if you're not mindful to close the closet doors-so tiny.

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:30 am

sounds good Angie, especially the coffee by the fire 🙂

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:31 am

screens are a sweet idea Miche,

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:31 am

a blessing indeed, you are right Celia, if there are a ton of dishes it means that the dinner went down well!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:32 am

Yes Wendi, it seems that our kitchens need to evolve with our lives

Reply
david terry May 25, 2013 - 11:10 am

Well, I think I'm the luckiest person among these commentators.

For years, in my former house (circa 1900), the "dining room" WAS TWO ROOMS & A HALL AWAY from the kitchen. This was a house which, although I loved it, was all too obviously built by/for folks who never imagined the day when one didn't have a pack of servants to run things back and forth.

As of last year, we bought this house (more accurately, it's three houses joined together at various times between 1790 and the late 1850)….a 220 year, rambling thing with an enormous kitchen in the back.

The whole joint was thoroughly remodelled about
15 years ago to serve as a high-end Bed & Breakfast (which it successfully did for about ten years). The 1800 kitchen building was moved foward, attached to the house, and a huge floor-to-ceiling, windows-on three sides solarium attached to the kitchen. It was remodelled specifically so that 15 or so folks could eat in "the kitchen".

I love it. There are two long tables at the sunny end of the room. I entertain a lot. Dirty dishes simply go to the kitchen counter behind the long island that divides the room. I don't care if the mysteries of prepping mid-courses or desserts are dispelled. In any case, many of my friends are accomplished cooks (or own restaurants, for that matter); most of the time, they arrive early, pitch in, and help with preparing the meal. No one thinks twice about it, and I never submit myself to the wracking pressures of "Everything has to be done IN TIME, before the guests begin arriving". I simply don't/won't entertain in my own home as though I were serving customers at a restaurant.

The dessert business is easily settled by our leaving the table and going out to the porch or courtyard in fine weather, or taking dessert and coffee into one of the front rooms in cold or rainy weather.

All in all?….I simply won't entertain as though my guests (friends, more accurately) are strangers who have to be shielded from the wince-making knowledge that someone had to actually cook the meal in the house, or that dirty dishes don't, as a very general rule, get beamed-up, star-trek style, to some magical dishwasher in the sky.

You seem to run an admirably lovely-but-unpretentious household, Sharon; I wouldn't worry about eating in the kitchen; folks LIKE doing so, insofar as I've gathered. Besides…..guests always want to "help"…clearing dishes, loading the dishwasher, etcetera. I let them do that while I work on the next course….and, yes, that exposes the guests to the horrifying reality that I've never had anything catered in this house.

Oh well….just my informal two-cents worth, but?…..a dinner or lunch here is about the food and the guests. The day I start charging guests is the day when I'll consider a separate dining room and a wait-staff to whisk things away.

Level Best as Ever,
David Terry
http://www.davidterryart.com

Reply
david terry May 25, 2013 - 11:17 am

P.S. Just for the record? Julia Child, Elizabeth David, MFK Fisher (and the list goes on) were all famous for eating and serving in their kitchens. None of them were wealthy or lucky enough to own huge houses with separate dining rooms, and all of them were focused solely on the fun of cooking and eating with friends. Folks still write and talk about how FUN it was to eat in Julia's kitchen while she bustled around. I should admit that part of the reason I like my new arrangement is that I don't have to lop down at the dining-room table and keep excusing myself to go fuss with some impending course. That seems needlessly rude to me, and I miss out on the conversation.

—-david terry

Reply
Curator May 25, 2013 - 12:47 pm

A scullery is the answer!

Reply
Poppy Q May 25, 2013 - 1:05 pm

I don't have the money to afford a huge home like those, my kitchen/diner is only 10% of the size of the photos. I can stil fit six of us at our little inside table or ten outside on the patio. All the dishes though can be stacked at the side of the sink on a tiny bit of bench til rinsing and dishwashing time. I'm more about enjoying the company and food rather than worrying about the mess.

You have a beautiful home, and I think I am in love with your dogs.

Julie Q

Reply
Anonymous May 25, 2013 - 2:03 pm

I have always wanted a large eat-in kitchen with an island or counter with two tiers… a higher tier toward the eating area with high stools and a lower tier for hiding everything in the work area of the kitchen. I like the illusion of being tidy and organized because I'm a more casual, messy style person.

Reply
david terry May 25, 2013 - 2:08 pm

I just read "I'm more about enjoying the company and food rather than worrying about the mess."

My first thought is that "Poppy Q" is a very sane and consequently, happy woman. Her attitude is precisely what everyone should cultivate. As I wrote in a recent review of a book that I sort of instinctively hated…."Cooking for friends in your own home shouldn't be regarded as a competitive sport; no wonder so many people dread the prospect".

—-d.terry

Reply
Anonymous May 25, 2013 - 2:16 pm

I have a relatively great farmhouse kitchen with a typical adobe oven on the far end.the guests are sitting at a long table having view both on the cooking area and the fire in the oven.they all like this and help removing the rest of plates from the table.I generally plan my courses well prepared and not to have much work when te others are at table.Nobody complained up till now about the stacked dishes I try to hide in the deep farmhouse sink.
Happy weekend to all of you from the windy and stormy plain in Hungary Dorka http://www.dorottyaudavr.co.hu

Reply
Anonymous May 25, 2013 - 2:42 pm

I thought the same thing, I went for it, and knocked down walls to get that 'open look', within 6 months I regretted it. I enjoyed being able to close the door on the clutter, even though my kitchen had been newly fitted as well. I could relax more, and my guests also commented that I wasn't relaxed until after the dishes had been put away. They also felt they had lost out, because as I wasn't relaxed neither were they…The only plus was they couldn't sit and watch me do the dishes alone, I got help, by the woman of course. 🙂

Reply
Kellie from Indiana May 25, 2013 - 2:51 pm

I always wash as I go along. I get depressed when I see a big pile of dishes when I am full. That way the only dirty dish is the plates used to eat off of, and theres nothing embarassing about that.

Reply
Peggy May 25, 2013 - 4:16 pm

Some install a split level counter top – counter top height on the working side of the kitchen and bar height on the dining side. The mess can be placed on the counter top height section thereby hiding the mess. I considered doing this years ago when remodeling but preferred to have a wider peninsula all one height. I've gotten to a place in my life where it doesn't bother me to have the mess – but I wasn't always this way. You know the saying, "It is what it is."

Reply
Linda Stansbury May 25, 2013 - 4:55 pm

Honestly, unless I am serving a formal dinner, everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen anyway. It's the heart of the home after all, so dining within sight of an exposed kitchen seems to make it all the more welcoming – dirty dishes and all. I do try to clean up as I go along with my meal preparation, and that helps. But as dishes pile up, there is no way to hide the evidence. Having a split level counter would be a great help, some a small barrier against the mess. Most likely, you are the only one giving a second thought to the inevitable clutter.

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 5:53 pm

my house is not so big Marina, but its always fun to think around the space we have

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 5:54 pm

I'd need a very very deeeep sink for some of our dinners! 🙂

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 5:54 pm

I think we can all relate to that , at the end of the day everyone wants to feel comfortable

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 5:55 pm

especially when you have two!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 5:55 pm

I feel the need for calm and order … my wish too

Reply
La Brocanteuse May 25, 2013 - 7:10 pm

This comment has been removed by the author.

Reply
Anonymous May 25, 2013 - 9:36 pm

separate rooms…I grew up in a french household and my family would never have thought of eating in the kitchen when we had visitors, I follow the tradition.

Annie v

Reply
Anonymous May 25, 2013 - 9:56 pm

Yes, I was surprised that the dining room of my French mother-in-law was bigger than the TINY salon (living room) annex. Five hours at the table was the norm for holiday meals….and 'only' 4 for a Sunday lunch.

Reply
La Brocanteuse May 25, 2013 - 10:07 pm

Oops don't now how I did that, deleted my comment, what I said basic: dirty dishes around the corner in passage to smaller kitchen, covered under linen cloth…. We love to entertain informaly and the kitchen is a favorit area to get together..

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:58 pm

can I come too?!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 10:59 pm

an adjoining room may be the way forward … thank you 🙂

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:00 pm

that's what this discussion is all about – each one's experience and contrasting opinions!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:00 pm

Hi Jen, and do you remember all those dirty dishes?!!

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:01 pm

two dishwashers … adjacent room … sounds like you have it sorted Pat

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:02 pm

not my pictures Penelope, but I'm glad you enjoyed the post

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:02 pm

a large kitchen in Paris is quite unusual – small is cosy?

Reply
sharon santoni at my french country home May 25, 2013 - 11:03 pm

OK David, so when I am going to get an invite to dinner? 🙂

Reply
Anonymous May 26, 2013 - 12:57 am

Love all the beautiful kitchen pictures. I think a butler's pantry would be extremely handy, because I don't like looking at all the clutter. Unfortunetly, the butler to accompany it is hard to come by nowadays.

Reply
Karen Albert May 26, 2013 - 2:45 am

Hi Sharon, I think that it can be very comfortable; keeping the meal simple and the atmosphere relaxed!

Please do join my latest giveaway and feature.
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Reply
Colleen Taylor May 26, 2013 - 3:13 am

I don't think you will want or need my opinion after all these interesting responses, however, since I'm here, I will comment nevertheless. We turned what was once a living room by the former owners into our dining room. It's not that formal with the large round rustic plank type table and chairs. I can make it formal looking with my table settings if desired. I don't have a kitchen area where you can actually dine in but there are wonderful bar stools with a tall counter top to dine on if one wants. It works well with a casual Arizona flavor.

Reply
David M May 26, 2013 - 10:17 am

David, thank you for adding two aspects of dining-room-dining to this discussion: 1. the absent host(ess) , and 2. the (nowadays) absent staff.
We have moved (yesterday as it happens) from an 1860s English village house to an old French farm. We used to have a gorgeous dining room – a mere two halls away from the kitchen and it was clearly built in a time when the house owner simply showed up at dinner time and invisible hands had arranged it all … Nowadays there is just ourselves – and yet we feel this urge to give dinner parties as if we all still have staff ? why do we torment ourselves like that? All the formal dining traditions – the rows of glasses, the endless cutlery, the endless courses – they were all developed in a time when people had staff. I've stopped using my grandmothers damask table cloths too – SHE didn't wash them herself …
When we had dinner it did look great, but I was doing a work out – constantly on the move and never there for more than 10 minutes …
And the next day I spent the morning washing up and putting it all back.
Today we are in a French country cottage with a big dining/living/kitchen and I look forward to actually being part of the conversation when we have guests. I'm not worried about plates. Maybe I'll assign a place for them on the counter somewhere, so at least clearing away is quick and doesn't look chaotic.

Reply
Anonymous May 27, 2013 - 5:10 am

We recently bought a new home with an "open concept". Though we wanted the killer view, we were nervous about the open kitchen. So, here's the solution that we've come up with. When my guests are finished with salad, I collect the plates, quickly rinse them,put them in the dishwasher and tidy up the counters. (We do have a wall between the kitchen and dining rm. but not the living rm) I do the same with the main course and dessert. I don't bother to arrange the dishes in the dish washer until everyone has left. The kitchen stays clean and the guests never know what I'm doing when I momentarily disappear with the dishes. Try it, you might like it too.

Reply
Aunty Belle May 27, 2013 - 11:19 pm

This was a fantastic topic–and the replies are fascinating. I have learned so much, both about logistics and psychology!!

Should the cultural setting lead? I think we all enjoy a relaxed hostess, so whatever her own method, I want to cooperate. The one sticking point is a missing hostess, but at least in many cases, that too is expected, accepted.

A dear friend recently built an"old" home with a butler's pantry (sans butler). However, the pantry is between the new kitchen and the formal dining room. Her method is have guests in her new kitchen because it is actually larger and can seat more guests. Her trick is to whisk the clutter off to the butler's pantry with a rolling cart and shut the door on it–the kitchen stays clear.

Ours is also a kitchen family room concept. Guests want to be in the middle of the action, so I have given in to it for most occasions. I've contemplated turning the dining room into a library, so seldom do we use it to dine. We can manage best when the menu is planned to take advantage of our porches and deck –and I cheat a bit because it is Florida and we can grill the meat on the deck, then close the grill over the cooking implements until guests are gone. We have a large covered porch with several sets of French doors out to it from the house. Guests enjoy appetizers and drinks before dinner on the porch, we have dinner in the kitchen family area, then move back onto the porch, lit with candles,for desert and coffee, after I have stacked dishes in a large deep sink.

Personally, I prefer a little more formality, but few of our American friends share that preference. It's not often, but when we have guests from another country, we do gather in the dining room. But–I am never sure if they'd have wanted to be in the kitchen??!!

Reply
cindynewcomer.com May 27, 2013 - 11:42 pm

We designed our kitchen with a high center island so we could enjoy a drink in front of the kitchen fire place before dining at the kitchen table with the dishes and pans tucked out of sight. We also use our dining room and screened porch for outdoor meals. Love your blog!

Reply
Jennifer Clark May 28, 2013 - 7:26 pm

In my fantasies, my next house will have a butler's pantry/scullery combo. The dishes and serve wear will live and be washed in the same place. A girl can dream…..

Reply
Anonymous May 28, 2013 - 9:13 pm

I love reading this blog. It is like wonderful, delicious candy for me. I did not grow up with fine things but I had a friend whose family ate in the dining room every evening, they ate off beautiful, lovely dishes and they enjoyed interesting conversation. I knew that one day, I would have that same thing. I have lived in seven states and sadly,I have had a formal dining room only once. It was not a convenient one but I loved it. I hate having the dishes in view but have not found a solution. I am an "odd duck" where I live because I like nice china, cloth napkins and cloth tablecloths. I, even, get teased a lot about it BUT these same ladies will always show up for a luncheon I host and they look forward to a very special meal on beautiful plates and with my 19th century French tea cup on the table. They seem to relax and truly enjoy themselves. I have rearranged my entire downstairs to move the tables into the living room and make the kitchen a sitting area before we go to eat. Yes, I'm a little silly for putting that much effort in but I love it and so do they. You can have dinner in the kitchen or the dining room, but the effort you put in to making it special (thus making the guests special) makes all the difference.

Reply
ben linus May 31, 2013 - 12:59 pm

I like the open room, but I agree with Karen B. "I do everything related to food and friends." So, why not have the intention of creating beautiful spaces to live? I'd suggest space for entertaining, while maintaining the storage screens. When you create the kitchen area to entertain guests in the eyes of the screens to hide the mess.
Regard's,
Ben Linus,
Here My Link

Reply
Modular Kitchen June 7, 2013 - 8:43 am

This comment has been removed by the author.

Reply
Modular Kitchen June 14, 2013 - 9:03 am

This comment has been removed by the author.

Reply
Modular Kitchen June 14, 2013 - 9:11 am

Nice creativity. I got impressed by reading your blog. Nowadays Modular Kitchens are becoming more popular in today’s lifestyle. Everyone loves to have modular kitchen in their homes. Modular Kitchens are available in ready-made and easy to install it. It is well furnished and looks fashionable which attracts everyone who enters our kitchen.

Reply
Brian July 9, 2013 - 7:44 pm

To pick up small fragments of broken glass, press pieces of bread onto the affected area.
https://azcarpetandtileinstallation.com/

Reply
Katie Miller July 26, 2013 - 12:59 am

Wow, after looking through all of those kitchens i think that i would have to say my favorite one was the first! I love the yellow accent decor, I recently got this decor jar and I am in the process of finding the right place for it! Oh and I think it is okay to have dishes on the counter, from the leftover eating!

Reply
Teresa December 8, 2013 - 5:45 pm

Yvonne at StoneGable blog has a brilliant solution. She buys inexpensive plastic dishpans at the Dollar Store—one for glassware, one for flatware, one for china, one for napkins, etc. The appropriate items are placed in their pan after each course, filled with hot water and dish soap, and left to soak either in the kitchen or laundry room until clean up time. The mess is organized, the guests don’t start trying to pitch in with clean up, and the party can continue virtually uninterrupted. We tried this for our Thanksgiving dinner and it worked well.

Reply

Leave a Comment