15 Essentials for the Entertainer's Kitchen
Transform your kitchen into the ultimate entertaining zone with these design ideas and must-have items
The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it’s only natural that when you’re entertaining family and friends – whether you’re hosting an intimate dinner party or a larger, more casual celebration – that’s where most of the action happens. It’s the spot where dishes are made and drinks are mixed, a social hub where guests mingle before migrating to the designated dining area, and it becomes clean-up central once any lingering visitors have left and it’s time to restore order to your home.
Want to create the ultimate entertainer’s kitchen in your abode? Here are 15 need-to-know design solutions and handy additions you should consider incorporating into your culinary zone – they’re sure to make your kitchen more inviting, stylish, functional and efficient, resulting in a truly social space that’s a joy to cook and entertain in.
Want to create the ultimate entertainer’s kitchen in your abode? Here are 15 need-to-know design solutions and handy additions you should consider incorporating into your culinary zone – they’re sure to make your kitchen more inviting, stylish, functional and efficient, resulting in a truly social space that’s a joy to cook and entertain in.
2. A stylish and inviting scheme
An entertainer’s kitchen should be warm, welcoming and exude show-stopping appeal – it is, after all, the social hub and centrepiece of the home. When designing your cooking space, choose a palette that’s striking yet soothing; finishes and appliances that offer form and function in equal measure; and eye-catching accents that tie the look together. This elegant blue-tinged kitchen and entertaining zone ticks all the right boxes.
More: How to Pair Kitchen Splashbacks and Benchtops With Ease
An entertainer’s kitchen should be warm, welcoming and exude show-stopping appeal – it is, after all, the social hub and centrepiece of the home. When designing your cooking space, choose a palette that’s striking yet soothing; finishes and appliances that offer form and function in equal measure; and eye-catching accents that tie the look together. This elegant blue-tinged kitchen and entertaining zone ticks all the right boxes.
More: How to Pair Kitchen Splashbacks and Benchtops With Ease
3. Easy-to-clean surfaces
Upon saying goodbye to your last guest, the last thing you feel like doing is spending the next few hours cleaning your kitchen before you’re finally able to fall into bed. That’s why durable, low-maintenance surfaces (like porcelain tiles, engineered stone benchtops and stainless steel appliances – three materials that are used in this kitchen) are every entertainer’s best friend. They’re a breeze to clean, which means you can spend less time scrubbing and more time congratulating yourself on hosting another successful social event!
Upon saying goodbye to your last guest, the last thing you feel like doing is spending the next few hours cleaning your kitchen before you’re finally able to fall into bed. That’s why durable, low-maintenance surfaces (like porcelain tiles, engineered stone benchtops and stainless steel appliances – three materials that are used in this kitchen) are every entertainer’s best friend. They’re a breeze to clean, which means you can spend less time scrubbing and more time congratulating yourself on hosting another successful social event!
4. A warming drawer
Do you consider yourself a serious entertainer? Then you should seriously consider investing in a warming drawer. Why? You can use this nifty appliance to warm up cups and plates so they’re at an optimum temperature when you’re ready to serve hot drinks and dishes. It will also keep pre-cooked food at just the right temperature if you’re waiting on guests to arrive or in between courses.
Do you consider yourself a serious entertainer? Then you should seriously consider investing in a warming drawer. Why? You can use this nifty appliance to warm up cups and plates so they’re at an optimum temperature when you’re ready to serve hot drinks and dishes. It will also keep pre-cooked food at just the right temperature if you’re waiting on guests to arrive or in between courses.
5. A large island bench
No entertainer’s kitchen is complete without a generously sized kitchen island. It offers extra storage, work space and additional room for seating – just place some stools around the bench, and we bet that’s where all your guests rest, relax and catch up while waiting for the chef (that’s you!) to finish preparing dinner. Install your cooktop or sink in the island if you want to ensure that whoever is on cooking and clean-up duty doesn’t miss out on all the fun.
If you don’t have room for a kitchen island, consider incorporating a breakfast bar into the space instead.
More: 10 Creative Kitchen Islands to Escape to
No entertainer’s kitchen is complete without a generously sized kitchen island. It offers extra storage, work space and additional room for seating – just place some stools around the bench, and we bet that’s where all your guests rest, relax and catch up while waiting for the chef (that’s you!) to finish preparing dinner. Install your cooktop or sink in the island if you want to ensure that whoever is on cooking and clean-up duty doesn’t miss out on all the fun.
If you don’t have room for a kitchen island, consider incorporating a breakfast bar into the space instead.
More: 10 Creative Kitchen Islands to Escape to
If, however, you have more room than you know what to do with, we suggest adding a second island bench to your cooking zone. You’ll have double the storage, benchtop space and seating, plus you can create clearly defined zones for prepping, cooking and cleaning so the head chef and helpers don’t get in each other’s way.
6. A set of speakers
No party, large or small, is complete without some background music. I love the idea of installing a pair of speakers in your kitchen and entertaining zone (as shown here) so you can listen to some tunes while prepping for or during the party, but an iPod (or any other MP3 player) speaker dock would work just as well, too.
No party, large or small, is complete without some background music. I love the idea of installing a pair of speakers in your kitchen and entertaining zone (as shown here) so you can listen to some tunes while prepping for or during the party, but an iPod (or any other MP3 player) speaker dock would work just as well, too.
7. A dishwasher (or two)
Who hates being on dish-washing duty after a party or even just a casual dinner with friends? Pretty much everyone, right? Rather than constantly roping in your kids, taking up kind offers from guests to help or being left with the task yourself, think about investing in a dishwasher. Research has shown that dishwashers use less water and energy than washing a load of dishes by hand, plus it’s more hygienic and (obviously) saves you time, too. It’s a win-win!
If you often host multiple get-togethers during the week (and feel like there’s a never-ending stack of dirty dishes in your kitchen), consider installing two dishwashers instead of just one.
Who hates being on dish-washing duty after a party or even just a casual dinner with friends? Pretty much everyone, right? Rather than constantly roping in your kids, taking up kind offers from guests to help or being left with the task yourself, think about investing in a dishwasher. Research has shown that dishwashers use less water and energy than washing a load of dishes by hand, plus it’s more hygienic and (obviously) saves you time, too. It’s a win-win!
If you often host multiple get-togethers during the week (and feel like there’s a never-ending stack of dirty dishes in your kitchen), consider installing two dishwashers instead of just one.
8. Mood lighting
As well as music, lighting is another way to set the scene and mood for intimate dinner parties and more festive (and perhaps rowdier) celebrations. The style of a space comes into play, too. Here, a cluster of chromed glass ball lights complements the elegant kitchen design and casts a warm glow over the space. The result? A relaxing, welcoming ambience.
As well as music, lighting is another way to set the scene and mood for intimate dinner parties and more festive (and perhaps rowdier) celebrations. The style of a space comes into play, too. Here, a cluster of chromed glass ball lights complements the elegant kitchen design and casts a warm glow over the space. The result? A relaxing, welcoming ambience.
In contrast, this sleek, modern entertainer’s kitchen has a definite party, almost nightclub-like vibe, thanks to the blue-tinted LED strip lighting that runs along the base of the island and wall cabinets, while pendant lights provide task lighting from overhead. I can definitely see myself whipping up a round (or two) of cocktails for myself and a few friends in this ultra-cool space!
9. A spacious walk-in or butler’s pantry
Need loads more storage so you have enough room to store your growing collection of kitchenware, cookware, ingredients, and other culinary odds and ends? Then a walk-in pantry might be just what you need.
If you love entertaining but hate leaving piles of dirty dishes, pots and pans in plain sight, then a butler’s pantry – a small, fully equipped cooking and storage area that’s usually found just off the main culinary zone – may be a better option for you.
Need loads more storage so you have enough room to store your growing collection of kitchenware, cookware, ingredients, and other culinary odds and ends? Then a walk-in pantry might be just what you need.
If you love entertaining but hate leaving piles of dirty dishes, pots and pans in plain sight, then a butler’s pantry – a small, fully equipped cooking and storage area that’s usually found just off the main culinary zone – may be a better option for you.
Don’t have the space (or the budget) to put a walk-in or butler’s pantry into your new kitchen? Pull-out storage and generous drawers with inserts will ensure entertainers have everything they need within easy reach when prepping for a party.
More: 15 Cleverly Concealed Kitchen Storage Spaces
More: 15 Cleverly Concealed Kitchen Storage Spaces
10. A roomy fridge and freezer
If you often have friends and family over during the week, then a small refrigerator just won’t cut it. No, it’s time to enter the big leagues and get yourself a large, cutting-edge fridge that can accommodate plenty of platters, leftovers, drinks and fresh ingredients so you can make a new batch of munchies and mains for your next gathering.
If you often have friends and family over during the week, then a small refrigerator just won’t cut it. No, it’s time to enter the big leagues and get yourself a large, cutting-edge fridge that can accommodate plenty of platters, leftovers, drinks and fresh ingredients so you can make a new batch of munchies and mains for your next gathering.
11. A connection to the great outdoors
Australians love entertaining outdoors all year round, so it makes sense that the ultimate social kitchen should have a strong connection to outside living spaces, just like this dream set-up. Here, a bi-fold servery window opens out to an outdoor bar and seating area – the perfect scene for barbecues with the whole gang or casual drinks with your neighbours. Plus, the nifty window also allows food and drinks to be passed between the kitchen and alfresco area with zero fuss or effort. Genius!
More: 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Indoor-Outdoor Entertaining Area
Australians love entertaining outdoors all year round, so it makes sense that the ultimate social kitchen should have a strong connection to outside living spaces, just like this dream set-up. Here, a bi-fold servery window opens out to an outdoor bar and seating area – the perfect scene for barbecues with the whole gang or casual drinks with your neighbours. Plus, the nifty window also allows food and drinks to be passed between the kitchen and alfresco area with zero fuss or effort. Genius!
More: 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Indoor-Outdoor Entertaining Area
12. A growing collection of crockery, cutlery, glassware and servingware
There’s nothing worse than spending hours whipping up dips, hors d’oeuvres, main dishes and desserts, only to find you don’t have enough serving platters or dinnerware to serve and plate up your gourmet spread. While having a comprehensive collection of crockery, serving dishes, cutlery, tumblers and stemware is an essential for any entertainer, keep a supply of paper or plastic plates, cups, and knives and forks in your kitchen as a back-up if you ever find yourself running low on the real thing.
There’s nothing worse than spending hours whipping up dips, hors d’oeuvres, main dishes and desserts, only to find you don’t have enough serving platters or dinnerware to serve and plate up your gourmet spread. While having a comprehensive collection of crockery, serving dishes, cutlery, tumblers and stemware is an essential for any entertainer, keep a supply of paper or plastic plates, cups, and knives and forks in your kitchen as a back-up if you ever find yourself running low on the real thing.
13. A beverage station
Want to impress your guests with your impressive cappuccino-making skills, large wine collection or cocktail-shaking abilities? Then a fully equipped drinks station is exactly what you need. With an espresso machine, coffee grinder, drinks fridge, sink and ample storage, this compact-yet-complete set-up has all bases (and most beverages) covered.
See more of this award-winning contemporary kitchen
Want to impress your guests with your impressive cappuccino-making skills, large wine collection or cocktail-shaking abilities? Then a fully equipped drinks station is exactly what you need. With an espresso machine, coffee grinder, drinks fridge, sink and ample storage, this compact-yet-complete set-up has all bases (and most beverages) covered.
See more of this award-winning contemporary kitchen
14. An open-plan layout
The best social kitchens are open, spacious and offer a seamless transition between the cooking zone, and dining and living areas. Why? Because open-plan layouts encourage interaction between the host (who’s often busy in the kitchen) and guests, and provide more room for visitors to move around and mingle. Open areas are also more relaxed and inviting compared with separate cooking, dining and living zones, which often feel very formal and closed in.
The best social kitchens are open, spacious and offer a seamless transition between the cooking zone, and dining and living areas. Why? Because open-plan layouts encourage interaction between the host (who’s often busy in the kitchen) and guests, and provide more room for visitors to move around and mingle. Open areas are also more relaxed and inviting compared with separate cooking, dining and living zones, which often feel very formal and closed in.
15. A second sink
A two-sink set-up is perfect for the entertainer’s kitchen because it allows multiple cooks to prep, rinse or wash food and dishes at the same time without getting in each other’s way. Plus, you can designate different uses to each station to make the zone more efficient. The left sink in this space is used for food prep and rinsing dishes (take note of the inset chopping board and commercial-style pull-out sink mixer), while the second sink is the designated washing and drying zone, as you can see by the dish and glass rack.
TELL US
What must-have features and fixtures do you think every entertainer’s kitchen needs? Share your thoughts (and photos!) in the comments section below.
A two-sink set-up is perfect for the entertainer’s kitchen because it allows multiple cooks to prep, rinse or wash food and dishes at the same time without getting in each other’s way. Plus, you can designate different uses to each station to make the zone more efficient. The left sink in this space is used for food prep and rinsing dishes (take note of the inset chopping board and commercial-style pull-out sink mixer), while the second sink is the designated washing and drying zone, as you can see by the dish and glass rack.
TELL US
What must-have features and fixtures do you think every entertainer’s kitchen needs? Share your thoughts (and photos!) in the comments section below.
Your top priorities when hosting a get-together at home should be making sure your guests are well-fed, thoroughly entertained and comfortable. While being well fed and entertained ultimately come down to your culinary and conversation skills (sorry, you’re on your own there!), we can definitely help you with the comfort side of things – simply provide cushioned seating that offers support and sink-in softness, and we promise your guests will be more than happy to hang around until the party’s over. In fact, you may have a problem convincing them to leave!
If you frequently entertain larger groups, make sure you have enough seating for everyone. With several bar stools (and space for more), a large dining table and outdoor dining setting (plus lounges both inside and out, toward the other end of the expansive room), this combined kitchen and living zone offers plenty of spots where guests can sit down to chat and eat.