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Curating Your Furniture Selections Wisely
From built-in benches to a simple table + chairs, there are a lot of ways to make a kitchen nook swoon-worthy. But the most important thing to realize is that it isn’t all about good looks. Ding, ding, ding… yep, you heard that one correctly.
As an interior design firm, we’re all about the swoon-worthy aesthetics of a space but when it comes to the wear + tear of everyday life, our focus is all about marrying beautiful interiors with functional living.
And this my friend, is why durability matters!
As a nook in the kitchen, it’s likely going to see a ton of wear + tear.
Kids sliding in + out, sticky fingerprints all across the table, spilled snacks + crumbs getting ground into the upholstered cushions –– starting to catch our drift? And to think, we haven’t even touched on homework or those beloved arts + craft projects, gulp! Oh, boy.
So, what’s a wildly-ambitious mom or dad like yourself to do?
Think about the finishes being used in this space.
Is the table wood, metal, or veneer? Do you have a glass top for protecting it?
What about the chairs? Do they have cushions + if so how easy are the fabrics to clean?
Making Your Kitchen Nook Look Cozy
Let’s dive into how this cozy kitchen nook of yours can look cozy too.
Kitchen Nooks Perfect For A Built-in Bench
If you’re lucky, you’ve got the perfect space in your kitchen for a built-in bench to live. In which case, one way to liven things up is to create depth + dimension by simply adding an upholstered bench cushion.
Not only is this a great way to layer in the comfort but you’ll be patting yourself on the back when that wonderful bench cushion of yours can easily be removed + cleaned as needed. Win-win!
On the other hand, if you don’t have a bench cushion, you don’t like the idea of one or it’s simply not functional you can go the route of tossing a few decorative throw pillows into your kitchen nook on a wood bench for some added personality. Psst.. don’t be afraid to mix + match color, texture + pattern in this space.
But what if you don’t have a built-in kitchen nook? Not to worry.
Kitchen Nooks Perfect For Chairs
While we’re all about large, communal, family-style gatherings, imagine coming home + sitting down at an enormously long dining table every night for dinner –– with everyone hovered at one end with the rest of the table going unused –– long story short, this sounds anything but heart-warming.
Instead, in a kitchen nook opt for a smaller table with a few comfy chairs (space permitting of course) to create an intimate space, that’s just the right size, for your family to connect each and every day.
Certainly, when it comes to seating, solid wood or metal chairs will do. However, think about your kitchen this way. When it comes to the kitchen + all the hard surfaces that make up this area –– it can very easily feel cold. Which is why, adding a layer of warmth with upholstered chairs is an excellent way to create that perfect cozy kitchen nook.
Maximize Natural Light In Your Kitchen Nook
To be fair, we want to maximize the natural light in just about every room of your home.
It’s better to have too much natural light than not enough but especially in the kitchen nook where you’re likely to have a lot going on from a functionality standpoint. From baking to art projects, homework or even simple conversation with the family, natural light in the kitchen nook creates the illusion of a larger space. Larger spaces, with less boundaries, even if simply an illusion, intuitively feel more comfortable to us as human beings.
Pssst….if you don’t have a ton of natural light in your kitchen that’s ok, keep your wall colors bright + neutral. This way, you create that illusion of space + any furniture at the kitchen nook will feel like it has plenty of room to breathe.