We love designing nooks around kitchen spaces. Nooks are often the forgotten butler’s pantry off to the side of the kitchen, sometimes a dark corner on the far peripheral of the central workspace, or the area in front of windows too low to add storage. To homeowners, these can often be areas for clutter, piles, and dust. But to us, they’re great opportunities for detailed designing.
One of the most important design points for these areas is to design with intention. Small nooks need to be defined for use – otherwise, they become magnets for all of the “odds and ends” in a kitchen (or even for the rest of the house). Here are some great starter ideas to inspire your nooks!
THE WET/DRY BAR
Especially handy for entertainers, having a dry bar (no sink/faucet) or a wet bar (complete with small sink/faucet) can be a wonderful asset to a kitchen. Having the dedicated space for storage of glasses, serving trays, and drinks, a small bar area off to the side of the main kitchen space can create a nicely detailed corner your guests may not have been expecting.
THE BREAKFAST NOOK
The famed breakfast nook is a wonderful way to cozy-up a kitchen space. The lowered seating of a small breakfast table is inviting and offers a comfortable, scaled space to welcome family and guests alike for casual eating and chatting away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen space.
THE COFFEE STATION
We circle again to dedication and designing with intention. If you are an avid coffee drinker (who isn’t??), it’s important to consider where the coffee pot will be in your new design. A great idea is to utilize the sliver of counter off the main drag of the kitchen to dedicate as your coffee nook station.
THE DESK
Though more of our clients are taking away desks than adding them into the kitchen space, if you have a need, fulfill it! For many, if the laptop doesn’t have a dedicated place to live, it can wander aimlessly throughout the home; without a station for mail, all letters and bills and magazines end up strewn across the dining room table. If this is the case for you, consider adding a desk nook.
WINDOW SEAT NOOK
If your space isn’t ideal for a breakfast table in a windowed nook, consider a built in window seat. It’s a great way to cozy up to a good book or enjoy company in the kitchen without being underfoot!
From built-in pantries to countertop seating, the options to outfit your customized nook are limited only by your imagination!
