Planning a Breakfast Nook for Your Kitchen.
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so should we not strive to create an area worthy of eating it in? This is the purpose of a breakfast nook – somewhere beautiful and practical to enjoy your toast and coffee in the morning. Designing something that works both in terms of aesthetics and functionally takes thought, so we have compiled some factors to consider when planning a nook for your kitchen.
Traditionally, a nook is created in addition to a dining room and as such is a less formal space – usually situated in or as close to the kitchen as possible. There is no hard and fast rule for where to put one, but some places work better than others. For example, a bay window would be ideal because it is well lit and will often be out of the way.
Credit : architecturaldigest
Take a moment to walk around your kitchen and assess where might be the perfect spot. As you do, think about foot traffic, convenience getting to and from the kitchen and where your entrances and exits are. Take particular note of windows and lighting if you are aiming for something light and airy.
Once you have found the perfect place, think about how you will use it. How large is your family? Does everyone use the kitchen at the same time in the morning? Do you eat breakfast every day or is it an infrequent occurrence? You might even want to use your nook for a lunchtime snack. Understanding this will make the next phases much easier.
Credit : homedit
When designing a nook based on layout, consider seating. Do you prefer individual seats or a shared bench? If you are going to choose the latter, would an L-shaped or parallel arrangement work better with your space? Benches use space more efficiently so if you have a large family this might be a better choice. If there are less people in your house, or it is unlikely that everyone will use the nook at the same time, consider using individual chairs or stools.
Credit : House Beautiful
Deciding on the features to include in your breakfast nook can make a huge difference to how it works aesthetically and functionally. A table and somewhere to sit are required but their style, material, colour, size and shape are completely down to personal preference. In part, shape and size are dictated by location and number of people. Generally, square tables are more efficient in corners whereas round tables are better for preserving the flow of a space. Obviously, large tables accommodate more people but those that have foldable or extendable leaves are a great space saving solution that can seat large groups when necessary.
We briefly mentioned benches in terms of layout, but from a functionality perspective, they work very well against a wall where placing chairs would make manoeuvring difficult. Stools are also a great option were space is limited because they can be pushed right under a table. Whichever table and chairs you choose, make sure that they complement the existing colour and style of your worktops and cabinet doors to bring harmony to your kitchen.
Do you have a breakfast nook? We would love to see your pictures so please share them on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Why not suggest other ways that you could create your own nook in the comments below?