Is your kitchen one of your favorite rooms? If so, it’s no surprise that people tend to congregate in your kitchen when you have a party. How about changing the rules for once and having a party in your kitchen?
To make this plan a success, plan everything ahead of time so you don’t have to work on anything but spending time with your guests. Choose finger foods that require no last-minute prep and avoid the oven and stove top. Instead, have cool foods you can pull out of the refrigerator already plated, or smaller appetizers that will fit in your toaster oven.
Decorating is easy in a kitchen. Use napkins, placemats and small tablecloths to add color and personality, and serve the food on your countertops. Choose colors and textures that complement the look of your kitchen. With neutral cabinets and countertops like the kitchen in this photo, bright colors and accessories will add splash. Choose earth tones if your kitchen is darker and more neutral. Place fresh flowers or pots of herbs around the counters to add charm.
If you have a snack bar or an eat-in kitchen, set those up for people to take a break. If not, how about adding a small area rug in one corner and bringing in a few chairs from your dining room? Remember you don’t have to use any of your cabinets or large appliances, so you can place a seating area in front of almost anything in your kitchen.
Like the people in this kitchen, having fun is not about going fancy. Even a few snacks and laughter can make a get-together special.
Shadow Play
Both choices have their appeal. This room is not afraid of its shadows, and the design takes full advantage of them. Color is minimized and lines draw the eye.
There are two important secrets to why this room works so well with only natural light. One is the large window covering most of one wall. This gives plenty of opportunity for light to reach into the room as well as providing a view better than any art that could cover a wall.
The flooring provides the second reason. You know this wood is dark as dark – possibly even an ebony, yet the window’s reflection on the glossy surface brings the light well into the room.
Without the flooring, you would lose the silhouette effect of the furniture, and the unusual lines of pieces such as the curved chair by the zebra-patterned rug would be lost in the darkness. Look at how the chair and sofa show reflections against the floor. These help define the space as shadows help define light.
Color has a minimal effect in this room. We are unable to distinguish color without light, and there is not much light here. The only visible element of color appears on the sofa’s arm where a couple of orange stripes could be a throw or some sort of pattern. This room doesn’t need color. There’s enough interest in the light, shadow and lines.
Are your shadows interesting? Do they add personality and a special flavor to your home? Think about it.