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Are you a fan of home entertaining? Whether it’s regular dinner parties, barbeques, or drink nights, your kitchen needs to provide the right kind of functionality for gatherings. Not only should your kitchen provide the space you need to prepare and cook for a group, but you'll also want it to be a stylish place where people will want to spend time.

Designing a great kitchen for entertaining all comes down to the details in planning. That's why we're sharing five tips to help you get your kitchen ready for your next get-together.

SPACE FOR ENTERTAINING

1) Open plan kitchens

Without a doubt, an open floorplan is the best layout for entertaining. This setup allows for easy transportation of food and drinks to other areas in your home where guests may be. If your kitchen is closed off, you may want to consider knocking down a wall to create an easy flow into adjacent rooms.

2) Use an island (or islands!) for extra seating

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  • Islands are ideal for providing seating for your guests that want to gather in the kitchen.
  • Multi-level islands allow guests to either sit or stand while still having a place to rest their drink. Islands also provide a place for kids to eat while the adults are at the formal dining table.
  • Having two islands can give you plenty of space to prepare meals and entertain guests at the same time. Two islands are extremely useful when preparing large quantities of food.
  • Islands are also useful for your family at any time of the week, whether it is for eating, working, or studying.

3) Small kitchen? Create a separate entertaining space

If you have guests over often and the current layout of your kitchen does not accommodate your needs, see if there is a space on the lower level of your home that can be redesigned as an entertaining area.

While there are plenty of ideas to make a small kitchen feel big, a separate entertaining space can give you a place to keep all of your special appliances and glassware that you only use when hosting. You can even have a dedicated beverage center in this space, which can provide a place for guests to gather. This will free up space in your kitchen for food preparation.

4) Use an adjacent kitchen space for entertaining

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If you are lucky enough to have a long, narrow space next to your kitchen, why not turn it into a hospitality bar? Add stools or some low seating so that your guests can be close by without encroaching on your precious kitchen space.

5) Choose useful appliances that make entertaining a breeze

There are many special appliances that you can incorporate into your kitchen to make life easier while entertaining.

Ice machine

Restaurants and bars use ice machines - and so can you. Constantly refilling ice trays or purchasing bags of ice from your local store can be inconvenient. There is always the possibility of running out, leaving your guests without a cool beverage. Icemakers produce either crystal clear or nugget ice, which is perfect for making frozen drinks.

You will need a 15-inch-wide space and plumbing to install an ice machine, with a drain directly underneath. The machines are easy to clean and usually quiet (apart from when ice is dropping into the tray).

Coffee machine

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Offering perfectly brewed coffee to your guests with minimal fuss or effort is something all hosts dream of. A built-in coffee maker gives you barista-style cappuccinos, lattes and espressos, and includes an easy-to-clean frothing system. Many coffee systems allow you to make two cups at a time and have multiple bean grinding settings. You can have a built-in coffee machine installed in your kitchen or entertaining space.

Warming drawer

Preparing for a dinner party can mean cooking for many hours before your guests arrive. If you want to be able to start entertaining as soon as the doorbell rings, you'll need to have as much done as possible. A warming drawer allows you to prepare dishes and keep them warm until it’s time to eat.

A warming drawer can hold temperatures of between 90-250 degrees. It also maintains the quality of the food you have prepared, from prep time right through to serving time. Some drawers have dry and moist settings, while others can even be used as a slow cooker.

Wine fridge

If you keep a lot of wine at home, there are a number of different options for keeping it fresh. Wine fridges or cellars are a great idea for keeping your wine collection at the right temperature. They're stylish and can hold hundreds of bottles at a time.

Some wine collectors like to show off their collection and have their bottles easily accessible. If you fall into this category, then building an entertaining space with this in mind should be a top priority when planning your remodel.

If you are on the other end of the scale and don’t mind your wine being hidden away, there may be another area in your home that you can keep a wine fridge.

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Before you go

If you want to make entertaining easier and more enjoyable for both you and your guests, make note of the tips we mentioned above. And if you haven’t already, be sure to check out my tips for designing a new kitchen, which will help you to get started with your planning.