5 Kitchen Design Ideas for Effortless Entertaining
If you like to entertain as much as we do, your home is likely to get crowded around this time of year. For us, Christmas Day starts with Steve putting on his chef’s hat and cooking for a full house of up to 20 friends and family.
We also love hosting our church Bible study group for a fellowship meal before Christmas, and that alone can involve 20+ people. Sprinkle in other gatherings throughout this season, and it’s easy to see why we need a kitchen that operates at peak performance!
If you love to entertain but your kitchen isn’t doing you any favors, it’s worth considering an upgrade. Since we’re already in December, I’ll share several tips that you can implement right away to make entertaining easier and more seamless.
However, I will say it’s worth considering a larger upgrade when the new year arrives. Having been through this process ourselves, I can say with confidence that our lives have changed simply by having a kitchen that is designed for the way we use it. (You can read more about our kitchen renovation here.)
Until then, here are some helpful ideas, along with Steve’s favorite method for cooking for a crowd: sous vide.
1. Choose Multi-Purpose Furnishings
Multi-purpose furnishings do exactly what you would expect — multiple functions in one convenient piece. Examples could include sideboards or credenzas (for storing servingware, as a serving table, and for style), ottomans (for storing blankets, for use as a coffee table, or for propping up your feet), and accent dining chairs (for comfort and style).
We personally use our sideboard for storing dishes, glasses, and silverware — but you could also use it to store holiday decor and napkins or even serve food from it.
2. Invest in a Table with Leaves
The dining room is more than just a place to eat — it's a place where we can all gather and enjoy each other's company. However, finding the right table can be a challenge. A large table may feel awkward when there are just a few people; too small, and gatherings of 20 people will feel disjointed (or like some guests have been relegated to the “kids’ table”).
Our best suggestion? Depending on your seating requirements, either a large table with detached leaves or a butterfly leaf table where the leaf folds and divides in the middle. There should be enough room for everyone to spread out with food and drinks but still feel like an intimate gathering.
3. Plan Enough Seating for Everyone
Once you have the table space, you’ll want to take some time to thoughtfully plan how you’ll seat your guests. For example, our dining table seats 8, and with two extra chairs from each bedroom, we have enough seating for 10. We also have folding chairs from Frontgate that are easy to store and surprisingly comfortable.
When it comes to seating kids, you can swap out the full-sized high chairs (which take up a lot of space) for smaller versions that fit into the seat of a typical dining chair. These can usually be stored in a closet with ease and prevent potential clutter.
4. Create a Designated Beverage Center
There's nothing like having a well-stocked beverage center to make your guests feel at home — whether that’s a built-in feature of your home or a credenza or table that has been assigned to the task. Having a beverage center will help your guests serve themselves without interrupting the critical meal prep. (Steve loves this.)
We personally like to keep our beverage center well-stocked with adult beverages and non-alcoholic drinks, including water, coffee, and tea. We also have a Keurig coffee maker, so if someone wants a cup of coffee after the meal, they're more likely to make it if they know they can brew just one cup.
5. Get Smart About Meal Prep
If you’re new around here, you might not know this yet, but Steve can cook. He truly has a gift, and his chef spirit shines when he’s cooking for a large group of people. One of his secrets to feeding a crowd? Cooking sous vide.
Funny story, we received a sous vide cooker as a wedding gift way back. When we opened the box, we stared at each other stumped at what it was. After a few hours of YouTube tutorials and experimentation, we realized what a gift we had been given!
The benefit of cooking sous vide is that this method allows you to prepare food, especially meat, well ahead of a meal and finish it just before serving. And it’s very low maintenance, as you’ll see in a minute. But first, what is sous vide cooking?
What is Sous Vide Cooking?
Sous vide cooking is a method that uses low temperatures and precise timing to cook food to the exact temperature and texture desired. The process involves immersing food in a water bath and precisely controlling the temperature over time.
For example, Steve loves to prepare lamb roast sous vide, which is always tricky to get just right — not too done, yet tender and flavorful. Now, it comes out perfect every time, and our boys always request lamb when they visit!
How to Cook Sous Vide Style
Season the meat and place it in a food-saver bag that is vacuum sealed so that all the liquid and seasoning stay with the meat.
Prepare the sous-vide water bath by keeping the water at a constant specified temperature. (Every meat type is different; just follow the temperature specified.)
Check the recipe to determine how long the bag is kept in the bath. For instance, lamb roasts stay in the bath for 7 hours, wings stay about 2-3 hours, and pork and chicken stay in the bath for 3-4 hours.
Cool the bags by placing them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
When you’re ready to serve them, sear the meat in a pan, under the broiler, or on the grill.
Done to perfection!
There you have it — 5 ideas for bringing more easy, practicality, and joy into your gatherings. I guarantee your friends will feel right at home, and you will be able to enjoy the event, too.
Considering a larger renovation or refresh next year? We can help. Schedule a complimentary discovery call, and let’s see if we’re the right team for you.
Until next time, happy holidays!
Sarah & Steve