by Christine Chang Hanway - July 2, 2017

Remodeling 101: The Eat-in Kitchen

British Standard DIY Bright Blue Kitchen in London

People with eat-in kitchens always describe them as the heart of the house. It’s easy to see why. So much of daily life can—and does—take place in these hubs. And the more people that pack in the merrier. It’s no wonder so many childhood memories take place in eat-in kitchens. Have a look at some of our favorite designs, including Julianne Moore’s glamorous living-room-style kitchen.

Shiela Narusawa Cape Cod Kitchen Photograph by Matthew Williams — Above: Cape Cod, Massachusetts, architect Sheila Narusawa, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, is a firm believer in putting rooms to multiple uses. In the Cape Cod house she designed for herself and her husband, she incorporated the kitchen and dining room into one lofty setup, that, as she says, “works equally well for morning oatmeal and for dinner parties.” The trestle table was a wedding gift from her husband’s siblings and was built to Narusawa’s exact specifications: It’s eight feet long and 30 inches wide, which, she says, are the “magic numbers if you want a design that has room for people and tableware, but still allows for intimate conversations.” See more of the kitchen and tour the whole house in the Remodelista book. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

British Standard DIY Kitchen — Above: A corner table with a built-in bench and vintage French school chairs makes up the dining table in this eat-in kitchen designed by Plain English’s British Standard line. See Kitchen of the Week: A Brightly Colored (and Cost Conscious) London Kitchen.

In a bright Sonoma, California, kitchen with a polished concrete floor, a farmhouse dining table is mixed with midcentury-inspired bentwood chairs. The house is a recent construction, and its basic plan is available for $2,500; see Sonoma Farmhouse by Houseplans to learn more. — Above: In a bright Sonoma, California, kitchen with a polished concrete floor, a farmhouse dining table is mixed with midcentury-inspired bentwood chairs. The house is a recent construction, and its basic plan is available for $2,500; see Sonoma Farmhouse by Houseplans to learn more.

Larissa Johnston Architects Clean-Lined Birch Plywood Kitchen Remodel, Rory Gardiner Photo — Above: Larissa Johnston Architects designed a kitchen in a plywood frame (left) across from a large dining table surrounded by Wishbone Chairs from A London Townhouse Designed to Catch the Light.

The dining table in the eat-in kitchen of the Heerlijheid van Marrem guesthouse in West Flanders, Belgium, is well placed to take in views of the surrounding orchards and fields. The guesthouse accommodates 20 to 23 people and is perfect for family gatherings. See Glamorous Farm for Rent, Belgian Edition for a full tour. — Above: The dining table in the eat-in kitchen of the Heerlijheid van Marrem guesthouse in West Flanders, Belgium, is well placed to take in views of the surrounding orchards and fields. The guesthouse accommodates 20 to 23 people and is perfect for family gatherings. See Glamorous Farm for Rent, Belgian Edition for a full tour.

Jack Hemingway White and Green Kitchen — Above: Designer Jack Hemingway’s retro kitchen features an expandable vintage green dining table for the option of an eat-in kitchen. See Kitchen of the Week: A Retro Kitchen in London from an Emerging Design Star.

Gordana Golubovic LA Home Kitchen, Photo by Lauren Moore — Above: Costume designer Gordana Golubovic had a built-in bench designed next to her open kitchen for pulling a table and chairs up to. See At Home with an LA Costume Designer, Summer Remodel Edition.

Snedker Japanese Custom Kitchens — Above: A family kitchen in Seto City, outside of Nagoya, Japan, by custom kitchen company Snedker Woodworking. See Kitchen of the Week: A Custom Culinary Workspace by a Japanese Atelier.

London architect and designer Ben Pentreath’s eat-in kitchen in his Dorset parsonage speaks of utility as evidenced by the Sheila Maid laundry airer hanging above the AGA range. Pentreath uses the house’s original cupboards for storage and display. See the whole kitchen in A Work in Progress: Ben Pentreath’s Parsonage in Dorset. — Above: London architect and designer Ben Pentreath’s eat-in kitchen in his Dorset parsonage speaks of utility as evidenced by the Sheila Maid laundry airer hanging above the AGA range. Pentreath uses the house’s original cupboards for storage and display. See the whole kitchen in A Work in Progress: Ben Pentreath’s Parsonage in Dorset.

Actress Julianne Moore’s newly finished eat-in kitchen in New York occupies the former back parlor of her historic townhouse. And with its freestanding, furniture-like cabinetry and large-scale art, the design gracefully straddles the line between kitchen and living room. It’s the work of Oliver Freundlich, who happens to have designed another standout New York kitchen that we’ve spotlighted in Rehab Diary. For a full tour and dissection of Moore’s kitchen, see the Remodelista book and our post Behind the Scenes: 5 Design Lessons from Julianne Moore. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista. — Above: Actress Julianne Moore’s newly finished eat-in kitchen in New York occupies the former back parlor of her historic townhouse. And with its freestanding, furniture-like cabinetry and large-scale art, the design gracefully straddles the line between kitchen and living room. It’s the work of Oliver Freundlich, who happens to have designed another standout New York kitchen that we’ve spotlighted in Rehab Diary. For a full tour and dissection of Moore’s kitchen, see the Remodelista book and our post Behind the Scenes: 5 Design Lessons from Julianne Moore. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 13, 2016.

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