Everyone ends up there anyway, so why not create a more comfortable space?
By Michael Herold

Whether it’s around a grand center island or a petite dinette table, the kitchen always seems to be the favorite gathering spot in the home.
The enticing aroma of a feast in the making could lure us there. As could a simple, hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. It could also have something to do with the fact that the kitchen is the most familiar space in the house. Whether we cook or not, we’re in and out of our kitchens several times daily.
Regardless, the question that’s begging to be asked is: Is the kitchen the new living room?
I think a lot of us have invested a significant amount of time in denying the reality that it is. How many hours have you logged cleaning the living room, polishing silverware and setting the dining room in preparation for a dinner party only to have everyone end up huddled in the kitchen — while you’re in the midst of making the meal, no less? Not to mention the time and thought we’ve devoted to creating warm, inviting living rooms. And yet, the kitchen, with all its sharp corners, hardwood furniture and awkward nooks, seems to somehow exude cozy and comfortable when we’re clearly going for sterile and practical.
Thus, just embracing the notion that the kitchen, specifically, is where the heart is may be the greatest obstacle in molding your kitchen into the gathering spot it’s longing to be. So take a moment to ponder. Then breathe deep and let’s move on.
Simple moves
At first glance, cabinets, countertops and appliances (oh, my!) can be harsh surfaces to approach from a design perspective, especially when your aim is to make them less prominent and to soften the room. The good news: it’s not as difficult as you may think. It can be done with items that aren’t traditionally associated with the kitchen. The better news: you likely already own them.
Go to what you consider to be the most comfortable room in the home and go on a shopping spree. Collect a few elements that can easily be transplanted to the kitchen. I just did this in my own home and am loving the results.
Start with the seating. Replace the wood chairs with more substantial upholstered ones. Anchor them with a round table, which will promote conversation. Top the arrangement with a crystal chandelier. The touch of formality in the otherwise informal scheme will provide a sharp, tasteful contrast.
Place a sideboard on an open wall with two buffet lamps flanking a piece of art. The lamps will cast a warm light and can be used in place of unforgiving overhead fixtures when entertaining. Dress up underfoot with some patterned area rugs, and complement them with full-paneled drapes on sliding glass doors.Practically speaking
If you’re ready to shatter the paradigm completely, consider moving the kitchen eating area into the dining room. I’m a firm believer that if you’re not using it, you don’t need it. For many of us, a formal dining room falls squarely into this category. Practically speaking, it’s a sound move because most dining rooms are located adjacent to the kitchen.
The now barren space in the kitchen that formerly housed the table and chairs offers the perfect opportunity for an unexpected yet practical lounge area. Try a sofa or perhaps four oversize chairs positioned around a low cocktail table. Doesn’t that seem more appealing than standing or sitting on an awkward stool around an island that’s in the way of everything?
I’m writing this very article in my kitchen, in a linen-upholstered armchair that I moved from my bedroom. I positioned it next to an armoire that houses extra dishes and a flatscreen TV. It’s a place to write, entertain, lounge, check email, even watch a movie. The modern kitchen is whatever you choose to make it.

Kitchen Dos:
1. Multitask. Designate a full-fledged work area, computer and all, instead of hiding it in an office that’s really a closet. Hang a modest-sized flatscreen so that you can view a movie while you cook. Who says the chef has to miss out on all the fun?
2. Personalize. Adorn the walls with oversize black-and-white family photos. Dress them up in gold leaf frames, the type typically reserved for oil paintings.
3. Utilize. Not every design maneuver has to be purely fashionable. Seize the opportunity to make your kitchen a bit more functional. Add an interesting freestanding piece of furniture for additional storage or to double as an island.
And Don’ts:
1. Bring it indoors. As great as you may think outdoor furniture would look inside, iron is simply too cold, literally and figuratively.
2. Follow the herd. Be creative when accessorizing. Stay clear of the obvious and the (strangely) popular, like roosters. Aim to mix and match formal
and informal.
3. Give in to granite. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful choice, but its proliferation is starting to make it seem like it’s the only choice. Consider concrete, recycled glass, wood and bamboo. And that’s just for starters. —MH

Michael Herold is a New Hope-based interior designer (215-932-3723; mherold540@gmail.com). Read his blog at herolddesign.blogspot.com