In many of the new homes today the kitchen is

In many of the new homes today the kitchen is designed to be the hub of the family home. People are realizing that it is the kitchen area that people gather in when they are in the house together. When I was growing up we had an older farm house with a very large kitchen. We also had a formal dining room area and living room on the main floor, but it was the kitchen that most activities took place in. We would sit at the kitchen table and complete our homework while mom prepared dinner. When dad and the farm helpers would come into the house for coffee breaks or meals they would gather in the kitchen. When my husband and I decided to update the small kitchen in our home I told the contractor that I wanted a larger space that would accommodate a kitchen table, in addition to the breakfast counter that we had.

I find that the counter space gets so crowded with my childrens school books, the mail and other items that there is no space left for food preparation. I thought that if we had a kitchen table the kids could do their homework there and leave me more space for getting dinner ready. We have a formal dinning room where we eat most of our meals, but I wanted to have the added space of an additional table in the kitchen area.

The contractor suggested doing a built in table by the bay window that we were having installed. This would give me the added surface area I wanted without taking up a great deal of space. He would do a curved seat in the window area and have a small table that would have dropped leaves so that the table could be expanded if needed. When he made his suggestion I did not think this would be the type of kitchen table that I wanted, but there was no other way to expand the space so I agreed to his plan. It has turned out great. The small table nook provides a quiet area for completing homework and for bill paying. It is also a great place to have breakfast because the window overlooks the lake and our side yard so the views are wonderful. We find that we would rather crowd around this kitchen table to eat our meals than eat in the formal dining area. The crowded feeling at the table seems to add to the feeling of family. It is also more convenient for clean up because we fill up our plates at the counter and bring the plates to the table. We still have a sit down dinner together, but I do not have to have the added dishes of serving bowls. Our new kitchen table area has been a great addition to our home.