Around the kitchen table
Why creating the perfect focal point for your home life is so important
Over the last two years, it’s clear that many of us have remembered or even realised the importance of creating an at-home sanctuary. Whether you’ve been spending more time cooking, homeschooling or just enjoying spending more time investing in family dinner time rituals, how we style and fit our homes and, especially, our kitchens have been the pillar of our lives more than ever before.
At the centre of every kitchen is the table. Whether you have enough space to have a traditional gather-round style table, or a more modern breakfast bar, it’s importance in our daily lives is paramount. Here at Burr & Knot we are currently designing our own kitchen in a barn we’re converting and so the different design options for a table, cabinets and furnishings are definitely giving us pause for thought! So in order to organise our slightly chaotic creative minds, we’re putting pen to paper to give you (and us) an overview of the different table options for all types of unique spaces.
THE BREAKFAST BAR
If you’re lacking in counter space and don’t have room for an island and a kitchen table, choose a piece of furniture that doubles as both. With the addition of a few stools, you have an instant dining area that’s practical and stylish. The key to dining comfortably at an island is the stools - look for ones with a supportive back! We’ve always loved kitchen island’s for the central feeling it gives you when cooking. It means that you can be sociable whilst preparing meals, either with family members or visitors. We’re currently designing our own around a stunning piece of live-edge we recently sourced - get in touch with the team if you’d like us to design a kitchen island for your space.
TABLES FOR SMALLER SPACES
Multifunctional designs for smaller spaces are ideal. Round kitchen tables, such as our Tintagel or Illand designs, have bases that don’t take up as much space and mean you can easily fit four of you all round for meals. Choosing to pair tables with benches is also a nifty trick, as they can just slot underneath when not in use leaving you with a bit more space day to day.
THE KITCHEN-DINER TABLE
Lots of us are opting now for kitchen-diners rather than a separate dining room. This means that your kitchen table is your dining table and needs to fit a multitude of purposes. Firstly, it’s good to understand how many people you want to be able to seat around on a regular basis. Our most common order is for 6-8 people, this means if you really wanted to, you could squeeze an extra 2 for Christmas meals or a special dinner party. Then you need to look at your space and see what it can handle. Will a classic solid farmhouse style table such as our Trebartha range have enough space around it, or will it dominate the room? A more slender table such as the Lostwithiel table may look too small in a more open room - it’s all about balance.
