Adding a Kitchen Counter Bar Makes for a More Social Atmosphere

Cooking for your family shouldn't be a solitary affair. Kitchens like this one invite people to come on in while dinner's being made, and make it easier to socialize while you're cooking. This is an ideal family kitchen (as evidenced by the high chair at the end of the island). And not just any family, but a large family, at least if the acres of maple cabinets are any indication. The tile countertops are more homey and inviting than more traditional granite or marble countertops, yet durable enough to deal with heavy traffic. And the island itself, which on the back and sides has an overhang to accomodate bar stools (and the afore-mentioned high chair) and recessed lighting above, simply invites the family to come in, sit down, and socialize as dinner is being prepared. Both the depth of the island and the location of the gas cooktop allow whomever is working in the kitchen to continue to face and easily interact with their family as they prepare meals, and the double oven is close enough that they need not worry about missing any of the conversation. Many modern kitchens function as the nerve center of the home. Here is one that was clearly designed to do just that.