The kitchen is not only there for cooking: the trend is towards an open living-dining area in which the household and its guests come together to cook, enjoy and live together. From the dining table to the pantry and beyond, we present you with the best ideas for furnishing your kitchen-living room with made-to-measure furniture. Also see wall clocks for kitchen.
What is an eat-in kitchen?
As the name suggests, this is a room where the characteristics of a kitchen and a living room meet. On the one hand, food is prepared and eaten here, on the other hand, the room is the center of family life. The concept is not new, but has been enjoying a renaissance for several years.
In earlier times, the kitchen was the only heated room in many households. A fireplace – and later the hearth – provided warmth, which is why the whole family gathered here. Due to the economic boom in the second half of the 20th century, this necessity disappeared. Central heating became common, while coal stoves or fireplaces became a rarity.
Even if we are happy about these amenities today, we long for a common room in which we can cook, eat and live together. This wish gave rise to the trend towards open kitchens, in which the living room, dining room and kitchen merge into one another. Custom-made furniture allows you to set up your eat-in kitchen exactly according to your ideas. Get inspired by the following ideas!
1. Choose the right dining table for your eat-in kitchen
The dining table is an integral part of the eat-in kitchen and as such is often the focal point. The right size is important so that all household members and guests can find enough space here. For maximum comfort, it is first important to determine the optimal table height. On the one hand, this depends on the height of the chairs or benches : For comfortable sitting, there should be 27-32 cm between the seat and the top edge of the table so that there is sufficient legroom. It also depends on the number of seats, because there should be at least 60 cm width and 40 cm depth per person.
On the other hand, the body size of the people sitting is decisive for the optimal table height. If you are 158 cm tall, a table height of 70 cm is perfect, if you are 187 cm tall, it is 82 cm. Since the seated people are of course not all the same size, we recommend that you determine an average value. A table height of 73-79 cm is an approximate guideline.
Here is an overview of the recommended seat and table heights:
| height | seat height | table height |
| 113 cm | 30 cm | 52 cm |
| 128 cm | 34 cm | 58 cm |
| 143 cm | 38 cm | 64 cm |
| 158 cm | 42 cm | 70 cm |
| 173 cm | 46 cm | 76 cm |
| 187 cm | 50 cm | 82 cm |
Desk and Seat Height Calculator
Enter your height below to calculate your optimal table and seat height.
Height in cm
Table height in cm
Seat height in cm
Yu have the option of configuring a dining table to your desired dimensions. Choose between our basic models “Lisa” and “Julia”, determine the width, height and depth and determine the decor. Depending on your wishes, the leg profile and table top can be designed in the same decor or with two different surfaces. You can find more information about the optimal table height in our blog .
2. Create clever storage space with corner cabinets
The kitchen-living room is a multifunctional room that must serve several purposes at once. To keep it from looking cluttered while still accommodating all your belongings, custom corner cabinets are a good option. They use every inch of the room and offer plenty of storage space for dishes, cups, bowls and pots. Napkins, tablecloths or table decorations can also be easily accommodated here.
In order to use the available space in the best possible way, you should first measure it carefully. Think about what you want to store in the corner cupboard and, if possible, also measure the largest objects. Our free measuring instructions will help you take measurements. You then enter the data in the online planner. If you equip the closet with shelves and drawers, you can also determine their dimensions to the millimeter. In this way you can ensure that your belongings fit in perfectly and that no space is wasted.
If your kitchen/living room has a sloping roof or if there are stairs in the room, there is a solution for this too: Our corner cabinets can be configured with slopes so that they fit perfectly under the roof or under the stairs.
3. Keep a clear view in the eat-in kitchen thanks to showcases
A display cabinet kills two birds with one stone: it protects your belongings from dust and dirt, but at the same time allows a good view of its contents. For example, store your most beautiful glasses or good crockery behind the glass doors to visually enhance the room. Bottles of wine and spirits can also be stored here. This is how you give your kitchen-living room a look reminiscent of a chic bar.
Extra tip: If the room has ledges, you can place a narrow display cabinet on it to store glasses, cups, bottles and coffee. And your eat-in kitchen already has its own minibar or coffee corner.
4. Expand your eat-in kitchen with a sideboard
In an American-style open-plan kitchen, the cooking and living areas are visually separated from each other by low furniture. A great solution here are sideboards or chests of drawers . These can be used multifunctionally, because they have two different types of storage space on their surface and on the inside. Use it as an extra work surface where you can prepare ingredients for cooking or store kitchen utensils. Equip them with shelves as required and store pans, bowls or cookbooks there.
If you place the sideboard opposite the stove and oven, you create an elegant separation from the living area, which gives the kitchen more structure. Depending on how much space you have, high bar stools can also be placed next to the sideboard. This invites you to a cozy chat while cooking.
5. Create space within a room with sliding doors
If you want to keep noise and smells out of the living room while cooking, but don’t want to create a permanent separation, sliding doors are just the thing for you. These can be used wonderfully as room dividers and equipped with an infill of your choice: whether wood decors, glass or plain decors. By simply sliding it open and closed, you decide for yourself whether the kitchen should be separated from the living area or not.
Another possible use of sliding doors is the pantry. If you are planning to integrate an additional small room in the eat-in kitchen, made-to-measure furniture will help you. Once the walls have been raised, the opening can be easily closed with sliding doors. Inside , bespoke shelving and pantry keep groceries organized and space-efficient.
How will you set up your eat-in kitchen? As a wine bar with a coffee corner, open American style or as a kitchen-cum-living room? The experts at craftinlearning.com will be happy to support you. Contact us by e-mail or telephone and plan the new focal point in your home together with us!
