10 Welcoming Eat-In Kitchens

Blue and Yellow Kitchen Dining Nook
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

There’s no place in the home that gets used quite as much as the kitchen. It’s where casseroles are cooked, snack times are savored, and late night swipes of leftovers are procured. If you’re lucky, you have a dine-in-kitchen which only allows for more cherished memories to be developed in this space that’s the heart of every home. 

A dine-in-kitchen doesn’t have an exact blueprint. From breakfast nooks to a kitchen island made for meal-time to the classic table with chairs, anything goes for these eating-dining-and living spaces. While the eat-in-kitchen does not replace the dining room, it’s a great option for more casual nights in or cozy mornings. It’s also the perfect place to sit while you do longer projects like snap green beans or wait for cakes to come out of the oven. 

We’ve pulled together some of our favorite dine-in-kitchens that might just prove to be the inspiration you need to transform your kitchen into a space that makes everyone feel welcome and ready to dig in.

01 of 10

Window Seating

Blue and Yellow Kitchen Dining Nook
Laurey W. Glenn

When working with a smaller space, a window seat is the perfect solution to add extra seating. The throw pillows make this space even cozier and perfect to sit while you enjoy a cup of coffee.

02 of 10

Dress Up Kitchen Nooks

Kitchen Nook Laura Kay

HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ STYLING BY: HOLLY SMITH

Designer Laura Kay has found that her family loves a breakfast room. She created the illusion of a costly corner banquette by building an L-shaped wood bench and fitting it with French-style cushions. “They are dense enough that the back cushion can stand up on its own when placed between the seat cushion and the wall,” she explains.

03 of 10

Vinyl Upholstering

Casual Kitchen Dining Nook with Yellow Chairs
Laurey W. Glenn

To combat inevitable food spills, use a linen-and-rayon fabric coated with polyurethane in your kitchen.

04 of 10

Colorful Breakfast Nook

Colorful Kitchen Breakfast nook
Photo: Hector Sanchez

A custom octagonal, quartz-topped table surrounded by three chairs and a freestanding banquette "offers a lot of seating in a tight space," says designer Melissa Haynes. The pair of fruit drawings gives a subtle nod to the room's color scheme.

05 of 10

Cheery Banquette

Cheery Banquette
Photo: Erica George Dines

Furthering her plan to enhance the room's architecture, designer Suzanne Kasler turned one corner of the kitchen into a cheery dining area with an L-shaped built-in bench that mimics the cabinetry. To keep the dining nook cozy (not restaurant-like) she surrounded the metal bistro table with slipcovered armchairs and hung a sparkly chandelier above.

06 of 10

Coastal Open Kitchen

Coastal Open Kitchen
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

To maximize the footprint of this Palm Beach, Florida pied-à-terre mother-daughter design duo Marjorie Johnston and Wendy Barze completed a gut renovation. Opening the dining room to the kitchen created a cohesive space.

07 of 10

Mixed Seating

Mixed Seating
Photo: Laurey Glenn, Styling: Matthew Gleason

Use an eclectic mix of seating types, like benches and dining chairs, around your table.

08 of 10

Versatile Peninsula

Versatile Peninsula
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

This homeowner uses her peninsula on a daily basis for casual dining, but it also serves as a buffet and bar while entertaining.

09 of 10

Neat Nook

Neat Nook
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason

A built-in booth takes advantage of a tight space. The benches are easy to clean with vinyl upholstery.

10 of 10

Tucked In

Tucked In
Laurey W. Glenn Styling: Scott Martin

Don't like dangling your feet from a barstool? Instead of using bar seating at your island, tuck a dining table underneath the bar ledge.

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