1. For today's busy families, eat in kitchens allow for joint-effort food preparation and a one-stop spot for cooking, eating, and clean-up. More than ever, the kitchen is becoming the heart of the home, and the kitchen table and chairs, dinette set, or breakfast nook is becoming the place to visit, counsel, or reflect upon important issues.
2. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging the home to promote health, happiness, and prosperity. Disorganization is the enemy of Feng Shui - kitchens should be well ventilated and bright; chairs should be in even numbers around the kitchen table; fresh flowers and candlelight on the kitchen table strengthens the life force, known as Chi.
3. White is the signature color for cottage kitchens that celebrate the basics with open shelves, Venetian blinds, farmhouse and apron-front sinks, gooseneck faucets, wood floors, beamed ceilings, and marble countertops. These eat-in kitchens are the heart of the home, with breakfast nooks and kitchen tables and chairs that invite friends and family to relax and stay a bit.
4. The wood and finish you select for your kitchen table and chairs should be based on your decor. Select white, light oak, and maple kitchen table and chairs for rustic and cottage kitchens, and dark wood or black finishes for more formal and ultra-contemporary kitchens.
5. The size and shape of kitchen table and the chairs that you select should be determined by the size of your kitchen and the number of people in your family: round and square tables work best in a square dining area, while oval and rectangle tables adapt best to oblong dining areas.
6. The kitchen table and chairs that you select should be positioned so that there are at least 3 feet between the chairs and the kitchen walls. If space is tight, nook sets give kitchens a warm, casual feel; they include table, chairs, and interchangeable benches to nestle more people into a cozy corner.
7. Sometimes apartments leave little room for a kitchen table and chair set. The alternative to eating every meal from a TV tray is a bistro set designed for casual or elegant high-top dining. Combinations of wood, leather, and metal make these high-top tables a work of art for any small kitchen.
8. Bistro tables usually come with two barstools, but round-table designs can easily accommodate one or two additional stools - extra stools can usually be purchased with the bistro set. Bar stools with swivel designs require less space between stool and wall, because the seat does not need to be pulled away from the table for people to be seated.
9. Drop-leaf kitchen table and chair sets are the solution to space-challenged kitchens. These versatile dinette sets immediately transform from kitchen seating for one or two to a table that can accommodate three or four by extending one or both leaves. By leaving one leaf down, any drop-leaf kitchen table can be placed flush against the wall.
10. Banquettes can comfortably accommodate a large number of people in an intimate eating space. A long built-in bench offers extra storage space, plush cushions provide comfortable seating, and individual kitchen chairs surround the rest of the table.
