At one time my girlfriend's house had this really cozy kitchen, table and stools all around. Everyone would always end up there, and there would always be something to eat or drink. The table doubled as counter to to prepare food on, and for eating, with a big bread slicer on one side (electric, with no guard on the spinning blade). We'd spend hours there chatting, drinking, eating having fun. Just opposite was a tiny room with a fireplace, tiny sofa and a tv, which you might watch if you were just cooking. It absolutely was the heart and soul of the house.
> My dream kitchen for having people over is located right by the front door and has a big table, big windows, great lighting, and a coffee/tea/minibar near the entrance. It should have a mix of plush seating and stools/wooden chairs. People should not have to walk through the chef part of the kitchen in order to access the rest of the house, but they should have to at least go by it. And I will of course unlock the door so all my friends will come by for coffee every day
This seems like a big part of the problem, and much more so if you have a single huge, open room that combines all living areas.
Having said that, proper use of a living room requires a lot of prep work so that you don't need to be up doing other stuff (like if you're in a kitchen) and can actually relax with company. The use of a living room would have been more straightforward when servants were present.
Is there a sofa in your kitchen? Because I want to hang out on a sofa or loveseat. Ideal is a kitchen within earshot of where the sofa is, so I can talk to whomever is in the kitchen without getting up.
