Cooks face many challenges when preparing Thanksgiving dinner. Without a proper space for preparing food, storing dishes, and seating guests, your Thanksgiving dinner preparations can be an exercise in frustration. By making modifications to your kitchen, you can be better prepared for this year's Thanksgiving meal.
Six Ways To Create the Perfect Thanksgiving Kitchen
Open Up Your Space
If your guests arrive before the food is fully prepared, you could find yourself in a very crowded kitchen. Opening up this space will give your guests room to move around and socialize while you prepare desserts.
The best way to make more space is to take out one of the walls that separate your kitchen from the other rooms in your home. You'll need to work with a licensed contractor to do this, as the wall you decide to remove may be load bearing.
Add Counter Space
Nothing is more limiting than having inadequate work space in your kitchen. Stuffing a turkey, preparing multiple courses of food and making several desserts all requires adequate work space. Installing a kitchen island is one of the best ways to add work space to your kitchen.
If your kitchen currently lacks square footage to install an island, taking out a wall as described above may help with that. Talk to your contractor about your plans so he or she can help you design a kitchen that has room for an island.
Replace the Appliances
Old appliances seem to break down at all the wrong times (like when you're in the middle of a big family meal). Replacing your old appliances with modern, reliable, energy-efficient units will help ensure that your Thanksgiving goes without a hitch.
While you're at it, consider installing a specialized, gourmet appliance like a drink cooler. This will make visiting your home more pleasant for your guests.
Install Additional Seating
You're going to need to provide a place for your guests to sit. Installing a high counter that doubles as a bar where people can sit to drink can help you entertain while you work.
Optimize Your Storage
Being able to quickly reach your cooking utensils will help you stay efficient in the kitchen. While standardized cabinets are adequate for holding pots and pans, custom-built cabinets can take your kitchen organizational system a step further.
Talk to your contractor about installing specialized cabinetry like a spice cabinet, pull-out pantry, and extra deep pull out drawers. Custom cabinets can help ensure that the cooking utensils you need will be readily available when you need them.
Contact Litchfield Builders
At Litchfield Builders, we help homeowners in the New Haven area design their ideal kitchens so that the perfect Thanksgiving dinner can be a possibility. With over 25 years experience, we know all the tricks for designing a perfect kitchen. To find out more, or to get a quote for your upcoming kitchen remodel, contact us.
