9 Best Tips for Creating a Kitchen You’ll Love to Entertain In

The kitchen has long been known as the heart of the home, but with today’s trend toward open floor plans, it’s taken on an even larger role—it’s the family hot spot! No longer hidden behind closed doors and restricted to cooking, the modern kitchen is a fluid, functional hub for snacking and entertaining. 

But a wide-open space alone won’t necessarily guarantee great gatherings; in fact, designers urge homeowners to add certain elements that make party prep and cleanup easier for hosts, and create a more inviting, attractive environment for guests. Fortunately, Hausera is your one-stop shop for the best brands and finest quality fixtures, faucets, and sinks as well as those all-important finishing touches for every style and budget. So if you dream of transforming your kitchen into party central, ideal for everything from laid-back brunches to sophisticated soirees, read on for smart renovation advice.

One big secret to successful hosting is supplementing the main kitchen sink with a smaller prep sink located exactly where you need it. Set it in an island where it’s handy for washing produce for a platter of crudités or fruit salad. Or place it near your baking station for fast cleanup after rolling out dough. Prep sinks are especially convenient when more than one cook is working in the kitchen at the same time. To maximize your sink’s utility, it’s important to pick the right faucet. This Delta faucet, available on Hausera, features an integrated magnet to snap the spray wand precisely into place.

Appropriate kitchen lighting can make your incomparable cuisine Instagram-ready. Install three or more attractive hanging fixtures above the island to illuminate hors d’oeuvres or highlight the main course prior to serving.

Talk about shaking things up in the kitchen! A wet bar for mixing cocktails, perhaps with a wine fridge below, is a super way to wow. While the host is at the stove, guests can help themselves to drinks and snacks. Best of all, a bar sink needn’t cost a bundle; consider this reasonably priced drop-in model by Kohler, available on Hausera.

Throwing a pasta party? Making potato salad for a crowd? Boiling up turkey brine? All these activities are easier with a pot filler, which gives you access to running water right by the stove without your having to walk over to the sink. This beauty by Brizo (available on Hausera) boasts a solid brass body and a handle that rotates 90 degrees for fuss-free filling.

If you’ve got the space, consider an L-shaped island or even pairing a small island with a peninsula. Perfect for parties, it provides extra seating space as well as a larger surface for serving and food prep. 

Who said an island has to be all right angles? A curved island can accommodate a traditional countertop for food prep on one side and a rounded surface with seating on the other. It’s a charming, cozy setup for breakfast or a late-night snack.

Apron sinks continue to be popular—and not just for their rustic good looks. They’re larger and deeper than standard sinks, so they can easily keep stacks of dirty dishes out of view. This cast-iron model by Kohler (available on Hausera) features a sloped basin to minimize water pooling.

For a sink that really responds to the needs of a busy host, a pull-down faucet with cutting-edge features is just the ticket. With this Delta faucet, available on Hausera, water flows with the slightest touch, an integrated LED light indicates water temperature at a glance, and the water shuts off automatically after four minutes.

Dramatic details always get noticed, so when selecting a faucet, consider a striking finish, such as copper, brushed nickel, or this bold black-and-gold faucet from Brizo, available on Hausera. For an artful touch, match your faucet to your cabinet hardware.