Create a kitchen-diner on a budget with design tricks, multi-tasking furniture and clever ways with what you’ve already got
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Use clever tricks and innovative ideas to create a stylish kitchen-diner on a budget
Kitchen-diners are a great asset to any home, as they allow all the family to be in one space while cooking, eating, working, relaxing or entertaining. But creating your own doesn’t have to break the bank. Whether it’s adding a couple of stools underneath a worktop overhang or making zoned areas with shelving units or painting walls in different shades, there are plenty of budget buys and interior design solutions that can transform your kitchen into a warm and welcoming eatery.
Add a corner banquette onto the back of an island unit for an instant cosy dining space perfect for family meals as well as entertaining. A two-tone painted kitchen makes a real feature out of it if it’s finished in a contrasting colour Mornington Beaded kitchen in Pimento, Stone and Porcelain, from £12,000, Second Nature Kitchens
‘It’s sometimes possible to create a kitchen-diner without an extension, whether it’s re-organising a kitchen layout more effectively or taking an internal wall down between two rooms to open up the space.’
Ashleigh Hanwell, Senior Designer at Second
Nature Kitchens
If you already have a worktop overhang or island unit in place, it’s worth splashing out on some really stylish stools to give the space a luxury look. Solid wooden designs are perfect for classic as well as modern schemes and are durable and long-lasting Bumble stools in Smoked Oak, £360 per pair, Loaf
To transform one large space into a really multifunctional area for all the family, simply add stools to an island unit for dining, and a sofa at the side for relaxing and playing while you get on with the cooking Gala kitchen in Grey and Grey Slate, from £5,000, Lifestyle Kitchens – design by Kitchenality
Add a touch of elegance to mealtimes with classic cutlery that never goes out of style. Choose 18/0 steel for durability and a set that is rust-resistant and dishwasher-safe Tabac 16-piece cutlery set, £40, Viners
‘Design your kitchen-diner around how you’d like to cook and entertain. A freestanding kitchen
island with stools around it is great for socialising and provides an extra work surface. Choose a simple but timeless door front that can complement changes in décor, and add statement lighting to create a
focal point.’
Becky Martin, Interior Design Leader at Ikea UK & Ireland
For the look of a real timber floor without the price tag to match go for affordable vinyl, which brings warmth into your kitchendiner as well as being cushioned underfoot. It also has great soundabsorption and thermal insulating qualities Ultimate Timber Pu vinyl flooring in Tavel, £21 per sq m, Avenue Floors
Personalise the dining area with some fun wall art in bright colours. Hang three with a similar theme together for a symmetrical look that will balance the wall out
Hot Dawg poster print, £15, Lime Lace
Bring a pop of colour into the room with dining chairs in a striking shade that contrasts with the rest of your furniture. Changing them for a different style, material or colour is also a quick, budget-friendly way to freshen up the feel of the space in the years to come Hot Finn dining chair in Mustard Yellow, £138 for two, Danetti
In a smaller kitchen, choose a space-saving gateleg table with one or two hinged leaves that can be folded down after dining. A design with a few drawers for cutlery and napkins is even better Norden gateleg table in birch, £150, IKEA