Whether you’ve got little kids or big kids, the kitchen is arguably where you’ll spend most of your time.

Often dubbed ‘the heart of the home’, the kitchen is a family’s base point for breakfast, homework and evening meals.
School holidays often mean much more family time, so it’s the perfect opportunity to start planning how you’ll turn your existing space into a welcoming, open plan family kitchen diner – which retains its cosy feel! Create a space for living in, not just a functional place to cook. Have a read of our ideas on how to achieve this.

Colour scheme
Choosing a colour scheme can be tricky, but nowadays more and more people are opting for a neutral scheme with warm undertones to achieve a cosy kitchen-diner space. Consider a soft, egg-shell off-white or a creamy yellow that will brighten the room. Glossy units are also easier to clean than wooden shaker alternatives, which makes for a more maintainable kitchen!

Accessories
If you’ve already got your decorating down to a tee but feel like there’s something missing, it sounds like you need some accessories! Creating a cosy feel in an open space can be achieved by hanging wall art, family photos or other decorations – they will add a sense of dimension and interest on an otherwise bare wall.
One of the latest crazes to sweep the family kitchen-diner scene is to paint a section of the wall with chalkboard paint. Not only is this incredibly useful for jotting down to-do lists, family calendars or other important information, it’s a great way to keep children creatively occupied while you’re busy cooking their tea! (Not to mention keeping your other walls safe from crayons!).

Curtains
It may seem obvious but draping thick curtains in front of windows or full-length glazed doors will help keep drafts at bay and retain a cosy feel in a kitchen-diner. Especially as the idea is to spend more family time in the open plan space. Dark curtains and heavy patterns will drain the light from a room, so opt for lighter patterns that complement your décor if you want the space to remain bright yet cosy.

Spotlights
Any room can look less than inviting if the lighting isn’t right. You could consider installing spotlights to brighten dark areas of the room, or even introduce floor lamps more commonly used in lounges, which will in turn help to give it a warmer feel.
Popular at the moment are low-hanging pendant lights or exposed filament bulbs. Probably best-placed in an industrial style kitchen-diner, that’s not to say this scheme can’t be given a ‘cosy’ spin. The low-hanging lights will create a welcoming ambience that can’t be achieved as effectively with more intense ceiling lights.