The idea of having separate spaces for cooking and for eating sounds natural to a lot of people today but there was a time when these two were actually a single space, in the US at least. When you think about it, it makes sense to combine these two functions. We’ve already started the process, most modern homes featuring open kitchens most often with dining areas situated right next to them. The best step would be the eat-in kitchen. How much such a space look like, you might wonder. Well, have a look at some of the design options.

In an eat-in kitchen you could have a hybrid furniture piece which would be a combination between a dining table and a kitchen island. The transition from one to the other could be seamless or the design could clearly differentiate between the two, like in this case.

Another hybrid could combine a kitchen cabinet module with a breakfast table. There are many different ways in which this can be done. This, for example, is a pretty funky design. The table has an irregular, geometric shape and is attached to the cabinetry, being a sort of extended counter space.

There’s also the option to have a breakfast bar table instead of a regular dining table in the kitchen. This way you could position this surface in the continuation of the kitchen counter or an a 90 degree angle, creating an L-shaped surface.

An eat-in kitchen makes a lot of sense, especially in a small home which doesn’t have room to spare. In the context of an open plan social area, treating the kitchen and the dining area as one and the same space leaves you with more room for seating and lounging.

In a lot of cases where there’s an open plan social area, the kitchen island doubles as a divider between the functions. Adding a table extension to the island wouldn’t make much of a difference in such a case, especially if the layout if anything like what you see in this image.

It’s not too late to restructure your home and to get rid of the separate dining area in favor of an eat-in kitchen. Perhaps you could simply a countertop section in a way similar to what you see here, to basically obtain a table that you can eat on but which you can also use in various other ways, such as as a bar for example.

A lot of kitchen islands with seating already have designs which clearly differentiate between the prep counter and the bar/ table and that basically makes it possible to add a table extension later on without it looking out of place. This way almost any type of kitchen can become a eat-in kitchen.

As convenient as a bar table may be in some cases, if you plan on also using it as a dining table then you might realize it lacks comfort and is not suited for that particular function. This is an issue mostly related to the height of the table. A better option is this case would be a design similar to this one.

Here’s another cool way of making the most of your kitchen: the island is a separate, freestanding piece of furniture but at the same time there’s that breakfast table/ bar which connect it to the cabinet module while also doubling as a space divider.

Maybe you’re not the type of person that likes to cook a lot or to have family dinner every evening. In that case there’s no point in wasting space with a large dining table when a small breakfast bar table or kitchen island extension would do just fine.

If there’s enough space in your kitchen and you like the idea of having a place place dedicated just to serving dinner and eating in general, you should consider creating a sort of station with a table, some storage for dishes and other things and seating.

Obviously, you can simply bring your dinner table into the kitchen if that’s what you want to. You can make it seem like the table is a part of the kitchen’s design (which in this case is true).

Another idea is to extend the island’s counter just enough to create a surface that looks and feels similar to a table. It could be very convenient to have this right next to the cooking area.

In some cases the transition from kitchen to eating/ dining area is so seamless and natural that you can think of these two functions as being a single multifunctional space. Another term you could use is eat-in kitchen.

Some would say that eating in the kitchen is not elegant but have a look at this gorgeous marble island and its exquisite and refined design. This is one of the best-looking eat-in kitchens we can think of.

There are many advantages that come with the idea of a eat-in kitchen. One of them is the fact that you can pick some really beautiful and elegant chairs to complement your kitchen island/ table.

There are all sorts of ways in which tables are cleverly integrated into the design of a kitchen island. This contemporary piece, for example, plays with contrasts and asymmetrical layouts.

When it comes to hybrid such as kitchen islands which are also dining tables, one of these two functions often prevails over the other and it’s pretty difficult to achieve a perfect balance but then again, why would you even try it in the first place?

The built LED light strips give this minimalist and sculptural kitchen island a futuristic and intriguing look. They also help to highlight its form and the fact that the counter can also be used as a table.

Many of us don’t feel the need for a full-size dining area so a small surface such as this one is more than enough. This is actually a very useful and versatile feature, especially for family homes. The table can also be used as a homework station.