How to take your kitchen from day to night in 3 steps

Your kitchen is the workhorse of your home, a room that must function from morning until night, for all occasions. It’s essential that it’s practical for all of your daily tasks, but when it comes to hosting, you want it to feel special too.

Just like taking our outfits from day to night with a few simple tweaks, the same can be done for your kitchen ideas. Adjustments that take less than 10 minutes will revitalise a functional space so that guests would have no idea about the previous chaos that had ensued.

So when you want to turn a messy kitchen into a sophisticated adults-only soiree in as little time as possible, try out these three easy tricks.

1. Utilise your kitchen island

If you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen island, then it’s your best friend when it comes to day-to-night hosting. It’s safe to say that an island can become a dumping ground for daily flotsam, but it can also be a useful central point that guests can gather around for drinks and nibbles.

‘In a true day-to-night kitchen, the most hardworking features are those that are practical by day and effortlessly stylish for entertaining. A dedicated serving spot on the island keeps daily prep organised, then doubles as a hosting zone for platters and drinks in the evening. When not in use, it can be dressed with herbs or ceramics to keep the kitchen feeling beautifully curated,’ explains Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr.

2. Be clever with lighting

Even if nothing else changes in your space between day and night, adjusting the kitchen lighting will transition the mood.

‘A thoughtfully structured, layered approach, integrating ambient, task and accent lighting, can define the atmosphere, guiding how each zone is experienced, whether the goal is to achieve a cocooning and intimate environment or a more industrial, dramatic tone,’ explains Massimo Buster Minale, founder and creative director of Buster + Punch.

Switching on wall lights and lamps and turning off the big light will create a warm and inviting atmosphere that is perfectly suited to evening entertaining.

3. Choose smooth-running appliances

If you’re in the process of designing a kitchen that is truly functional for all occasions, you’ll want to start with your appliances. Smooth running appliances, like boiling water taps, make busy mornings a breeze and hosting run seamlessly – after all, no one wants a noisy kettle ruining the ambience.

Michael Sammon, design director at Wodar, explains, ‘A day to night kitchen works best when key tasks can be completed quickly and without fuss, which is why hot water taps are becoming a central element in modern layouts.’

‘From morning drinks to evening cooking, instant access to boiling and filtered water removes wait times and keeps the flow of the kitchen uninterrupted. It is especially valuable when you are entertaining, because you can keep cooking and hosting without stepping away from guests or relying on multiple kettles and jugs crowding the worktop,’ he adds.

There are so many ways to quickly fix your kitchen for hosting, including quick tidying and organisation methods that take no time at all. Incorporating these into your day to day will make your kitchen function well for every eventuality.