BEDS

PEOPLE ARE PUTTING COUCHES IN THEIR KITCHENS AND WE'RE NOT SURE HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT

A comfy alternative to bar stools and dining chairs.

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Forget bar stools and dining chairs: People are pulling living room furniture — whether comfy couches or upholstered chairs — into the same space where they cook and eat. Perhaps it's a side effect of open floor plans, which have blurred the lines between the kitchen and the living and dining rooms. Sofas are a sophisticated way to separate spaces, after all, and beautiful banquettes and couches can create an instant breakfast nook where no built-in exists.

Or maybe it's just an excuse to kick back while you cook. Either way, we don't hate it. We're all about cozying up the home, especially areas where you spend so much time. "Quite a lot of our customers do have couches and seating areas in their kitchens," Zoe Parker of deVOL Kitchenstells CountryLiving.com. "I think the kitchen has become much less of a place to simply just prepare and cook meals, and more of a space for family and friends to gather and cook together and relax and chill out."

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Of course, kitchens are notoriously messy, so spills and stains are a serious concern. That's why Maureen Welton, Creative Director at Article, recommends opting for furniture with reversible cushions or removable covers and inquiring about protectors and sprays when shopping for sofas and chairs.

"Avoid light upholstery or delicate velvets that will stain and mark easily," Welton adds. "If you're going for upholstered seating, go for a darker or marbled fabric with a tight knit that will be easy to clean when spills eventually happen. Better yet, full-aniline leather is known for developing a patina as it ages, so with a little protection, any minor spill marks and scratches will absorb over time and make it look better with age."