I have no aversion to taking to the formal dining room for casual entertaining.  In fact, as our dinner guests departed Saturday night, I noticed that Maddie and her friend had been in there having a “picnic.”  The table was full of pretend food, two sets of fairy wings, a couple of “magic wands” and other random items from the toy cabinets.

However, as a family with young kids, we often (usually) entertain the whole family.  And let’s face it, it is nice to see what the toddlers are up to while the parents eat.  As a result, I find that we eat in the kitchen more and more when we have friends over.  So, when we update our kitchen I want to make sure that our dining table is large enough to seat a crowd and looks nice enough to feel like we aren’t hanging out in the kitchen….saving the dining room for something more special.

These images of kitchen seating, each designed by Windsor Smith, have wowed me.

I absoutely love the idea of using slipcovered wing chairs at the heads of the table.  I am not sure I’d have thought of this on my own.  I am thinking monogrammed slips are in our future.  I also really love the combination of those with the chinese chippendale chairs.  I would probably not do arm chairs in my own kitchen….to save on space.

Our kitchen has wood floors, something I longed for in our previous home where we had tile.  But, I have to say these floors also have me wondering / dreaming.

What do you think, do you like the look?