What an Eat-In Kitchen is and How it Affects the Value of Your Home

Appraising the value of a home is based off of a number of factors. This includes trends in local real estate, the housing market, and the property's overall condition, amenities, age, and the home address in which it is nestled.

A home, needless to say, is composed of main interior rooms that makes it a home — the dining area, bedrooms, living area, bathroom, and the kitchen. The latter is considered one of the most frequented parts of the house because it's the stomping grounds of every homemaker who cooks and prepares food for the entire family, from breakfast, lunch, up to dinner.

The kitchen layout is absolutely important among prospective homebuyers who look for a specific design that best suits their lifestyle preferences. One such design is an eat-in kitchen. Coming across these deceptively simple terms for the first time? In this article, we'll discuss what exactly an eat-in kitchen is, how it differs from other kitchen layouts, how it affects the value of one's home, and whether it's suitable for you and your family.

Feel free to also browse through our pool of blogs regarding expert advice on similar topics, such as kitchen remodeling, top kitchen appliances you should be having at home, and some kitchen pantry design ideas, among others.

What is an Eat-In Kitchen?

It may be your first time encountering the terms, but it's always been a traditional setup among many, if not all, Filipino families. An eat-in kitchen is simply a space in the house where, aside from having a kitchen countertop, kitchen sink, and kitchen cabinets to cook and prepare food, it also has an area within that same space where a table and chairs are readily available for the family to eat in, hence the term.

In Western countries such as the United States, an eat-in kitchen is often intended for breakfast, snacks, and lunches, and that many homeowners with a more comfortable economic status still has a separate dining area where the family can have a more formal and intimate dinner. In the Philippines, meanwhile, an eat-in kitchen is considered a standard setup where Filipino families cook, prepare, and eat their meals from breakfast to dinner.

An eat-in kitchen must not be confused with an open-concept kitchen, which is actually the opposite. This small kitchen design is housed within a larger, open space that merges the kitchen, dining room, living area, and sometimes even another area such as a remote workstation. An eat-in kitchen thrives on privacy and versatility compared to an open-floor plan that practically combines three or more rooms to maximize space and allow easy access from one space to another.

Does an Eat-In Kitchen Affect the Value of a Home?

The short answer is, it does influence home value, though not significantly. Still, this versatile and highly valued kitchen layout is preferable especially for family-oriented Filipinos who make cooking and eating a communal affair. In so saying, house and lot Philippines that have this setup can attract more serious buyers, and therefore positively affecting the value of a home being sold. In fact, a property listing with no eat-in kitchen as a feature may be viewed as rather odd, as many aspiring property owners would already expect its inclusion in one way or another.

To better understand the utmost importance of an eat-in kitchen and how it weighs on property values and more examples, below are some of the advantages of this kitchen design that homeowners love.

Saves ample space

For families with a relatively smaller living space, an eat-in kitchen area is a tremendous space saver. It doesn't necessitate a separate room for dining but instead blends it with the kitchen, making it a room with dual function without compromising design and comfort.

Provides convenience

What makes an eat-in kitchen so attractive among prospective homeowners? For one, it's making cleaning and home maintenance less hassle, as they can bring all the dishes to the kitchen sink right after they ate their meals within the same large-enough space.

Encourages social interaction

Cooking and preparing food can be a fun family activity. A family member may be cutting onions and garlics, while another may be in charge of the cooking later on. While this happens, the eat-in kitchen can serve as the venue to socially interact with other family members. Afterwards, once the cooking is through, the entire family can resume the bond in the dining table that's also just within the same space.

Offers flexibility

If it's not the time for meals yet, the eat-in kitchen with the dining nook can be used as an area where your child can do his or her homework. You can also conveniently use it as your tentative workstation if you're working from home.

Invites natural lighting

If your eat-in kitchen has large windows with a morning sun position, natural lighting gets in with a host of health benefits during the day. This eliminates the need for artificial lighting and ventilation if you open your doors and windows, which can also help you save money from your energy bills.

If you're on the lookout for an affordable house and lot for sale, Lumina Homes can provide you with what you need through our best-selling home models. Our ready-for-occupancy units offer complete home features such as a dining room, kitchen, toilet and bath, two to three bedrooms, a carport, and a service area. Adding more good value for our affordable house and lot provisions are our communal amenities, such as a multipurpose hall, mini-gardens, gazebos, a basketball court, play area, guarded entrances, and shuttle services with pick-up points, among others.

Lastly, all our housing communities from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao thrive in their strategic locations, which are situated near schools, hospitals, churches, supermarkets, local tourist destinations, and accessible modes of transportation. Interested to know more about our property investment offers? Browse through our website or speak to a Lumina real estate agent by directly messaging us. We'll be more than happy to help you achieve homeownership in your preferred location anywhere in the country!