The Kitchen and Dining Room are often the heart of the home, and an area when you are likely to spend a fair bit of time.

Your Environment is very important when it comes to your nourishment and the things you consume, and setting up your body so it resonates with the space around it will prime your body for high quality nourishment.

If we’re not in an environment that resonates with us, there is likely nothing available to ingest and consume. While this extends beyond just what we put in our mouth, it also definitely includes what we eat.

Remember this is not an exhaustive list of every way you could set up your dining space — but a collection of ideas to get you thinking differently about your space. See how many of these you’re already doing!

If you need to locate your Environment Variable, check out this post.

Opt for the island

Having an island in the middle of your kitchen or separating the kitchen and dining space is a high quality Shores element to have in your space. It allows you to move all the way around the room, experiencing many views. It also allows someone to sit on the other side of you depending which side you are on, allowing you to change perspectives when necessary. Notice which side of the island you like to be on!

Ensure the space is bright

Typically we want cooking spaces to be well lit, and we want dining spaces to have low mood lighting to encourage eating more (this is why restaurants are often dim inside). If you’re a Shores person, it will be important that your space is bright and well lit, ideally letting it as much natural light as possible. If this isn’t possible, consider how you can use artificial lighting to brighten up the space.

Try a Galley Kitchen

Galley kitchens have two distinct sides, with no island in the middle separating the sides. If you’re not able to accommodate an island or peninsula in your space, a galley kitchen is a great alternative, allowing you to travel to opposite sides of the kitchen, constantly changing your view or work surface depending where your appliances are.

Don’t overlook the finishing touches

Do you like gold hardware and accents? Subway tiles? Soft-closing drawers? Whatever the little finishes are that you love, be sure to incorporate them. If you’re renting and shopping for a place, notice if the small details of the space stand out to you, and if they’re hitting all the high points.

Try a sky light

Sometimes wall space and window space is limited in the kitchen and dining space. If you have the budget to brighten things up, try a skylight to illuminate the space with natural light regardless of the direction the home is facing. Whether your windows are north-facing or south-facing, a skylight can brighten up the space.

Ensure the table has enough space

Don’t push your table up against a wall, or purchase a table that is too big for the space you have. You want to be able to move comfortably all the way around the table without obstruction. The chairs you select will also impact this flow.

Try a buffet or a hutch!

Depending on the space available to you, selecting a grand piece like a credenza or a buffet-style hutch allows you to have another surface to serve meals on, or style to bring texture to the space around you. Don’t be afraid to bring in stylish furniture to the space to add your special touch — even if you think it wouldn’t traditionally go in a kitchen or dining space.

Bring in texture

Whether that is through the materials you select for your counter, backsplash or cupboards, or whether than means teak, rattan, or fabric chair, or a metal, stone or wooden dining table — consider how bringing in different textures can bring in a finishing touch that adds warmth and dimension to the entire space.