We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
There’s a good chance you’ve spent some brain space daydreaming about your dream kitchen. For an area that has one primary goal—to prepare (hopefully really good) meals—there are so many ways you can go about setting it up. The beauty is that sometimes all it takes is one upgrade to completely transform a room.
If you’re in need of some ideas, the National Kitchen and Bath Association recently released its 2026 trend report, and there were a few key takeaways. For starters, 96 percent of homeowners are still digging neutral cabinets, with blues and greens also catching eyes. And leading the list of features people actually want out of a bespoke kitchen over the next three years: dedicated beverage zones (85 percent), pet feeding stations (64 percent), and eat-in areas (59 percent) are top of mind. Are you on the same page? We’ve seen these upgrades work wonders in real kitchens. Here are a handful of ways to make them your own.
Beverage Zones
There are a few ways you can work a coffee (or cocktail) bar into your own space, but we’ve got two favorites. First up: a roomy pantry, like the one in Remi Ishizuka’s Texas ranch (the rough-edge shelf was made from the reject pile at the stone yard). A slightly more small-space-friendly solution would be tucking it behind some pocket doors, a la this Palm Springs house. Extra points if you can work in a tiled backsplash.
Pet Feeding Stations
Give your furry family member a dedicated dining zone by elevating their bowls with a platform in the same color, finish, or material as the cabinetry around the kitchen. If your pup likes a bit of a hide-out, carve out a lower cubby and create an insert with built-in bowls and a faucet. For more tips, head right this way.
Eat-in Areas
Ok, so you’ve got the dogs taken care of… now it’s time to set up a nook for your own cozy meals. If you don’t have a ton of square footage to spare, add a basic bench—reupholstered with a fun fabric, of course—and pair it with a classic bistro table (here’s some inspiration). If you have more room, or you’ve found yourself with a reno project and an eyesore of a banquette, construct a booth that doubles as storage. The seating in this L.A. home is a prime example; we love the cookbook shelves on the flip side.