I love a long leisurely breakfast in the morning. In fact, that’s my favorite meal during the holidays, although sometimes it’s technically brunch. There’s always good coffee and treats, and my husband and I take our time to enjoy the morning with the kids. We usually sit at the kitchen island for breakfast, like so many of my clients.

Choosing the perfect barstool (or counter stool) is key to making you want to linger in the morning. I love to select stools with upholstery or cushions. The ones above in my client’s kitchen are incredibly comfortable with that extra plush seat and back.

It’s fascinating to me that the breakfast area is the only place in the house that’s named for a specific meal, which shows how important this meal is to people. In the breakfast nooks I’ve designed for clients, I like to use a round table as often as possible. There’s something much more intimate about a round table, and everyone can easily talk to any other person at the table. I also use performance fabrics on any upholstery in a breakfast nook - coffee really does leave a stain on regular fabrics!

It’s great to have gorgeous natural light in a breakfast area. But I also design a light over the table. That light helps brighten rainy mornings (or snowy!). But put a dimmer on it just in case you need a little more time to wake up.

Hope you’re enjoying a lot of long breakfasts and brunches with your family during the holidays.

Happy New Year!

Kara