If my kitchen table could talk, boy, would it tell some stories. My husband, our two kids and I have shared the best and the worst of ourselves across our cherished table, once owned by my great-grandmother and passed down to us through the generations.

I can hardly imagine the joy and jitters my great-grandparents and grandma must have felt as they ate breakfast together at the table the day my grandma was adopted. As a child, I learned love and acceptance there as my parents invited strangers to join us for holidays and everyone ended the meal as beloved friends. Now my husband and I are raising a new generation at this table — toddlers who laugh so hard at their daddy that they shoot milk out of their noses.

The kitchen table is that place in our homes where so much real life is lived. We commune, dream, plan, agonize, pray and, of course, eat. Here’s just a sampling of the activities that happen in our kitchens and at the tables that are tailor-made for them.

Kids being kids. Like me, you might have experienced the havoc toddlers can wreak on a kitchen table. It’s a fine line between the joy of art projects involving crayons, Play-Doh and glitter (why?) and the demise of my sanity. I hear it only gets wilder as they grow up. My mom tells horror stories of a kitchen table full of teenagers playing a game of extreme spoons.

Enter the farm table. Its charm and character lie in the fact that it appears to have been raised in a barn. If roughhousing, messy meals, spills and science projects happen on your tabletop, a farm table or other table made of a durable hardwood like mahogany, walnut, maple, oak or teak may be the perfect solution for masking your collateral damage as casual chic.

Homework crunching. A large island can replace a kitchen table and provide loads of elbow room for after-school snacks and long division. It becomes a multipurpose hive of activity as the late afternoon transitions into evening and young scholars need to refuel with dinner. The counter height is ideal for parents who are encouraging their kids, finishing up their own workday and prepping dinner all at one spot.

RELATED: Comfortable Counter Stools to Make Any Island an Ideal Homework Station

Storytelling. Even as we create new traditions and make fresh memories, the swapping and retelling of old stories makes us feel at home. We affirm and call out one another’s memories as we share family lore and epic tales of friendship. We listen, make eye contact, sip coffee for hours and share our imperfect selves with our imperfect people.

Storytelling enriches our lives. Sitting down every evening to eat and to digest our histories as we live them is a priority for my family. I may have spent the entire day with my 3-year-old son, but having supper with him and listening to his animated recounting of the day from his perspective gives me joy.

This may stress out my perfectionist friends, but I kind of delight in the imperfections that emerge on a kitchen table over time. The patina that develops on a zinc table is the reflection of a life well lived. A wooden table with water rings from cups or dents from overly enthusiastic game players will become a uniquely beautiful tapestry. Every darkened spot will be a small mark of a family’s history.

Dining in. My family loves hosting meals that everyone prepares together. Building a meal with guests breaks the ice and welcomes people into our world.

Integrating a formal dining table into your kitchen is an excellent solution if you’re short on space or if a formal dining room just doesn’t fit with your lifestyle. A dual kitchen-dining area consolidates the space for engaging and connecting. So don’t fret about entertaining if your dining table is in your kitchen. Use it to your advantage.

Cozying up. If you’re working with a smaller space, a window seat or a built-in nook can accommodate a group without compromising comfort. Throw in plush pillows and an extra pot or two of coffee and your little pancake breakfast may very well transition into a late lunch because folks will never want to leave.

Enjoying a tête-à-tête. Whether you’re just starting out, raising a family or enjoying your empty nest, it’s nice to have a sweet and intimate spot for the two of you. You can be sipping coffee while the other person makes eggs and bacon. Or the two of you might sit down here for a peaceful meal and a glass of wine after tucking in the kids.

Be sure to incorporate styles each of you loves. Don’t hesitate to mix modern and farmhouse, and bold and soft, elements in a room. The contrasting styles will add dimension and texture and create a spot both of you can feel cozy in.

Working, eating, repeating. Raise your hand if your kitchen table has ever acted as your desk, filing cabinet or negotiation platform. If this is your reality more often than not, don’t worry that your great workspace can’t also be a prime hosting spot. It can be both!

Find a table with adequate surface space and a drawer or two to comfortably function as a desk. Lighting and comfy chairs should also be considered. When the occasion arises and you need the table to host a few guests, pull it away from the wall, grab the bench from the foot of your bed and voilà, you’ve got the perfect spot for breaking bread with friends.

Kitchens are all about storage, but it can become rather predictable: Think rows of built-in cupboards and wall cabinets, with an emphasis on practicality over personality. So how can your cooking space ingeniously accommodate everything you need while also looking original and exciting? These 10 great solutions offer some fresh ideas — not to mention storage eye-candy!

Go full-size. Pantries are huge news in kitchen storage and for good reason. While a conventional base unit requires you to get down on your knees with a flashlight to find that last can of beans, anything stored in a tall pantry like this one is easily visible and accessible.

RELATED: 9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry

Create an island library. Passionate home chefs accumulate lots of cookbooks over the years, but not always the space to store them. Volumes kept near the stove can become scruffy and grease-spattered and perhaps don’t merit being displayed prominently.

How about this, though: neat shelves on the end of an island? The books are visible — and add color — without being central to the design of the kitchen, and they’re easy to grab when you’re searching for a recipe.

RELATED: Kitchen Storage Hacks to Make Use of Every Space

Scale up. A pantry that’s also a breakfast station is sure to set any storage fanatic’s pulse racing. This is perhaps the ultimate piece of kitchen furniture, one most of us can only dream about.

It combines oodles of storage with a dedicated space where you can prepare your coffee and toast. You can then stand and gaze at your neatly arranged shelves while you eat. Life doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Repurpose a hanger. Dishtowels go on a cupboard or oven door handle, right? Wrong. You can hang them on a hanger that is hanging on the wall! Original, quirky, inexpensive storage.

RELATED: Entertain in Style With New Drinking Glasses

Carve out space for the unwieldy. Chopping boards and trays are sizable, often heavy pieces that benefit from a dedicated home like this compartment incorporated into a run of cabinets. It’s such a simple little storage detail, but so invaluable.

Opt for a lovely long shelf. There’s a growing trend for long shelves that simply break up a run of units rather than provide workaday storage. They can become home to beautiful objects or the odd cookbook or plant, helping to personalize a built-in design and lighten its look.

RELATED: Find the Perfect Shelf on Houzz

Hang it high. Making use of vertical space is a smart move in a kitchen, where storage often has to be worked into a small footprint. For example, add a metal rack to hold pans and utensils.

Resist the sleek. Kitchen design often tends toward the sleek and efficient, but it can also rock a more edgy, homemade look while still packing in tons of practical storage. So think laterally and use old piping and boards to make some shelving — you’ll get storage and original style at the same time.

Add a twist to the typical. Kitchen storage needs to be well-designed and abundant enough to hold everything from mugs to marmalade. But really great kitchen storage does it while adding a twist of unique style.

When it comes to task lighting, home design and health professionals can help you pick the right light for your space. This is the type of light you use when you read, write or study something up close. It’s an important light to get right so you can avoid eyestrain and keep processing the task at hand. Read on to see what advice they have — your eyes will thank you.

In the living room: When you curl up on the couch to enjoy a good book or finish a crossword puzzle, a nearby lamp will improve the activity.

In this space, have three lighting sources when possible, such as natural light, overhead lighting and a task light, says Dr. Andrea P. Thau, president of the American Optometric Association.

RELATED: Discover More Living Room Ideas Beyond Lighting

One source of light could be sunlight coming through a window. Next, you should have a ceiling light or lamp that fills the whole room with light. Third, add a task light, such as a small lamp or reading light that focuses directly on your activity.

This third light is ideally located to the side of your head or behind you, Thau says. A light overhead or in front of the person reading can reflect off the reading material — whether paper or electronic device — and into the reader’s eyes. Putting the light to the side or behind improves visual performance and comfort, she says.

Style-wise, look for a lamp with a slim profile, says Lynne Stewart, lighting specialist at House of Lights. That way you’ll avoid having a large lamp shade near your head while you’re reading.

In bed: If you love to read in bed, you can’t always count on natural light. Instead, you need a great reading light. When choosing these lamps, Stewart allows her clients’ existing bedroom setup to dictate placement. If clients like lamps on their nightstands, she simply sticks with that option. No additional installation is needed, and styles can be easily changed.

If you are an avid reader and willing to install a permanent light fixture, a mounted light is the way to go, Stewart says. These types of lights may be mounted on the wall or attached to the side of the headboard. They also can be wired into the wall with a switch near the bed or plugged into a nearby outlet. No matter which option her clients pick, Stewart likes to make sure they can reach the switch without having to get out of bed.

RELATED: Creative Kitchen Lighting for Food Prep

At a desk: If you have a home office space with a computer, you don’t want a bright source of light right next to the sides of your computer, Thau says. And avoid having a window directly behind the screen or a bright lamp shining from behind the screen or on it. That’s because it can create glare on the screen and cause your eyes discomfort. Instead, have low to average light sources throughout the room, and avoid complete darkness, as that also can create eye discomfort.

If you need more light on the desk surface for reading a book or writing, Stewart recommends a small lamp that doesn’t shine on the computer screen.

Are kitchens destined to end up on the list of endangered rooms?

With Americans opting to dine out– and order in– more and more, kitchens may be getting used less for prepping food. Still, interior designers like Bea Pila aren’t concerned about losing the kitchen portion of their business. “In fact, I’m currently designing a $100,000 kitchen for a client who doesn’t even cook,” says the owner of B. Pila Design in Miami.

So what does a kitchen look like if it’s not used for cooking? Or what can it look like?

Here are a few things to do in your kitchen if you don’t need the space for food storage or prep.

1. Alternative Appliances

By swapping out a toaster and Kitchen-Aid for an espresso machine and a wine cooler you can easily transform your kitchen into a beverage station. Add comfortable seating and low lighting and you have a well-stocked lounge. The kitchen is a default gathering spot, so even if you don’t use it for cooking, that doesn’t mean it can’t be company-friendly. It can also be used as a command center.

“My plan in our current kitchen is to install an oversized, wall-mounted tablet,” says Donna Garlough, Style Director at Wayfair and Joss & Main. “We’ll use it to display a family calendar of all our work and school events, childcare schedule, doctors’ appointments, etc. It’ll also control our Nest system, the sound system and a home security system.”

2. Anything but the Kitchen Sink

“Kitchen sinks are great for spot washing delicates and shampooing your hair,” says designer Edgar Marroquin of ABQ Home Staging. If you fancy turning your kitchen into a pseudo-greenhouse, kitchen sinks also make perfect watering and potting stations. L.A. based designer, Mark Cutler, can also see the kitchen making a great home for your indoor pets: “Use it for your reptile house or aquarium. Both are notorious for the amount of work needed to keep them clean, so having running water nearby is perfect. It’s also handy to have a fridge for storing fresh pet food.”

For clients who are serious wine drinkers, designer Nancy Dalton, owner of Baywolf Dalton, Inc., suggests utilizing the compost bin section as an ice cooler for chilling bottles of bubbly. For clients who are crafters or painters, Dalton incorporates sophisticated storage systems of multi-layered grids and self-healing cutting mats so the sink area can be used for drip drying and precision cutting.

3. Unplug the Oven

In New York City, it’s not uncommon to open someone’s oven and find piles of clothes, books, cleaning supplies or shoes staring back at you. With their racks, built-in insulation and easy-to-open doors, ovens are convenient places to keep items you frequently access but don’t want laying around as eyesores. New York City-based designer Sasha Bikoff believes the kitchen makes a great extension of the closet (for example: line drawers with velvet for displaying jewelry) and she recommends storing your sweaters or bulkier items in the oven if you’re short on closet space. Just remember to unplug the oven before stashing your flammables.

4. Dishwasher Duty

If you’re not cooking, you probably don’t have many dishes to wash so why not use your dishwasher as extra storage space? Dishwashers are handy for storing smaller items like handbags, hats and jewelry. Like the oven, it’s probably best to make sure it’s unplugged before it’s used as a closet. Granted, you may want to keep it plugged in if you plan on utilizing it as a sanitizer. Dishwashers are great for sanitizing shoes, plastic toys and hair combs and accessories. See here for a curated list of 20 things to wash in the dishwasher.

5. Cabinets Be Gone

When Monica Mangin, host of Lowes’ The Weekender, was transforming a homeowner’s kitchen into her dream photography studio, she immediately got rid of the cabinets. In their place, she installed cubes where the photographer could display her work. Even if you’re not a professional artist, clearing up this wall space is like creating a blank canvas, giving you room to show off your work– or, if you’re an avid collector, your latest finds. If books are your thing, replace the cabinets with shelves and you have an instant library with great lighting.

6. Keep Your Fridge

It’s hard to live without a fridge. Even hotels have mini fridges. It may have been a dozen years since you last bought a dozen eggs, but fridges are nice to have on hand for storing takeout leftovers and cold beverages. If you choose to store extra clothing in your fridge, use the tall space next to the fridge to store your ironing board so you have an easy setup for steaming and pressing. Interested in dabbling in creating flower arrangements? Use your fridge to store fresh bulbs.

7. Countertop Desks

Because of the task lighting commonly found in kitchens and the abundance of accessible outlets within reach, countertops make great work spaces for everything from drawing to sewing and crafting. If you have a home office, consider your kitchen island your desk which can easily convert into a standup desk when you remove the stools. Dalton often includes built-in USB charging stations in countertops for clients who work from home. She also knows how to install TV screens and monitors that rise up out of the counter so clients can have their high tech and hide it too.

Katie Jackson is a travel writer. When she’s not working, she’s chasing after a Leonberger named Zeus.

If your office work at home is limited to tasks like checking email, paying bills and filing paperwork, a small desk in a kitchen nook or bedroom is probably all you need. But if you work from home all or some of the time — or spend long hours at the computer on projects or schoolwork — you’ll need a more sophisticated office setup.

A well-designed home office has comfortable workstations, good lighting and a layout that puts work surfaces, storage, technology and other essentials where you need them. We’ll look at each of these areas to help you get started thinking about your own space.

Choose Your Location

Your first decision will be to figure out where to locate your workspace. Typical spots include a spare bedroom, a repurposed dining room, an attic, a den and a backyard shed. Think about whether you want to be close to your family when you work or if you need a quiet space away from living areas and kids’ bedrooms. If you want a separate entrance for meeting clients or coworkers, a backyard studio might be a good choice for you.

Wherever you situate your office, make sure it has a door — standard, pocket, sliding, bifold, French or barn style — for times when you need to talk privately on the phone or work without interruption.

Evaluate the Space

Now look closely at the existing space.

• What are its dimensions? Is it a large area, with room to spread out, or a snug space that demands an efficient layout? Does it have features you need to design around?
• Where are the electrical outlets, cable and phone lines, and will they support your equipment and devices?
• What are the sources of natural light? What lighting fixtures are already in the room?

Assess Your Needs

Think about how you will be using the space.

• How many people will be working in the office? Will you be meeting clients there? Should the room be wheelchair-accessible?
• What types of work areas do you need? How much of your time will be spent at a computer? Do you need a printer next to your computer, or can it be anywhere in the room?
• Will you be using any special equipment, such as a drafting table or a video conferencing system?
• How much time will you spend on the phone?
• Do you need a lot of storage space, or is yours a mostly digital operation?
• Will you want a club chair for reading and relaxing? How about a spot for a dog bed or a child-size table? Do you want to display books, photos or collectibles?

Decide on a Room Style

Consider the look you want for the room. Traditional, modern, contemporary, industrial and eclectic styles are just a few of the options.

You might like your office decor to coordinate with the furnishings in the rest of your home. Or perhaps your office will be the place where you cut loose and display some quirky style. Maybe you’re on a budget, and will be happy sticking with basic office furniture and personalizing the space with photos and plants. Decorate your office in a way that feels right to you.

Consider Your Desk Options

Whether you’re buying a desk off the shelf or having one custom-made, think about what size, shape and style will best serve your needs. Free-standing desks come in standard types: U-shaped, L-shaped, corner, curved, rectangular (writing, computer, executive style) and standing. Custom desks can be built to your specifications. Below are some examples of desk styles.

U-shaped. Roomy U-shaped desks offer a great deal of workspace and storage area in a relatively contained space. Three separate sections of desk with a chair in the middle mean one side can be used for meetings, another side for writing and another for computer work. Or one or two sides can be reserved for a printer, files or other necessities.

L-shaped and corner. These versatile desk types can fit in rooms large and small. They allow you to work on a computer facing one direction, then turn in your chair to talk on the phone or do paperwork on the other side. Some L-shaped desks have undercounter storage on the longer side and just a return for a computer on the other.

Rectangular. Single-sided desks may be called writing desks, computer desks, office desks or executive desks. They can be a slim desktop on legs, a countertop built into a nook or a heftier model outfitted with drawers and cabinets.

Standing. Standing and sit-stand desks have grown in popularity as health professionals have warned against spending too much time sitting down. When shopping for an adjustable desk, look for one that’s stable and moves smoothly as you adjust the height. You can also buy a desk riser to put on top of a regular desk for standing. Either way, you won’t want to be standing all day, so give yourself options and make sure you have a chair to lean or perch on. A cushioned mat also can add comfort.

Built-in. Custom cabinetry uses space efficiently and can be tailored to your needs. An architect, an interior designer, a contractor or a cabinetmaker can help you get it built.

Free-standing. If you want more flexibility or need to keep costs down, you can furnish your office with individual pieces instead — new, secondhand, repurposed or DIY.

Design Your Workstation

If you can splurge on only one thing in your office, make it your workstation. This is the place where the rubber meets the road every day. Having an ergonomic — meaning efficient and safe — arrangement of your chair, desk, computer, keyboard, mouse and telephone can keep you working more productively and prevent repetitive injuries.

Tailor your setup so that it encourages good posture. There’s no one correct way to sit, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers some guidelines. OSHA recommends that your forearms, wrists and hands be in a straight line and generally parallel to the floor; your head be level or bent slightly forward and in line with your torso; and your elbows stay close to your body. Your thighs and hips should be roughly parallel to the floor, and your knees about the same height as your hips. Your feet should be slightly forward and fully supported by the floor or a footrest.

Chair. Choose a comfortable chair with wheels, a swiveling seat, good lumbar support and controls that let you adjust every component for height, width, depth and tilt.

RELATED: Find Adjustable Office Chairs

Keyboard tray. A pullout keyboard tray or shelf such as this one can help reduce muscle strain. If your desk height is fixed, a tray can allow you to adjust your keyboard and mouse height and distance to help you work in a relaxed, comfortable position.

Other options. A telephone headset and a document holder for typing also can help prevent muscle strain.

Build In Storage Space

The paperless office is not yet a reality for many. Even with computer storage on hard drives and in the cloud, there may be paper documents to file or keep on hand. Older records are not always digitized.

And there are supplies and equipment — printer ink cartridges, batteries, coffee filters, camera lenses, fabric samples — to store as well. You also may want to display family photos, kids’ drawings, professional awards, books or a favorite collection.

Think about what you want to look at and have at your fingertips every day. These things should go on desktops and open shelves — perhaps in baskets, boxes or organizers. Everything else can be stored in drawers and cabinets, with the most frequently accessed items within arm’s reach and the rest in higher cabinets or drawers farther away from where you work. A fire-safe box can protect important documents.

Some people like an office where everything is displayed out in the open. For others, busy surfaces are too distracting. Think honestly about how you work best, and take the time to set up your office in a way that will help you stay organized.

Make Way for Technology

Digital devices and other technology should be a primary consideration in your office design. Consider hiring an electronics pro to help you arrange and install everything properly.

Here are some of the items you might have in your office.

• Computer equipment, such as a desktop model, monitor, laptop, tablet, hard drive, keyboard and mouse
• Printer, scanner, fax, copier (all-in-one or separate units)
• Telephones, cellphone charger, headset
• Wi-Fi router, cable modem, TV screen, cable box, DVR
• Stereo and speakers, recording equipment
• Video conferencing equipment
• Cable and telephone lines, electrical outlets, surge protector
• Paper shredder

Conceal cords and cables. A way to minimize cords and cables is to run them to outlets through holes cut into desktops, false walls and cabinet backs. You also can have outlets built into cabinetry. Wires can be bundled together or concealed in a housing to minimize their presence. It’s worth arranging wires and cords neatly to make it easier to check connections if equipment malfunctions.

On a floating desk. With a floating desk that holds wired devices, you can run cords down a desk leg to an electrical outlet installed in the floor underneath. Or you can cover the lines and run them along the floor or carpet. You also can get a desk with outlets built in.

Wi-Fi networks help minimize the tangle of cords by connecting devices wirelessly. If you have two desks — one against a wall and one floating in the room — you can avoid dealing with cords on the free-standing table by using mobile and laptop devices there, and keeping the chargers and desktop models on a surface near an outlet.

Plan Your Lighting

The presence of computer monitors can make office spaces tricky to light. Light needs to be diffused and the fixtures positioned to avoid creating screen glare, which can lead to eyestrain.

Lighting designers say a home office should have layers of light rather than a single light source.

Here are basic lighting types and options.

• Ambient lighting includes recessed lights, ceiling-mounted lights, sconces and uplights. It can be used for both general illumination and localized lighting for work areas.
• Task lighting, provided by desk and floor lamps, should focus light on work surfaces and not on computer screens.
• Accent lighting, from recessed lights, spotlights and picture lights, can be used to highlight shelving areas and art and to outline the boundaries of a room.
• Natural light from windows, doors and skylights shows the true colors of objects (which is important for those who work with color). Position workstations and install blinds, draperies or other window coverings to shield monitors from glare and excessive sunlight.

Personalize Your Room

No less important than cabinetry, equipment and lighting are the nice extras that make your office more comfortable and functional.

A corkboard, blackboard or whiteboard can be used to display reminders and inspiration or to serve as a communications center or brainstorming tool.

A sofa, a daybed or an easy chair offers a spot for relaxation. You might want a conference table in your office. And a coffee maker, a hot water dispenser and a small fridge can come in handy.