Cozy yet spacious enough for a crowd: kitchens can be the ideal gathering place over the holidays. (Plus, that's where all the food is!) Here are 7 of our favourite open-concept kitchens, perfect for making way too many sugar cookies with friends. 

1. A Mid-Century Modern Kitchen

This Scandi-inspired open concept kitchen by designer Denise Ashmore is a holiday host's dream come true. Center stage is the marble-topped island that's flanked by mid-century style bar stools. We can just see it covered in plates of charcuterie, cheeses and maybe even a bottle (or two) of bubbly. A very merry Christmas indeed.

2. A Classic Kitchen with Blue Accents

Designer Alanna Dunn truly made this kitchen the heart of the home. Grey and white quartz subway tiles are a stunning backdrop to the charcoal island. Together with the blue accents and polished nickle fixtures, it feels like the first snow of the season: clean, crisp and even a little glam.  

3. A Dreamy Black and White Kitchen

Designed by Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell, This West Vancouver home utilizes contrast to combine black and white for a moody, sleek vibe. The smoked glass cabinets and white 20-foot island stun on their own, but the real showstopper is how the kitchen opens to the terrace – even with it closed in the winter, It's spectacular.

4. A Minimalist Neutral-Toned Kitchen

This townhouse renovation makes minimalism the star in its open concept kitchen. With an eye on functionality, an oversized light fixture blends kitchen and living room into the ideal living space.

5. A Soothing Lakeside Kitchen

This home has views of Skaha Lake and thanks to designer Nicky Prentice, and you can feel it in the details: a soft grey palette and crisp white counters lend themselves to chilly Okanagan nights spent entertaining friends.

6. A Modern Open-Concept Kitchen

Designer Majida Devani brings depth and detail to life through a custom-built €˜floating€™ quartz island which acts as the centerpiece of this open-concept kitchen.

7. A Bright and Airy Second-Story Kitchen

Architects Jesse Hindle and Laura Alvey wow with a white oak and Caesarstone kitchen that sits on the second floor of this Calgary home. Polished yet warm, the large marble-look backsplash cements the kitchen as the space to be.