'It’s a space to be messy and unapologetic' – designer Bryan Graybill on kitchens as functional theaters

This feature is part of our exclusive series, A Designer’s Guide to Entertaining, with interior designer and seasoned host Bryan Graybill. Each month, Bryan will offer expert advice, holiday hosting tips, and effortless ways to create a more inviting home – beginning with the spaces where everyday life and memorable gatherings naturally unfold.

Interior designer Bryan Graybill doesn’t believe in the 'show kitchen' – the kind that gleams like a showroom but leaves the host scrambling for perfection when the guests arrive. His Sag Harbor home is anchored by a kitchen designed for cooking, hosting, and living in equal measure, with a separate 'cutting room' that takes the pressure off the main space.

Here's how he created a kitchen for real use, where prep meets polish, and utility becomes beautiful.

Rethinking a sprawling space

Instead of one large, expansive kitchen, Graybill uses two separate rooms: The kitchen and cutting room sit side-by-side, separated by a glazed screen wall. 'The cutting room is a workhorse,' says Graybill. 'It has a side door to the garden, so cuttings come straight in. The kitchen’s side entrance leads to the grill porch. They’re separate, but connected – each with its own role in the rhythm of cooking and entertaining.

Embracing mixed materials

Graybill’s kitchens reject the idea of matching wall-to-wall fitted cupboards. 'Fitted kitchen cupboard storage feels sterile to me,' he says. Instead, he mixes freestanding pieces –often in different finishes and woods – so the room feels collected, not commissioned.

Adding beauty with open storage

Graybill likes to keep essentials out in the open. 'I like to see what I’m working with: pots, mixing bowls, service pieces. Open storage is the best storage.' Bulk items and pantry staples go in drawers and cupboards, but everything else earns its place within arm’s reach.

Even in hardworking zones, Graybill finds ways to add beauty and ritual: a stack of linen tea towels, an antique cutting board, hardware with character. 'The practical things can be the decorative things,' he says. 'When you love the objects you use every day, the kitchen naturally feels more beautiful.'

Ensuring it gets better over time

Graybill's material choices reflect both durability and patina: Vermont Danby marble for its density, and brass or bronze for work tables that age gracefully. 'I don’t mind a mark or a little wear,' he says. 'It means the kitchen’s being used.'

Designing for flow (and a bit of privacy)

Though kitchen islands are often gathering points, Graybill prefers to keep the cooking zone clear. 'This will sound sacrilegious, but I don’t like people gathering in my kitchen while I’m cooking,' he admits. When he does include island seating, it’s usually a single stool – for flipping through a cookbook or chatting with one guest. He stages home bars outside the kitchen when designing spaces, making them the true social hub of the house.

Opting for timelessness over trends

Decorating with white is one of Graybill’s top rules for avoiding a dated kitchen. 'It always feels clean and never goes out of style,' he says. He also avoids recessed lighting, which he believes stamps a kitchen to a specific era. Instead. He favors kitchen pendant lighting and sconces for atmosphere.

Being ready to host

For a quick, foolproof spread, Graybill reaches for a cheeseboard. 'Two types of cheese, a bowl of nuts, and a bottle of chilled wine – it always works,' he says. His favorite post-renovation kitchen party? A charcuterie gathering. 'Roll out butcher paper on the island, pile it with cured meats, cheeses, nuts, and dried fruit. Fill the sink with ice for wine, set glasses on a tea towel, and let guests help themselves. It’s relaxed, self-directed, and you can enjoy the conversation.'

Shop Bryan Graybill's elevated hosting essentials