If you're looking to add some space to your home or you just love entertaining guests, then an open kitchen is the perfect option for you!
Characterized by an open floor plan that usually connects to the living room or dining area, these open concept spaces have become very popular in recent years.
When it comes to the modern kitchen, open floor is all the rage!
There are many benefits to getting an open kitchen, so here our Kitchen Infinity team is going to look at all the reasons you might choose this unique design style for your home.
Benefits of an Open Concept Kitchen
Save More Space
One of the many reasons homeowners choose an open concept kitchen is that the need to save space and add more storage. Not having walls or partitions automatically adds more space to the setting.
This is the perfect good news for small kitchen spaces looking cramped due to closed walls. Having no walls and making it blend into your living room will make your kitchen appear bigger and more inviting!
However, if you want to keep a defining boundary between the kitchen and the living room, you can always keep the dinning table, couch, rugs or even the kitchen island as a defining barrier!
More Natural Light
One of the reasons open concept kitchen are so popular is that they add an element of beauty to your home. They reduce the need for lighting fixtures and you rcan ely on the natural light from the windows throughout the day. The light from the windows can make small spaces look bigger save you a lot of money on electricity!
Open concept kitchens also go well with white and nature-themed kitchens or other warm tones, adding a touch of elegance to your space.
Great For Entertaining
One of the main reasons homeowners love open concept kitchens is that you can keep in touch with your friends or family in the dining room or the living room while working in the kitchen. This gives a more ‘homey' touch to special holiday festivities or everyday life, and makes open concept kitchen the most entertainment friendly kitchen design.
Open vs Closed Concept Kitchen
So, why doesn't every home have an open concept kitchen?
Well they might be great, but they're not suitable for all kinds of kitchen spaces. Here is how they differ from closed concept kitchens:
Storage is very different
An open concept kitchen no doubt makes a small kitchen look bigger without much effort strategically, but it also takes up a lot storage space you would otherwise have with a closed concept kitchen.
With a closed kitchen you can have some secondary storage options, but if you have pantries outside the kitchen, there's definitely no reason to go for a cramped kitchen and you can take advantage of the open kitchen concept!
Appearance & space play a part
Closed kitchens make a small kitchen space look even smaller unless certain changes are made to it, but open-layout kitchens give you more space minus the walls!
If you've got a smaller space on your hands, you might be better off with an open concept kitchen that naturally feels larger and more open.
Noise is an issue
With a closed kitchen, the noise inside or outside the kitchen stays there.
However, with an open kitchen the noise goes both ways, which might be a bit overwhelming at times.
One way to help with this is to connect your open concept kitchen to your dining room instead of the living room because dining rooms are usually less cramped throughout the day.
Visitors may see your dirty dishes!
The more open the kitchen you have, the more cleaning and organizing it will need.
With an open kitchen, you're pretty much putting it out there for others to look at (and judge) but if you are a clean freak, you can flaunt some amazing interior decor using your open kitchen and use all that transparency for good.
Entertaining guests is different
Entertaining guests isn't something you get when you are working in the isolated environment of a closed kitchen but with open-style kitchens you can work side by side while spending time with your family.
If you're the sort of person who likes to have guests over, you should probably opt for the open design.
So what have concluded from this comparison? Well, open concept and closed kitchens both have their pros and cons and open kitchens are perfect for people who are looking for more living space and entertainment friendly dining areas!
The Process of Making a Kitchen Open Concept
Opening up a kitchen wall does not happen overnight. There are a few thing you have to keep in mind in order to make the new designs work. Here are a few steps you need to follow in the process:
Create a Functional Design Plan
With a new kitchen comes a different functionality. You have to work out how to manage the storage requirements and make your new design work.
Create a floorplan and see how things work out for you. Hire a professional contractor to cater to the functional needs of the design.
Define Boundaries
Since there is no boundary wall, it is important to decide where the kitchen is supposed to end. Now this also depends on the floor plan for kitchen because if you're planning on different floors for the kitchen and the room you're opening it up to, it will serve as a defining boundary between them both.
Other ways that you can do this is by wing walls, enlarged opening with pilasters or entablatures.
Once you have decided on the architectural plan of the new kitchen, you are good to start your remodeling process and getting a brand new kitchen!
Since the open kitchen will always be visible, you need to keep it tidy, organized and well decorated to add to the beauty of your overall interior and not make it look cramped.
Decor Tips for Open Concept Kitchen
It's crucial to make the two spaces you have combined flow together.
Follow these decor ideas and to make all your elements go together:
- Consistent Color Theme: If you want to go too bold and want the safest way to make everything work out, you can use a monochromatic theme throughout the kitchen and the dinning area or the living room. You can choose a color that suits your interior the best and experiment with different shades and tones of the same color palette. Two toned walls also look great!
- Open Shelves: Open shelves are a great way to put up decoration pieces, or indoor plants and connect with nature. It adds a beautiful touch to your kitchen and makes your open kitchen look tidy and aesthetic.
- Area Rugs: You can use beautiful rugs to protect your floors, add some elegance and define a boundary between the open concept kitchen and the room.
- Move the Furniture Around: Placing the furniture uniformly or all on the same side will make the room boring. Now what you can do is break up some space by moving the furniture around, proposedly away from the walls. You can also use shelves and book cases to create some diversity in the room.
- Keep Things Lit: Daylight light is an important part of completing the aesthetic of an open concept kitchen. Make the windows more accessible to your open concept kitchen and reduce the lighting fixtures inside the kitchen. This will make your space feel more bright and airy. You can also use dim lights inside the kitchen to give more room to the daylight.
Whether you are opening up your kitchen to the dining room, living room or any other space, you can use the following tips to make your home feel coherent.
Open concept kitchens come with many benefits and are a crucial part of modern kitchen designs. There is so much decor you can add to your space and make it look beautiful. Whether you want to keep in touch with your family instead of being isolated in the kitchen, or need more space to entertain your guests, an Open concept kitchen has your back! Make sure you hire a professional contractor to do the job for you so there's no room for errors, and use our guide to keep your home looking elegant!
