The kitchen is often called the heart of the home because it’s no longer used solely for cooking. Nowadays, the kitchen is the most entertaining room in a house, as it’s a practical and functional space where homeowners spend quality time with their family and friends.
If you look at contemporary home designs, you’ll immediately notice that homeowners and designers have been raving over open layouts due to their convenience and welcoming design. However, you might not be sure if you prefer an open-plan kitchen or a distinct closed cooking space clearly delimited from the rest of the house. You might prefer to have some privacy when you have guests for dinner and want them to stay out of the kitchen.
Should you pick the open or closed kitchen layout? Which one suits your needs better? If these questions loom large in your mind and you want to renovate your house, this article might clear your doubts.
What should you know about open-plan kitchens?
Interior designers use the term open kitchens to refer to cooking spaces without walls separating them from the rest of the building. Open-layout kitchens usually extend into a living room, dining room, or other living space, creating one large area that encourages socialisation. Most modern home layouts feature open kitchens with minimal to no distinction between the kitchen and other living spaces on the same floor.
Open-plan kitchens are popular in tiny houses because they allow light travel and boost the room size.
Kitchen warehouse ltd recommends using light-coloured kitchen cabinets to make the space look more spacious and create a unity between the kitchen and the surrounding living spaces. Interior designers also advise homeowners to incorporate kitchen islands in open-plan cooking spaces because they give the area a modern touch and can delimit the rooms more subtly than walls would do.
Reasons to add a kitchen island to an open-plan kitchen
The kitchen island is an essential addition to an open kitchen because it creates extra storage and counter space in an easy-to-reach area. Interior designers view kitchen islands as pivotable points between food preparation, cooking, and cleaning. Depending on the size of the island, you can incorporate appliances and fixtures to make it a multi-purpose area. When installing it, ensure to leave enough room between all sides to create a traffic-free zone between the key zones of the room, like the sink and stove. The room’s layout is essential to obtain a functional kitchen.
Design tips for open kitchens
Add some wood accents
Wood accents are great for kitchen islands and can give a welcoming touch to the kitchen. You can pair them with mosaics and bold hues to make the space feel more personal. Wood accents come in multiple models; you can easily find one to match your home design. Wooden countertops are trendy at the moment, as they add a touch of nature to the open space.
Double kitchen islands
We mentioned that kitchen islands are essential for open kitchens, so don’t be surprised to discover that double kitchen spaces are a thing for this kind of layout. Double kitchen islands provide extra space for food preparation and storage and act as bar or food serving space.
Butcher blocks
Using butcher blocks in the kitchen is a modern take on the classical kitchen design. Depending on the interior design style you prefer, you can go with a traditional kitchen island or install a butcher block that brings a twist to the room. You can always play with the finishes and textures of butcher blocks to create a unique look.
What you should know about closed kitchens
Closed kitchen layouts are more traditional. In a closed-layout kitchen, you go through a door to access the space, as it’s separate from the other rooms and provides more intimacy. Don’t worry; a closed kitchen doesn’t have to feel cramped, even if the room is small. You can pick furniture and a layout that enables you to make the most of the room and maximise the space. Closed kitchens allow you to reduce mess stress because no one will see what happens behind closed doors. You can easily hide the untidiness behind cooking food for an entire party.
You decide what type of kitchen is best for you according to your preferences and needs. A closed kitchen is an ideal choice if you want to cook food hidden from view. On the other hand, if you don’t want to feel isolated, you might prefer an open-room design.
Types of layouts that work great in a closed kitchen
Finding the perfect layout for a closed kitchen might feel like an overwhelming process. L, I, C, and U are some of the most popular kitchen layouts, but if this is your first time designing a cooking space, they might sound like a completely different language to you.
L-shaped layout
This design offers plenty of space and fits most spaces because it lets you install the appliances and cabinets along the walls. If the room allows, you can also add a central island to create a working triangle between the refrigerator, cooktop, and sink. An L-shaped kitchen would have two open ends, which boosts the traffic in the room.
I-shaped layout
This simple layout is often forgotten, but it’s great for most spaces because it looks like a galley and takes a single wall. It’s the perfect layout for a small space like an apartment kitchen and gives you the opportunity to design a stylish cooking space. Its main benefit is that it occupies a single wall.
U-shaped layout
This design is ideal for busy cooks because it provides a highly functional working triangle. It allows you to reach all appliances while prepping dishes and cooking easily.
Choosing the best kitchen floor plan can seem daunting, but we hope the above pieces of information will help you.
