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The Pros and Cons of Open-Concept Kitchens: Is It Right for You?

Perry Hiiman
July 5, 2023
Home
The Pros and Cons of Open-Concept Kitchens: Is It Right for You?

An open-concept kitchen is a bold, inviting design choice for many homeowners today. It works for small and large kitchens, making the most of storage, lighting, and seating arrangements. If you’re planning a kitchen remodeling project to incorporate an open-concept design, here are the pros and cons you should know about.

Pros of An Open Kitchen Design

Unlike a traditional kitchen, an open kitchen removes walls and doors from the space. This has many advantages, including:

1.      A Spacious, Well-Lit Kitchen

An open kitchen design feels more spacious and airier, making it ideal for small kitchens. More natural light flows into the kitchen because there are fewer barriers. If you have large windows in your living room, removing the kitchen wall immediately brightens the space.

2.      Better Entertaining Experience

Choose an open kitchen design if you love socializing with friends and family over a delicious, home-cooked meal. Without a wall separating your living room and kitchen, you can easily converse with your guests while you cook. Consider adding seating to the kitchen island for guests to join you during food prep.

3.      Ease of Movement

A kitchen door is often inconvenient when ferrying utensils and groceries from the living or dining room. You can bump into kids and pets at the kitchen door, which may lead to accidents. An open kitchen design lets you move freely without obstacles.

4.      Better Supervision

It’s much easier to keep an eye on your children and pets in an open kitchen. This design offers an unobstructed view of kitchen activities, e.g., monitoring your snack cabinets, fridge, microwave, and other appliances within your children’s reach. You can also catch dogs and cats “in the act” and correct their behaviors faster.

5.      Better Multitasking

In addition to supervision, you can do much more in an open kitchen design because walls won’t interfere with your vision and conversation. While you cook and clean up, you can follow the news, watch a movie or show on TV, or help kids with their homework at the kitchen island.

Cons of An Open Kitchen Design

All the advantages above can present some downsides to an open kitchen design. Consider these kitchen design cons as you plan your kitchen remodeling project.

·         Less Storage Space

Removing a kitchen wall often means taking down its cabinets, decreasing your storage options. You may need to design a new organization system to accommodate your utensils, appliances, and pantry items.

·         Ventilation

Cooking smells and smoke can travel easier in an open kitchen design, spreading into the living room and other spaces in the home. Some of these smells, such as spices and hot oil, also linger in the air or on furniture and surfaces. This means you should incorporate ventilation into your kitchen remodel plan, e.g., by adding or enlarging windows or upgrading your range hood, which may add to your renovation costs.

·         Reduced Privacy

A closed kitchen is ideal for storing dirty dishes and leftovers from unplanned guests. Simply close the door, and the kitchen chaos is out of sight. If relatives and friends drop by your house often, you may feel pressured to keep a spotless kitchen with this design.

·         Noise Challenges

For some people, cooking is a meditative, calming process that helps us relax. An open kitchen design, however, means that noises from family members, pets, TVs, or video games flow readily into the kitchen. If you do your best cooking in a noise-free environment, you may struggle to reach a flow state in an open-concept kitchen.
At the same time, kitchen noises can interfere with your relaxation in the living room. For example, if you’re reading, taking a nap, or watching a movie, someone else using a noisy appliance like the microwave or blender can disrupt your peace.

·         Structural Integrity

You may want to knock down a kitchen wall only to find it load-bearing, meaning you’ll need to keep a column intact in your design. Of course, you can get creative with structural columns, but it may mean changing your ideal open kitchen design aesthetic.

Open Concept Kitchen Dos and Don’ts

Let’s say you’ve weighed these pros and cons carefully and are going with an open kitchen design for your home. Here are some general guidelines to ensure your kitchen design meets your style and functional needs.
Do:

  • Use Cohesive Colors and Materials

You want to create unity and flow between your living or dining space and your open kitchen. Maintain a stylish, unified look by using similar or complementary materials and colors throughout the space.

  • Maximize Your Storage

Use a multifunctional kitchen island in the space to make up for the removed kitchen wall, or choose more efficient cabinets or open shelves for your remaining walls.

  • Redesign Your Lighting

In many cases, the light from the living room or existing windows may not be practical enough for cooking. Consider adding spotlights over your work areas in an open kitchen design, such as over your countertop, sink, and kitchen island.

  • Reinforce Load-Bearing Walls

Consider different methods of strengthening load-bearing walls during your kitchen remodeling process. For example, consider having a half-wall instead of a column as a multipurpose design feature in your open kitchen.
Don’t:

  • Overcrowd Your Open Kitchen

Too many decorative features in an open kitchen design can overwhelm the space. Consider using your existing appliances and utensils as focal points or adding Color instead of physical decorations that take up valuable space.

  • Ignore Your Workflow

You must adjust to a new way of moving in your open kitchen. One less wall means your workflow will change, especially if your new design moves the sink or major appliances around.

  • Neglect Ventilation

Cooking means steam, smells, and heat, so be mindful of how these will disperse from the open kitchen. Consider adding extra fans to improve airflow as you cook.

  • Neglect Privacy

You can still have an open kitchen design that offers privacy from prying eyes. For example, add room dividers like rolling or folding screens that can slide into place when guests visit.

Design Your Dream Kitchen With NYKB

An open kitchen design requires careful planning: you need the correct layout to work in your finished space, plus the best finishes that money can buy. The NYKB team knows how to build your kitchen design from start to finish, on time, and within your budget. We have years of kitchen remodeling experience, from tiny apartments to luxury properties. If you need help figuring out your kitchen design, here’s our easy 3-step process: design, supply, and installation

  • Design: You’ll have a designated kitchen remodeling consultant for your project who measures your space and creates 3D visualizations of your dream kitchen. We adjust the design to match your budget, getting you the best materials and accessories without breaking the bank.
  • Supply: NYKB carries everything you need for your open-concept kitchen, including cabinets, countertops, tiles, sinks, and appliances from leading brands.
  • Installation: Our construction team has extensive training and experience in kitchen remodeling projects. We guarantee an efficient installation process to make your kitchen design a reality.

Get started with NYKB with a free consultation, or call 1-212-242-3500. You can also drop by our NYKB Showroom for our selection of products and designs to inspire your kitchen remodeling project. Get in touch today!

The goal of renovation and remodeling is to ensure satisfaction upon completion of your project. Construction can be very frustrating, and without a professional contractor, things can go wrong.

About Author

Perry Hiiman

Perry Hiiman was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel. He planted his roots in Manhattan, New York in 1992. A few years later, Perry met his wife and had three lovely daughters. Perry has always been excited about home improvement and design. He has been in the service industry for over 25 years. Perry and his partner founded New York Kitchen and Bath in 2001. They pioneered the One Stop Shop concept of home improvement and design firms. In addition, Perry is a New York State licensed contractor, OSHA certified, and a New York State licensed mold assessor. He specializes in custom design and is genuinely passionate about what he does—bringing people’s dream projects to life.

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