Open-Concept Kitchens: The Pros, the Cons, and the Compromise
One of the questions we get most here at Yorkville Design Centre from those building or renovating a kitchen or a new home is, “Should I have an open concept kitchen?” It is often touted that an open concept kitchen will boost your home’s resale value—and that is the bottom line. However, if you intend not just to sell your home but live in it, it’s certainly a worthwhile question to ask. Many clients may not be used to living with an open-concept kitchen, or they may consider it a fad that will eventually fade. But open-concept kitchens have been in vogue for decades. Since they have been so prominent and suited for social media, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. This blog post will explain what it is like to live in a home with an open-concept kitchen. The pros and cons of such a space are listed, and the potential compromises stemming from the different facets of open-concept design are discussed. Our team of expert designers will help you decide whether an open concept design is right for your home.
In an open-concept kitchen, the boundaries between kitchen and other rooms blur, allowing for free movement of both people and light. They are often connected to living or dining areas with large windows that provide natural ambiance, contributing to a bright, airy environment in your home. With reduced distinction between rooms in your home, open concepts also allow for less differentiation between the outside and the in. With an open-concept kitchen, you can brew yourself a coffee at sunrise, taking a walk to your living room window, mug in hand, without ever needing to open a door. An open-concept kitchen allows for connection, not only between the person in the kitchen and those outside it, but between the kitchen’s user and the wider world.
The cons of owning an open-concept kitchen, beyond any personal preference for or against them, reflect their lesser ability to hide physical mess, cooking smells, or loud noises. Whether these cons are relevant or important to you will depend entirely on your individual living arrangement. For example, if you have an open-concept kitchen on the same floor as any bedrooms, sleepers may be woken up every so often by the dishwasher being unloaded or the smell of bacon wafting into their room. As well, if you host guests, an open concept kitchen means one more room to clean before it is presented. An open-concept kitchen may also be troublesome if you have pets or young children, since there isn’t a well-defined distinction between cooking and eating spaces. In contrast to open-concept kitchens, closed kitchens can behave like sanctuaries, sheltering anyone inside from the outside world. The ultimate question for those unsure about whether they want an open-concept or closed kitchen may be whether they want their kitchen to welcome the outside world or be safeguarded from it.
If there are aspects of open-concept design you enjoy but you have concerns regarding the level of noise or privacy available in your home, you may decide to compromise. A simple idea is to create a bar window—this feature often stretches across the wall directly behind the kitchen sink, turning this space into the equivalent of a kitchen island in more open-concept homes. Through this window, you may choose to serve drinks in the evening, or coffee and breakfast items in the morning, giving your food barrier-free access to the rest of your home. On the whole, your kitchen will retain a large amount of separation, which will prove important if you are ever cooking something up for a surprise party before presenting it at the bar. A similar option with the upside of likely being less expensive is to remove the door from your closed kitchen. This modification allows cooks to deliver food without a barrier in their way while still presenting a more-or-less closed space. This option has the added benefit of being able to be done late in the process—if you ever change your mind, a more open kitchen is not far away.
Whatever option is right for you, we hope this blog has given you some insight into whether an open concept kitchen is right for you. An open concept offers the ideal of free movement between different areas of your home for owners and guests alike. However, this ideal may understandably clash with one or more aspects of your lifestyle. Just remember that if there are parts of open-concept design you like and others you dislike, compromise is not only possible but welcomed. No matter your thoughts on the issue, our team of experienced designers will help walk you through the options, considering how an open concept or aspects of one will gel with your floor plan and overall home aesthetic. Book a consultation with us today to get started on your kitchen journey.
