Open or closed kitchen? Advantages and disadvantages

We can’t be fooled. The concept of ‘open space’ has been gaining ground in the design of single-family homes.

Having open spaces, without walls or pillars that dirty the available space, is a maxim that we find today in many domestic spaces.

Planning the design of a kitchen without an entrance door will always be a great success. However, there are many who opt for the design of a kitchen completely closed to other rooms of the home.

The truth is that there are no unique kitchen designs. As we always say, the ideal is to think and adapt the interior design to the space, as well as to its style and decoration.

Here is a list of the main advantages offered by the design of kitchens open to the living room versus closed kitchens:

1-. Greater feeling of spaciousness. If there is something that architects and interior designers value is space. At present and, derived from the post-pandemic scenario we are living, making the most of every room in the home is essential. If you decide to open the kitchen to the living room, you will achieve visual continuity and greater amplitude. Eliminating the barriers that may exist between kitchen and living room will allow you to create a much larger room, in which the people who cook will no longer feel isolated.

2.- More luminosity. In most cases, and thanks to the opening of the space, more natural light is achieved in open kitchens. As there is no partition or wall separating the different rooms of the home, the light is distributed throughout the room in a general way. This makes the space a more comfortable and pleasant place. Do not hesitate to have an open-plan living room with kitchen, if you want to maximize the entry of natural light from your windows. If you combine this light with different LED spotlights or design lamps, you will get a more appealing atmosphere.

3.- Improved communication and accessibility. If you are one of those who love to share family moments, you should join the club of practical and functional kitchens. The open kitchen concept fits perfectly with this lifestyle, making the space much more participatory. Communication and accessibility improve in these open spaces! Another added advantage is that it facilitates the transit and movement from the kitchen to the dining table, to serve and prepare it in an agile way.

4.- More ventilation. If your kitchen is small and it is joined or integrated to the dining room, it will be much easier to generate air currents. Something that turns out to be fundamental to eliminate the smells that are given off on having cooked. Although you have a good extractor hood at the time of cooking, it is always advisable to think about the correct ventilation of a kitchen.

However, the design of open kitchens or kitchens integrated into the living room also has certain drawbacks to take into account. First of all, noise in an open kitchen multiplies. The same goes for odors, which will travel unannounced to the dining room.

But, if there is a real problem with built-in kitchens, it is the clutter that can be left in plain sight. If you’re an overly meticulous person, open kitchens may not be the right interior design for you.

If with all this, you still do not decide on the design of an open or closed kitchen, you can make a mixed use of space. Here you will appreciate the location of kitchens with island open to the living room.

In most kitchen designs, the location of an island or work table can become the ideal option to differentiate spaces without separating them completely. In this case, we open the room to the outside, but at the same time we visually connect it with the adjoining space. An intermediate solution that ensures visual continuity, but easily separates the kitchen from the living room.

Kitchens with breakfast bar are also a plausible option for those who hesitate between open or closed kitchens. With this meeting point you will be able to efficiently solve your doubts regarding the interior design of your home.