Over the last three decades, the open kitchen has reigned supreme in style and concept. People boast over their ability to entertain, cook, keep an eye on their kids, and maintain conversation with their guests all within the same accessible space. An open kitchen encourages design versatility. It gives you the ability to change your kitchen layout to whatever works for you at any point in time, utilizes natural light better, and is a social hub within the household. There are plenty of reasons the open kitchen design has been a mainstay for so long. However, the closed kitchen concept has gradually piqued homeowners’ interest in the last couple of years. It’s a more traditional design that allows homes a designated space for cooking, meal preparation, and cleaning.
Closed kitchens are fit for more private kitchen interactions and mitigates any social occurrences. People who cook a lot or prefer larger storage space would appreciate the intimate privacy of a closed kitchen. With an open kitchen, you make yourself available to all interactions including the television, social interactions with guests or immediate family, the outdoors, and anything else happening inside your home. There are pros and cons to every kitchen concept. In this article, we’ll help you choose which one is right for you.
Open Kitchen Benefits and Problems
An open kitchen concept, as we said before, has stood tall in the everchanging world of interior decorating. Thanks to the technological advancements since the 90s, an open concept has opened the doors to many decorating possibilities. It includes the living room, dining room, kitchen, and other room types all in one space. The perk of an open kitchen is that you are essentially welcoming guests into an intimate section of your home. Rather than socializing only in the living room or greeting at the foyer, your house is open to all guests as soon as they walk through the front door. The pros and cons of an open kitchen are highly dependent on what you prefer to have in your home. There is never a right or wrong choice as long as you’re happy with the decision!
Pros
Lighting – Without walls blocking off the kitchen, an open concept kitchen tends to be much brighter and far more ventilated than a closed kitchen. It is able to take in the natural light from the windows around the house and all of the lighting from the other spaces.
As a cook, you don’t miss anything happening inside your home. Time in the kitchen also means time spent in the living room watching tv or hearing your guests’ tales of excitement. Your kitchen becomes the social hub of the house without you needing to do anything.
Adds a sense of space. In any home, particularly smaller homes, the removed walls eliminate any barriers. It creates a sense that the home is bigger than it actually is.
Increased Resale Value. With all these perks in mind, people just love open concept kitchens. Buyers are more likely to buy a home with an open concept than a closed concept. Whether you’re staying in your home long term or planning on selling it in the near future, consider the worth of your home down the line.
No Privacy – While the socializing aspect is a pro in this list, it can also be a con. Maybe you’re struggling with a recipe or you have a guest surprise you before you’re able to clean your kitchen. Everyone will be able to see everything; there’s no hiding your dirty dishes or pots and pans.
Loud noises – To the misfortune of someone watching a movie or someone having a work meeting in their working space 10ft away, the dishwasher or mixer will be heard throughout the house. An open concept kitchen evolves into an echo chamber of loud appliances and cooking.
The smell travels — In some ways the smell is a good thing. You’re baking cookies and your children run down the stairs to grab some while they’re fresh out of the oven. It isn’t until you accidentally burn something or you’re cooking fish that you realize that the smell travels everywhere. Soon your couch will smell like cooked tuna for the next week.
Difficult to clean — The larger space means you need to clean every nook and cranny of your kitchen to ensure it’s spotless. If you don’t, it makes the other rooms look messy by association. It’s not as easy as closing the door and dealing with it when you’re mentally prepared to clean the kitchen again
Limited design choices — When you decide to give your kitchen an updated touchup, you have to consider how the kitchen will look with the rest of the house. You have think about how the light fixtures in the living room will look with the backsplash of the kitchen. It’s an intricate process that may require some design help.
Closed Kitchen Benefits
Closed kitchens are slowly making a comeback in the world of open concept. But why? What benefits revive the closed concept kitchen? Many of the cons of the open concept kitchen are actually where the closed kitchen thrives.
Pros
Privacy – A closed kitchen is perfect for those who cook a lot and really want to delve into cooking without interruptions. It’s a safe space for experimenting or, maybe at the end of the day, you just want to be left alone.
The smell doesn’t travel — Since a closed concept kitchen is segregated from the rest of the house, the walls keep the smells from traveling throughout the house. No more smelly throw pillows or smelly bed sheets because you accidentally left your bedroom door open and somehow the smell traveled there.
Storage Space — The walls in an enclosed kitchen allow a more functional space. You’re able to install cabinets, pot hooks, or anything makes your kitchen more functional. With an open kitchen, you have an open space, but that’s all that it is. It’s space not being used to its full potential.
Easier to maintain – Normally an enclosed kitchen space is small enough that you’re able to functionally clean better as you cook. Nothing is spread out and your kitchenware are all at your fingertips.
Limited noise – The clanks of pots and pans won’t be an issue for anybody in the house. People can watch their movies or have their long riveting discussions without you disturbing others around you.
Cons
Privacy – Since this is mainly about preference, it’s important to note that privacy can be both a con and pro. You’re away from your friends or family and, depending on the size of your kitchen, you’re often left to your own devices. Ruminate how you want your interactions to be in the kitchen. Maybe you’re a social person and love talking while you work. Maybe you’re a person who enjoys thinking to themselves and would rather be left alone as they cook. For the former, we’d recommend an open concept. Again, it’s all about preference!
Size – The size of the kitchen ultimately depends on your budget, but more often than not, a closed concept kitchen will feel on the smaller side compared to an open concept. The closed concept kitchen mainly relies on functionality rather than appearances or how it flows with the rest of the house.
Less Lighting – The natural light will be limited, and you’ll have to mostly rely on artificial lighting to see properly.
Why not have both? – Combination of a closed and open concept kitchen
One of the great things about technology is that it is constantly advancing. It takes us to new heights and surpass what we thought possible. So many people love the idea of an open concept kitchen, but the benefits of a closed kitchen are almost too good to pass up. So, instead of following one extreme over the other, they met in the middle, taking man where no man has gone before. Introducing: the semi-open concept kitchen. This concept introduces the best of both worlds: Large storage spaces, privacy, accessibility, beautiful natural light, limited noises and smell, control of socialization. It’s all there.
There are several ways to control your space. Most people with a semi-concept kitchen utilize glass doors or bi-folding dividers to create that sense of space and privacy in one room. There are several ways to make your space your own. With Kaminskiy Design and Remodeling, you’re only limited to what you want out of your space. Use your imagination to create your farmhouse kitchen or take a more modernistic approach to kitchen layouts. It’s all up to you. Kaminskiy Design and Remodeling will make it happen. Give us a call today to set up an appointment. You won’t be disappointed by our creativity.
