Open-plan kitchens first appeared in the 1990s and have remained very popular ever since, particularly in modern homes. This essentially means that the kitchen is integrated with the adjoining rooms, usually the living room and/or the dining room. There are no walls or other partitions on the sides where the kitchen joins another room. But why is this layout better than a separate kitchen, if it is better at all?

The advantages of an open-plan kitchen layout

You’ll get more natural light, so the whole room will appear larger. What’s more, you won’t need as many artificial light fittings. However, you should still pay particular attention to the lighting design and ensure it harmonises with the other elements of the space.

When we’re cooking or pottering about in the kitchen, we can easily chat to family members and friends in neighbouring rooms. This comes in handy, for example, when the kids are doing their homework in the living room whilst we’re preparing dinner. Or when we’re entertaining guests, as it means we don’t have to miss out on the lively conversations just because we’re busy in the kitchen.

Thanks to an open-plan layout, our house or flat as a whole appears larger, airier and more spacious. The more we divide the space into separate areas, the more cramped it will seem. Down with the walls, wherever possible!

Kitchen décor becomes part of the communal area; a beautiful kitchen can serve as the focal point and a decorative feature of our entire home.

An open-plan kitchen usually has plenty of room for a kitchen island, or at least a peninsula.

There are, however, some drawbacks

In an open-plan layout, the kitchen is always in plain view. This means any mess in there is also on display, which spoils the look of the whole flat. If you’re the messy type, you’d be better off not choosing this layout.

The smells from cooking spread throughout the whole flat. This can be improved considerably by fitting a suitable extractor fan, but don’t expect it to eliminate every odour. Of course, this isn’t a drawback for everyone, as it can create a very cosy feeling when you walk into the flat and the lovely smell of beef stock hits your nose.

Anyone in the adjoining room will also be able to hear the noise from the kitchen. It’s worth choosing kitchen appliances with low noise levels, but even these cannot be completely eliminated. For example, if you’re making your morning smoothie, it’s quite likely that a family member reading peacefully in the living room will hear it. This doesn’t bother many people, but if you’re not one of them, you’re better off choosing a separate kitchen.

Whether you’d like an open-plan or a closed kitchen, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Mobilan’s experienced team will design and create the kitchen furniture of your dreams, which comes with a 10-year product guarantee. Feel free to contact us via our contact details, and if you’d like some more inspiration, follow Our Facebook page or browse the Mobilan Magazine his other articles.