The Pros And Cons Of Open And Closed Kitchens

Many will say that they prefer open kitchen and as many people prefer the opposite, closed kitchens. Of course, each of these options has their own positive and negative traits, so with a little research and analysis, you can determine whether you want an open or closed kitchen.

There is no right or wrong kitchen style; you just have to accommodate what you’ve chosen to your personal preference and lifestyle.

Open kitchens

Image source: Dyna Contracting

More and more builders have incorporated an open concept kitchen plan in the design of the newer apartments and houses. Open kitchens are practical as they’re isolated from the rest of the home and stand as an entertaining dining center. They don’t crowd up the living space and they’re favored by families and socialites.

The Good Sides

Image source: Roundhouse

Create both an entertaining and productive space where you can cook while engaging in conversation and enjoying yourself. It’s a good place to center the family activities, as a mother could watch the meals and still manage to keep an eye on the children. One could even help their children with the homework while performing the daily chores.

Image source: Robert A. Cardello Architects

Open kitchens allow for an ideal traffic flow, especially when guests are present. It adds to the space, the relaxing vibe. Guests could seat themselves as they want with all the available spot.

Image source: Marrokal Design & Remodeling

Having less walls and being more connected to the rest of the rooms allows for a brighter atmosphere because of the larger amount of natural light present in the space.

The Cons

It’s a good option, but that doesn’t mean that an open kitchen is something every person would find fitting for their home. Some homeowners enjoy the peace and privacy that is very minimal when having an open kitchen. Take into consideration that once you have fewer walls, there’s less space that could be used for storing items.

If you don’t think you have enough storage space in the current kitchen, an open one will only increase the absence of storage space by having fewer walls. Kitchens are costly and difficult to renovate, so keep in mind that tearing down those walls will come with real electoral and plumbing work as the floor will need work as well.

If you want an open kitchen, you should know that all its smells and noises are easy to spread throughout the whole home, as it’s connected to the whole space. Aside from all the smoke and smells that could move across the living space, it can also make it feel too wide and too open for it to have an intimate home-y atmosphere.

Closed kitchens

Image source: kitchens by peter gill

The traditional way to go is having a kitchen where only the cooks and chefs are present. It’s been like that for centuries, as the privacy and isolation that comes with a closed kitchen is sacred to some chefs that take their work seriously and thoroughly enjoy spending the time cooking.

This type of kitchen allows people to focus on their work and evade any kind of distraction, which may be both good and bad, so it’s a good idea to read up on all the pros and cons of closed kitchens in order to make the right choice.

The Positives

Image source: Kiyohara Moffitt

A kitchen being closed doesn’t mean that it’s small and hard to navigate in; sometimes it just allows working behind walls and entering only through doorways from the other rooms. The most-known reasons for this choice are:

• Being able to easily hide the mess from the other rooms.
• It has a wide range of storage cabinets and working space because of the presence of walls. It also makes it easier to place appliances and counter tops.
• There’s a smaller chance that anyone will disturb the cook or interfere with the cook’s privacy when in the kitchen.
• No spreading of any noises or smells connected to the cooking.
• You have a more formal and traditional feeling when dinning.

The Negatives

Even though it has some great benefits, the isolation can be a real problem that can ruin the whole vibe of the kitchen. Layouts like these don’t allow for the kitchen to be directly connected to the dining table.

You can’t really connect and communicate with people in these circumstances, especially if the space only holds one or two people. Even though the messes are easier to deal with and the smells and noises are easily hid from the rest of the rooms, they can become even stronger and more annoying when they’re in a closed kitchen.

Making the Right Choice

Image source: Studio Bergtraun AIA

In these modern times more people prefer the open kitchen, but that doesn’t mean that it must be the right or the only choice to work with. It’s not about one being better than the other, it’s about the person who’s making the choice sees that he chooses the kitchen that best suits his preferences and way of living and functioning.

Keep in mind that closed kitchens could be designed in a way that will beautifully complement the home and help the owner, as can open kitchens be made with countless adaptations that can easily make it as open as the owner chooses it to be.

Image source: Stacy Curran

If you’re not sure what will work best, try talking to a professional. Designers might help you based on your style and likings.

A good way to make up your mind is by making a list of needs and wants and combining it with a list of pros and cons concerning the choice of kitchen styles. It’s all up to how the style mixes with your way of life and the purpose of the kitchen.

Think about how much you cherish privacy or other people’s company and whether you prefer a small filled up space or a wide and open one.

Maybe Try Combining Both

Image source: Cornerstone Architects

If you want the best of both worlds, there are many tips that could help you get what you want from both of these kitchen styles, simply by using the right combination techniques.

The pros and cons of open kitchens thought through together with the ones of a closed kitchen could allow the perfect opportunity for one to create their ideal kitchen.

Try to incorporate a half wall or pass through windows instead of tearing down the walls completely; this will add to the visual picture without the hassle and loosing storage space.

Image source: Allen Construction

This will create an illusion of the kitchen being connected to the room. If you already have a view, then maybe a raised bar could help maintain the privacy and space of the kitchen without it being too isolated from the other people. Raised bars are also helpful in blocking the preparation messes.

By using pocket or folding doors, you can create or remove the barrier from your kitchen to the rest of the home very easily. These types of doors don’t take up much space (as opposed to Swinging French doors) because they are mostly small, 24 inches wide, and they go up to 16 feet. If you want to keep the place luminescent then you can use a translucent glass door.

When thinking about designing, go with what you like. Add some character to the room by incorporating your personal style into the whole picture. Don’t compare your design to other homes, as every home interior design is unique in its own way, as are we.