The advantages and disadvantages of open and closed kitchens

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

There is no right or wrong style of kitchen; All you have to do is customize what you’ve chosen to suit your personal preferences and lifestyle.

Open kitchens

Image source: Dyna contracting

More and more builders have included an open kitchen plan in the design of the newer apartments and houses. Open kitchens come in handy as they are isolated from the rest of the house and act as a fun dining hub. They do not displace living space and are preferred by families and socialists.

The good sides

Image source: Roundhouse

Create a fun and productive space to cook while you chat and have fun. It’s a good place to focus on family activities as a mother can watch the meals and still keep an eye on the kids. You could even help your children with their homework while they do their daily chores.

Image source: Robert A. Cardello Architects

Open kitchens allow an ideal flow of traffic, especially when guests are present. It adds the relaxing atmosphere to the room. Guests can take any available seats as they please.

Image source: Marrokal design & remodeling

Having fewer walls and being more connected to the rest of the rooms allows for a brighter atmosphere due to the greater amount of natural light in the room.

The disadvantages

It’s a good option, but that doesn’t mean an open kitchen is something everyone would find suitable for their home. Some homeowners enjoy the peace and privacy that is very little in an open kitchen. Keep in mind that fewer walls will leave less space to store items.

If you don’t think you have enough storage space in the current kitchen, an open plan kitchen will only increase the lack of storage space with fewer walls. Kitchens are expensive and difficult to renovate. So keep in mind that demolishing these walls involves real elective and plumbing work, since the floor will also require work.

If you want an open kitchen, you should know that all of its smells and noises can easily be dispersed throughout the house as they are connected to the entire space. Aside from all of the smoke and smells that might move across the living space, it can also feel too wide and open to have an intimate home feel.

Closed kitchens

Image source: Peter Gill kitchens

The traditional way is a kitchen in which only the chefs and cooks are present. It has been like this for centuries as the privacy and isolation that comes with an enclosed kitchen is sacred to some chefs who take their job seriously and really enjoy the time of cooking.

This type of kitchen allows people to focus on their work and get away from any kind of distraction, which can be both good and bad. Hence, it is 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 closed kitchen doesn’t mean it’s small and difficult to navigate. sometimes it only allows you to work behind walls and only enter through doors from the other rooms. The best known reasons for this choice are:

• To be able to easily hide the mess from the other rooms.
• Due to the existing walls, it has a wide range of storage cabinets and work areas. It also makes setting up appliances and countertops easier.
• There is less chance of someone disturbing the cook or compromising the cook’s privacy in the kitchen.
• No spreading of sounds or smells associated with cooking.
• You have a more formal and traditional feel about eating.

The negatives

While it has some great advantages, isolation can be a real problem that can ruin the whole atmosphere of the kitchen. With such layouts, the kitchen cannot be directly connected to the dining table.

In these circumstances, one cannot really connect and communicate with people, especially if the room only contains one or two people. Although the clutter is easier to deal with and the smells and sounds can easily be hidden from the rest of the rooms, they can get even stronger and more annoying in a closed kitchen.

Make the right choice

Image source: Studio Bergtraun AIA

In these modern times, more people prefer the open kitchen, but that doesn’t mean it has to 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 making the choice seeing that they are choosing the cuisine that best suits their preferences and the way they live and work.

Remember that closed kitchens can be designed to complement the home wonderfully and help the owner, as can open kitchens with tons of customizations that can easily make it as open as the owner wants.

Image source: Stacy Curran

If you’re not sure what works best, talk to a professional. Designers can help you based on your style and preferences.

A great way to make up your mind is to make a list of needs and wants and combine that with a list of the pros and cons when choosing kitchen styles. It all depends on how the style blends with your way of life and the purpose of the kitchen.

Think about how much you value the privacy or company of others and whether you prefer a small, crowded, or open space.

Maybe try combining both

Image source: Cornerstone architects

If you want the best of both worlds, there are plenty of tips out there that can help you achieve what you want from these two styles of cuisine, simply by using the right combination techniques.

The pros and cons of open kitchens thought out along with those of an enclosed kitchen could provide the perfect opportunity to create your ideal kitchen.

Try putting in half a wall or going through windows instead of tearing down the walls completely. This adds to the visual image without losing the hassle and storage space.

Image source: Allen Construction

This creates the illusion that the kitchen is connected to the room. If you already have a view, raising the bar can potentially help preserve the privacy and space of the kitchen without making it too isolated from others. Raised bars are also helpful in blocking the prep problems.

Using pocket or folding doors makes it easy to create or remove the barrier from your kitchen to the rest of the house. These types of doors don’t take up much space (as opposed to swinging French doors) as they are mostly small, 24 inches wide and up to 16 feet high. If you want to keep the place luminescent, you can use a translucent glass door.

When you think about designing, move on to what you like. Add character to the room by incorporating your personal style into the overall picture. Do not compare your design to other houses as each interior design is unique in its own way, just like us.