There are many choices to consider when working out the details of your kitchen remodel. You review the appliances you want to add or take out, what color you would like the walls to be, what flooring you have in mind, and so much more. Another concept to consider is whether you would like to have an open or closed kitchen design. There are many advantages to having an open design.
What does open mean? Having an open kitchen design means that the kitchen has few or no dividing walls with the other rooms. One of the advantages of this is the ability to keep a better eye on children or guests who are in the other rooms. The open design allows you to continue cooking and prepping your meals while interacting with others. Fewer dividing walls also allow more light into the kitchen area; this can either be natural light from windows or light shared between the rooms. In the long term, this can decrease your electric consumption. Having an open kitchen design is popular with buyers, so this can increase the value of your house as well.
The idea of an open kitchen design creates the illusion of more space. When areas are divided by walls, they appear to be smaller than they actually are. The eyes stop at the walls. When the walls are gone, then the eyes see across the entire space giving the look of a larger area. Fewer walls also mean less cleaning and maintenance, and you can maximize the area you are given. You can hang plants in the open area or create more storage.
There is a drawback to having an open kitchen design. If you happen to be cooking a particularly aromatic food or you happen to burn the popcorn in the microwave, then this odor will easily spread throughout the whole house. So, if you guests over then the kitchen smells will be shared with them. Additionally, if you are using many loud appliances, then the sound will carry to the other rooms as well. Smelling baking cookies or bacon on the stove is almost always a welcome smell, and the sound of sizzling will bring people to the kitchen. If people are having a conversation in the other room, however, and you are blending drinks or using the mixer, then this noise can disrupt the conversation.
