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10 tips for planning an open kitchen layout
Integrate your living room and kitchen into a seamless space with our easy guideline to planning open kitchens
If there’s one trend we are extremely grateful for, it has to be open plan kitchens. We love layouts where the kitchens and the living rooms are seamlessly integrated. Increasingly, our lifestyles are getting more fluid and the boundaries between different functions are slowly blurring. We love working from the comfort of our home office as much as from the super plush sofa. We love whipping up a quick meal just as much as our turn at squabble. We feel open-plan layouts not only look great but also adapt to different needs rather easily. And if it’s something you have been meaning to try but weren’t sure how to, then here’s a quick guide on getting an open kitchen design right.
1. Plan your kitchen in a way that it doesn’t eat into too much of your living room space. This will result in a cramped seating area when you have guests over
2. An Open Kitchen design makes your house look bigger and hence is the best option for modestly-sized homes. Even large homes can use this
3. Since you are combining two rooms, you need to ensure the style, material and colour palette are in sync in both the areas. This will result in a space that flows seamlessly from one room to the other
4. It is crucial you plan your lighting effectively. The kitchen needs more task lighting to allow safe cooking, while the living space requires soft ambient lighting, especially when entertaining. There must be a balance between the two to allow both spaces to be evenly lit
5. The kitchen area must be kept as tidy and clutter free as possible. This means that daily use appliances like toaster, food processor, blender, etc. must be stored in a cupboard
6. If you don’t want your activities to be visible to those in the living room, raise the height of your platform
7. Make sure you follow the golden triangle of hob, sink and fridge when planning the kitchen design. This way you will know how to adjust your utensils and appliances. Having figured out this triangle will also help bring clarity about what part you would like to hide from view
8. Folding glass doors not only provide functionality but can also add a touch of elegance to your Interior Design, creating a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces
9. Indoor plants can make a great partition between the kitchen area and the dining/living room. These will also help mask any odours
10. The best way to block the view of the kitchen from the living room is to create a seating arrangement where guests are facing away from the kitchen
When considering an open-plan kitchen, pick colour schemes that can be extended from living room to the kitchen as well. This helps bring in some synergy between the two spaces.
Your open-plan kitchen doesn’t need to have an island kitchen or a U-shape either to create a demarcation. A centrally placed dining table can help serve as boundary between the two areas.
If you’re not sure about a fully open kitchen, consider building a window-like frame around. This creates a visual demarcation between the two spaces.
When combining the two spaces, remember your kitchen needs to look clean and tidy always. Store everything away in cupboards in a way that your appliances and utensils are easily accessible.
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