Open floor plans are popular because they’re spacious and impressive. If you’re aiming for easy elegance, an open floor plan makes it easy – you’ve got the space for larger furniture, bold colors, and the entire family to be together in comfort.
However, integrating the kitchen into an open floor plan can be challenging. Whether you’re in the process of having your home built, or your renovating an existing kitchen in an open floor plan home, here are some things you’ll want to keep in mind:
Sometimes, a little privacy isn’t a bad thing.
When you’ve got an open floor plan, everything is visible – which can include the dishes you meant to get to but haven’t yet, or the mess *somebody* made while they were getting their midnight snack. Work with your Hopkinton kitchen designer to create some privacy within your open floor plan kitchen. This can be accomplished with multi-height islands, cabinetry features and more.
Formal entertaining can be challenging.
The same guests who would never even think of barging through the kitchen door to check what’s cooking before the dinner party can see everything that’s happening when you’ve got an open floor plan. This can change the dynamic of the evening – especially if your guests are fond of the Food Network and offer Chopped-style commentary as you put the plates together. If this is a good thing, an open floor plan is for you. On the other hand, if the idea makes you want to give up hosting dinner parties forever, a closed in kitchen might be a better option.
Smells travel everywhere. Plan accordingly.
One of the challenges of the open floor plan is you have no walls to contain the smells coming from your kitchen. Onions, garlic, seafood and other delicious yet strong smelling foods can leave your home smelling less than pleasant. Work with your Hopkinton kitchen designer to ensure you’ve got adequate vent hoods in place to keep everything smelling fresh.