5 Open-Concept Kitchens for Great Flow
Bring a more welcoming energy to your home with an open-plan kitchen, using these spaces as inspiration
If you live in a smaller space, as so many of us do, open-concept kitchens make much more sense than having this essential area of the home tucked away behind closed doors. They also make for better interaction among family members spread out over the different communal spaces of the home, and allow for more fluid flow of conversation when entertaining guests. Take a look at these set-ups in different styles and sizes to get a better idea of how you can open up your own.
2. Sharp yet comfortable
Designer: Ming Architects
Kitchen features: Truly open in design, this mid-century-cum-contemporary dry kitchen has split cooking spaces that wrap around a central dining area, which is quite unique yet great for entertaining. While the back wall features a stovetop with plenty of prep space surrounding it, and a sink set into the wide island, the wall to the right houses multiple ovens, a requirement for a homeowner who loves to cook and bake for family and friends.
When the homeowners are entertaining, guests can stand around the island or sit at the long dining table and still be in easy communication with the chef. This is a big part of the appeal of such an open kitchen-dining area.
Designer: Ming Architects
Kitchen features: Truly open in design, this mid-century-cum-contemporary dry kitchen has split cooking spaces that wrap around a central dining area, which is quite unique yet great for entertaining. While the back wall features a stovetop with plenty of prep space surrounding it, and a sink set into the wide island, the wall to the right houses multiple ovens, a requirement for a homeowner who loves to cook and bake for family and friends.
When the homeowners are entertaining, guests can stand around the island or sit at the long dining table and still be in easy communication with the chef. This is a big part of the appeal of such an open kitchen-dining area.
3. Sing the blues
Designer: Studio Wills + Architects
Kitchen features: A large, socially oriented central island replaces the traditional dining table in this indigo-toned kitchen, while also doubling as extra prep space when needed. The height of the island obviously means that bar stools are more appropriate than dining chairs, but this also makes the dining area more casual – more family nook than formal entertaining space.
Beyond the patterned tile floor that separates the kitchen from the rest of the home sits a comfortable lounge area, also sporting a blue palette with timber accents. This layout makes family and guests feel connected whether they’re cooking, eating or kicking back and watching TV.
Designer: Studio Wills + Architects
Kitchen features: A large, socially oriented central island replaces the traditional dining table in this indigo-toned kitchen, while also doubling as extra prep space when needed. The height of the island obviously means that bar stools are more appropriate than dining chairs, but this also makes the dining area more casual – more family nook than formal entertaining space.
Beyond the patterned tile floor that separates the kitchen from the rest of the home sits a comfortable lounge area, also sporting a blue palette with timber accents. This layout makes family and guests feel connected whether they’re cooking, eating or kicking back and watching TV.
4. Sweet and simple
Designer: Studio FortyFour
Kitchen features: Small it may be, but this open-plan area still manages to fit in a pretty yet super-functional kitchen and an informal dining space/ breakfast bar for two. Directly behind the bar is a comfortable living area with a modular sofa perfect for lounging, and right behind that is a more formal dining area, perfect for bigger crowds.
Designer: Studio FortyFour
Kitchen features: Small it may be, but this open-plan area still manages to fit in a pretty yet super-functional kitchen and an informal dining space/ breakfast bar for two. Directly behind the bar is a comfortable living area with a modular sofa perfect for lounging, and right behind that is a more formal dining area, perfect for bigger crowds.
5. True family style
Designer: Blum SEA
Kitchen features: This bright white kitchen shows us how those lucky enough to enjoy a much larger home do it. Integrated appliances and storage keep the kitchen clear of clutter, while the display shelves on the end of the extra-wide island provide a place to put treasured items on display.
Wide walkways allow for easy flow of traffic around the island and to the different areas of the kitchen and dining space, ensuring a busy family can easily use the space together during both morning chaos and evening entertaining time. Two cooktops even allow different meals – or at least different elements of the same meal – to be prepared at once, making cooking time so much shorter, and ensuring the individual dietary needs of family members are met.
TELL US
What are your favourite tips for designing an open-plan space? Share your ideas and experiences in the Comments. Don’t forget to bookmark this story, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
Designer: Blum SEA
Kitchen features: This bright white kitchen shows us how those lucky enough to enjoy a much larger home do it. Integrated appliances and storage keep the kitchen clear of clutter, while the display shelves on the end of the extra-wide island provide a place to put treasured items on display.
Wide walkways allow for easy flow of traffic around the island and to the different areas of the kitchen and dining space, ensuring a busy family can easily use the space together during both morning chaos and evening entertaining time. Two cooktops even allow different meals – or at least different elements of the same meal – to be prepared at once, making cooking time so much shorter, and ensuring the individual dietary needs of family members are met.
TELL US
What are your favourite tips for designing an open-plan space? Share your ideas and experiences in the Comments. Don’t forget to bookmark this story, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
Designer: Happe Interior & Design
Kitchen features: This cool, cutting-edge kitchen – done in black and white as is the rest of this chic, sleek apartment – is a streamlined, galley-style space that features integrated appliances, handless doors and drawers, and open overhead space with no overhead cabinets.
While the kitchen can be closed off from the rest of the home with the help of glass bi-fold doors, it does still open up to the dining and living areas when open-plan living is desired. And even when closed, the see-through doors allow for visual continuity between the spaces.