Expand Your Space with Open Plan Kitchen Living

Are you interested in creating a kitchen with an open floor plan, but don’t know where to start? The key to success is creating a space that’s attractive as well as functional. These steps will show you how to prepare for open plan kitchen living.

Define Your Zones

Figure out where you’ll be cooking, eating, sitting, and entertaining guests. You won’t have walls separating these areas, so they’ll need to be well defined in an open kitchen. You can have a completely open kitchen where the placement of the furniture and appliances defines the space. Or, you can experiment with different floor finishes, split-level flooring, and partitions to section off areas.

When considering where to install your cooking area in your open plan kitchen, keep in mind that putting the appliances near an external wall can make things easier in terms of plumbing and­ installation of a range hood.

Once you know where the cooking will take place, consider where the dining table will be positioned. You don’t want to have to walk a long way to bring food from the food prep area to the table. You also want to make sure that the seating or living room area is far enough away from the cooking and appliances, so the noise doesn’t interfere with conversation, watching TV, or relaxing.

Finally, think about how people will move through your open plan as well. You should ensure that you’ve planned for the classic kitchen triangle as well as a natural flow of traffic.

Decide on Your Must-Haves

Now that you have chosen your open kitchen layout and zones, you want to make sure that everything you want in your kitchen will fit. Consider all of the appliances you want, the cabinetry and shelving, countertops, kitchen islands, a breakfast bar, the sink, a range hood, and anything else that you need to create your dream kitchen.

Choose Materials and Finishes

Once you’ve decided on the elements that you want in your open concept kitchen, choose the countertop material, such as quartz, granite, wood, or marble. What countertop color ideas are you considering? Do you want the countertops to match the cabinets? What type of wood do you want your cabinets to be made of? Are you looking for traditional or more modern cabinets? You may want to get them painted. Choosing the right color for cabinetry can help to distinguish the kitchen as a zone within the open plan layout, so don’t be afraid to select unique hues such as blue or green.

Finally, consider the finish on your appliances. Are you going for a classic stainless-steel look or all-white look? Fully integrated appliances are also an option. Or, create a vintage look with appliances in fun retro colors.

Just remember that when designing for open plan kitchen living, the countertop, cabinets, and appliances will be in full view of the dining area and living room area. All of these elements must work together to create a cohesive look. At the very least, color schemes and the style of décor should be similar.

Focus on Flooring

Most often, the flooring in an open kitchen plan extends across all areas to unify the space. However, you can choose different flooring for each area as a way to help define each zone. Whatever you install, make sure it’s durable. Kitchen flooring needs to stand up to foot traffic, splashes, and spills for years.

Look at Lighting

The best lighting option for open plan kitchen living is to have separate circuits and lighting for each zone. This way, not everything needs to be lit up at once. You can decide which areas of your open kitchen to illuminate at any time. Choose ample task lighting for food prep areas, dimmable lights in the living room, and ambient lighting over the dining area. And don’t forget to look for ways to maximize the natural light that streams into your kitchen.

Trust the Professionals

Creating an open plan kitchen living space is not a simple project. There are lots of decisions to make, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. If you’re dreaming of creating an open kitchen in your home, then contact Special Additions. Our kitchen specialists will work with you every step of the way to bring your vision to life. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Call us for a free quote today!