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How to choose open kitchen or closed kitchen

How to choose open kitchen or closed kitchen

As people’s quality of life continues to improve, the kitchen is becoming more and more important as a common living space. As a result, there is a growing demand for individually planned kitchens and open kitchens are becoming more and more important.

The period of only cooking in the kitchen is coming to an end. It is now also becoming a place for family and friends to interact and enjoy cooking and baking together. The enclosed kitchen room also has its supporters. It all depends on personal preference, space, and kitchen planning.

kitchen cabinet from China

What is an open kitchen and what is a closed kitchen? What do you need to consider when planning your kitchen? The kitchen experts from Parlun have summarized a few points here.

Open Kitchen Concept

Open plan kitchens are still very popular. Nowadays, most new buildings are planned to have open kitchens. Open kitchens are very suitable for smaller apartments.

open kitchen for small apartments

The open kitchen concept is very simple and means that you are no longer cooking alone in the kitchen. The open room concept creates a large space to experience and an opportunity to gather socially with family and friends. The transition between cooking, working, playing, relaxing, talking and living is fluid. A cooking island, kitchen counter, or peninsula is often integrated into the open kitchen. They can serve as visual dividers of living areas and also as connecting elements.

However, before you start planning an open kitchen, you should determine if it fits your idea of cooking and living. This type of kitchen also means that there is constant background noise from the living area. From cooking and handling pots and pans, dishwashers, range hoods, or faucets. And the person cooking in the kitchen is exposed to noise from the living area, such as from the TV, or the sound of people playing and talking.

People in open kitchens can also see piles of plates and stained fronts. This can be uncomfortable for some people. However, there are also storage space options to hide that clutter.

kitchen cabinets storage systems

Whether you are making a decision or planning a kitchen, you should always consult the expertise of a kitchen expert and know the pros and cons of an open kitchen.

Variations of the open kitchen

In order to find the right kitchen shape for your open dream kitchen, you should consider your personal preferences and needs, the conditions of your space, and also your available budget. Our kitchen experts have compiled some examples for you below.

Small kitchens

A single-line kitchen is ideal for an open kitchen-cum-living room in a single or couple household. It is ideal for long rooms because it occupies only one wall. However, the length should not be less than three meters in order to have enough storage space and worktops.

single line small kitchen cabinets

Tip: Choose a handleless panel to give your kitchen unit the look of a wall unit that blends harmoniously with the overall picture.

G-shaped kitchen

This type is usually a counter or an attached kitchen table. It is also possible to integrate half a cooking island. Semi-cooked islands offer almost the same advantages as independent islands. However, since one side is close to a wall or a small kitchen, it only takes up half the space. The G-shaped kitchen is only suitable for large rooms over 15 square meters.

large worktop G-shaped kitchen

It offers a lot of work and storage space. Therefore, this is the ideal kitchen for families who not only cook regularly but spend most of their family life in the kitchen.

Tip: When planning, you need to make sure you have at least 80 cm of the aisle.

Open kitchens with cooking islands

An open plan kitchen with a freestanding cooking island is called an island kitchen. This type of kitchen is particularly suitable for open and spacious kitchens. A very important feature of the island kitchen is that it can be operated from all sides and can be combined with almost any kitchen shape (except G-shaped). The length of the cooking island should be at least 1 meter and up to 5 meters.

open kitchen cabinets with island

If you like to cook and bake with family and friends, then a kitchen island is perfect for you. You can cook, chop and laugh together. But the cooking island has even more advantages – it is the visual focal point of every kitchen and is ideal for dividing the living room. In addition, it provides additional storage space for the various small devices you don’t want on your worktop.

Which equipment you want to install on the island depends on the one hand on your needs, and on the other hand on the existing electrical and water connections. So all electrical and water connections should be planned well in advance. It is also important to clarify whether the kitchen island needs to be fixed to the floor. If you want to know more, you can consult the kitchen experts from Parlun to learn more about this and we can advise and help you.

Tips for planning an open kitchen

  1. Use counters and kitchen islands to create a communicative living atmosphere.
  2. If you design the counterabove the work surface, it can be used as a place for isolation, for example, to place used dishes and dirty pans.
  3. Don’t forget to install a very powerful range hood and downdraft fan. This prevents food odors from penetrating the living space.
  4. Make sure to integrate particularly low-noise household appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, range hood).
  5. You need to have enough easy-to-use storage space so that as few items as possible are placed on the kitchen countertops, which makes your kitchen always look clean and tidy.
  6. Easy-to-clean countertops can save you a lot of cleaning work.
  7. Consider creating a consistent room concept with your open kitchen and adjacent living room; the areas need to complement each other harmoniously.
  8. Also pay attention to the choice of kitchen flooring.

Advantages and disadvantages of the open kitchen

Advantages of the open kitchen

  1. The concept of the life of communication
  2. Representative, modern, and very trendy
  3. You can always see and hear your family and guests while cooking
  4. The kitchen and the whole living room look more spacious
  5. The open kitchen saves space and is therefore also suitable for small apartments

Disadvantages of the open kitchen

  1. Steam and kitchen odor can spread in the living room
  2. Kitchen noise can disrupt the living atmosphere
  3. Everyone can see the clutter in the kitchen
  4. If things don’t go well while cooking, everyone will notice

Conclusion of open kitchen cabinets

Anyone who enjoys cooking in a social atmosphere with family and guests and regards the kitchen as the center of family life is open-minded.

Enclosed kitchens

The number of open kitchens is increasing because they are still trendy. But it’s up to you whether you use a closed kitchen or not.

The big difference with an open kitchen is obviously that it is a separate room where you can simply close the door. This way, you can cook and bake without disturbance, odors will not permeate all rooms, and noise will not permeate outside or inside. When you want to socialize, leave the door open again. With an enclosed kitchen, you can ensure a clear functional separation between cooking and other privacy.

white enclosed kitchen cabinets

The benefit of an enclosed kitchen is that you don’t have to adapt to the style of furnishings in your living room. Depending on your tastes, it can be country house style or modern.

With an enclosed kitchen, you have to make clear compromises in terms of communication and social interaction. When deciding between an open or closed kitchen, it is entirely a matter of personal needs and tastes. And it should be carefully considered based on your usage habits and available space.

Types of enclosed kitchens

In principle, an enclosed kitchen can accommodate any type of kitchen. Whether you choose a single-line, two-line, L, G, U-shaped, or a kitchen with a cooking island, it all depends on your individual needs and space conditions.

The dining kitchen is a separate living unit with a warm and welcoming character, so it’s not just a workspace. So if you prefer to socialize in the kitchen and want to exchange ideas with your family and friends while you cook, then you can open the kitchen door to communicate with them.

Enclosed kitchens with kitchen islands

A kitchen island is not only the highlight of an open kitchen, but it is also suitable for closed kitchens. And the cooking island can even be installed in a not-so-large kitchen – 15-16 square meters is enough. But only if you have a fairly square kitchen space. Generally speaking, you cannot install a kitchen island in a tubular room.

enclosed kitchen cabinets design

The same applies to the open kitchen described above. You must plan what you want and can install it on the kitchen island. There are many factors to consider, such as personal needs, circuit routing, etc.

Closed kitchen with semi-kitchen island

If you have less than 15 square meters of available space, then a semi-kitchen island is perfect for you. The semi-kitchen island is attached to a wall or kitchen unit, so only half the space is needed and measures about 10 square meters.

kitchen with semi-kitchen island

This means that a half kitchen island can be implemented even in smaller kitchens and offers plenty of space for individual design ideas. The experts from Parlun can plan the recommended compact kitchen furniture according to your wishes, such as additional work surfaces, storage space, or simple counters.

Advantages and disadvantages of enclosed kitchens

Advantages.

  1. Clutter and pottery everywhere do not disrupt the living atmosphere
  2. Noise and cooking odors do not penetrate the living area
  3. Cooking heat is not distributed throughout the house
  4. No frequent cleaning of worktops and fronts
  5. Higher safety for children and pets
  6. Protection of privacy through a clear separation of functions

 

Disadvantages

  1. Isolation of people working in the kitchen
  2. Difficult to communicate with family and guests
  3. Longer distance to dining and living areas
  4. Beautiful designer kitchens are hidden from view
  5. Less room for planning, as 4 walls and dimensions are specified

Conclusion of enclosed kitchen cabinets

The classic closed kitchen is for those who need to be quiet and focused while cooking. If you are sensitive to food odors and kitchen noise, you should also choose a closed kitchen.

If you are not sure about your choice, then a kitchen expert from Parlun will be glad to advise you on your kitchen planning and help you find the kitchen of your dreams.

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