The pros and cons of an open kitchen

andrewjburing andrewjburing
Our Kitchens, Harvey Jones Kitchens Harvey Jones Kitchens Classic style kitchen
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Plenty of people dream of having an open kitchen. These kinds of kitchens help expand a room, and make cooking a far more engaging experience. Open kitchens let us cook, while also interacting with your loved ones, meaning that the experience becomes far more communal, and a fun time to be had by all.

However, not every house is suited for an open kitchen, and these are some of the issues that we will be discussing in today's article. While we don't wish to shake your faith in the idea of open kitchens, it is best to use of style that is most suitable for your home, even if that means giving up some of the benefits of these kinds of kitchens. But, while you do loose some things, you also gain some of the benefits of a closed space, mainly more shelf space.

There are two sides to every story, and we are about to explore such a story in the following article. So, if you're not necessarily sure what type of kitchen you need, we've collected some pros and cons that will hopefully help you decide.

1. Easy communication

One of the best things about an open kitchen, is that it allows you the freedom of communicating with your friends and family while you're cooking. We all know that cooking is filled with a lot of boring tasks that sometimes feel like they take ages, so having someone around to talk to will definitely help pass the time.

What's more, having someone around can also be useful for another reason. Instead of simply talking and keeping you company, an open kitchen means that an older relative can help with their own useful tricks, sharing with what they had learned about the art of cooking. Also, it means that you can interact with the youngest, and help them with their homework while you prepare a delicious meal.

No matter who it is, it's always nice to have company around. This type of kitchen is a great way of inviting people to sit down, and strike up a conversation so as to save you from boredom. 

2. Plenty of space to see

Another great reason to go for an open kitchen, is that it allows you to see everything around you. This means that you don't have to stare at the same old walls every time you stir, or fry something. Instead, you can look and see what's going on in the living room, or even just stare out of the window at passers-by, or at the beauty of your garden.

Also, if you're currently hosting a party, the open kitchen will make you a center of attention. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on all your guests, but you'll provide your guests with the great pleasure of watching you whip up some your amazing treats. This means, that even if the conversation dies down, you can be sure that all of your guests will be able to turn their attention to something mesmerising.

If you want to interact with the rest of the house even more, or if you simply want a pleasant distraction from all the dishes you have to clean after a successful meal, an open kitchen will be able to provide just the thing you need.

3. Looking around the home

While becoming the centre of attention at parties is fun and all, don't forget that open kitchens are also useful for the more quiet moments. These quiet moments may become incredibly crucial if your household is filled with either young kids or older parents or grandparents.

If ever either of them needs help with anything, an open space will let you be faster, and assist them in exactly the kind of way they need. And, if you're ever at a loss as to what to cook, simply ask those around you for tips as to what they wish to eat. Or, if you want to surprise them, you can always try to guess by what kind of mood they're in. You can tell a lot about a person just by looking at them, so try to surprise your loved one with their favorite meal.

The freedom of movement and interaction is a great pro in terms of open kitchens. If you feel like you're often stuck in the kitchen and missing all the action, this a great way of making sure you're in the middle of everything.

4. The convenience of handling your meal

If you ask any architect, they'll tell you that breaking down the kitchen and dining room walls, will ensure that you are able to serve food faster, and with more efficiency. One of things that will assist you in this increased speed is the little island counter, that sits between the kitchen and the rest of the house. This counter can be used as a middle point, and can hold plenty of dishes while you deal with the cooking at the actual kitchen counter.

This island can also be used as an extension of your cooking, meaning that you can store fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat on this little space. You can also prepare these things over there, while at the main counter, you mix, grill, and fry the already prepared ingredients.

Plenty of space is always important when it comes to cooking, and having an open kitchen gives you that much more space.

5. Soot problems

While open kitchens are great and all, they also have their issues. One of these issues, comes in the form of soot. When cooking, plenty of times things will burn and create soot, which will then carry all across the area. While this is manageable when dealing with an enclosed space, therefore lowering the area you have to worry about to just that space, with an open kitchen, you're troubles have doubled.

Soot, and other nasty kitchen things, like certain bad odors, can more easily escape your kitchen and affect the rest of your home. This can be especially annoying, if you're cooking something that the others may not like. Suddenly the smell is wafting through the whole house, not being stopped by anything, except maybe a shut door. While several solutions, such as opening a nearby window, do come up, they'll never fully get rid of the smell, or the soot.

There are several downsides to having no privacy, so think hard before you dedicate yourself to full transparency.

6. Clearing the clutter

Yet another disadvantage of having an open kitchen is all the clutter. While the little island counter can help with some of that, if you're not too careful, you'll soon find even that filled with empty dishes and dirty glasses. The same goes for the main counter. As every good cook knows, it's hard to makes something without making a bit of a mess. Usually, with an enclosed kitchen, that mess would be cleaned up later. However, with an open kitchen, unless you want to be staring at the mess all throughout the meal, you'll need to clean it up quick.

This makes having guests over incredibly awkward. While it is pleasant to have someone to chat with, the fact that once you spill something, or something falls to the ground, you'll either have to pause the conversation, or just carry on without cleaning it, is an unpleasant one. Privacy is a rare things these days, and while it is nice to interact with people, sometimes, it's important to prepare a meal in peace and quiet, so as to ensure that everything will go well.

If you think you've made your choice, and need some tips on how best to make an enclosed kitchen space, this article while have just the right pointers to get you where you need to go.

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