An open concept floor plan is a modern interior design trend that removes the walls of a kitchen to join the space with the living room and often the dining room. This design is popular because it makes small homes feel larger, and also improves the light and flow throughout these common areas. By eliminating transitions, entertaining also becomes an easier feat and families are able to spend more time together (even while in separate rooms). Learn how to make an open concept kitchen possible in your home with these five simple steps.
1. Add attractive and space efficient divides.
Replacing walls with bulky pieces that obstruct your view eliminates the purpose of an open concept design. Don’t divide your space with bookshelves, folding screens or any other tall, opaque furniture. Maintain the fluidness by installing borders that break up the room without making them feel separate. A kitchen island is a perfect choice to stand between the kitchen and living room and is as functional as it is eye-catching. A breakfast bar is another useful and appealing alternative. The key is to create some harmony so that your open concept design appears purposeful, not awkward or unfinished.
2. Choose the right kitchen cabinets.
Since your kitchen will be exposed from more points throughout your home, it’s important that the room is organized and complements its surroundings. Installing a well-designed mix of traditional kitchen cabinets and open shelving makes the room appear more welcoming, and eliminates the sometimes overwhelming look of too many closed doors.
3. Decide on your flooring.
Continuous flooring tends to look best with an open concept design, as it adds to the unity of your “great room” and is also a design trick for making an area look larger. What material you choose will be based on your budget and the style of your home — so whether you go with wood, stone, tile or laminate is all up to you. If you don’t like the idea of having the same flooring in your kitchen, living room and dining room, the next best thing is maintaining a similar color. For example, if you prefer wood flooring in the living room and dining room but stone in your kitchen, simply try to match the colors of the material as closely as possible. This will eliminate the separated look that occurs when two drastically different types of flooring are used.
4. Make design and decorating choices with all rooms in mind.
Whether your open concept design just includes your kitchen and living room, or your dining room as well, make sure you are designing and decorating cohesively. Color choices, textures, and furniture should connect the rooms in some way for the most coordinated result. You don’t want your couch to clash with your kitchen cabinets, for example, since they will be just a few feet from each other.
5. Find unique storage solutions.
Fewer walls will typically mean less storage. To avoid clutter and madness, find sleek ways to conceal items in your open concept design. A kitchen island is your best bet since it provides storage as well as extra countertop space. You can even choose to install a rack above it to hang pots and pans. A window bench is another piece of furniture that adds functionality as well as some concealed storage space.
At TheRTAStore we help make your dream kitchen a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) cabinets, Pre-Assembled cabinets, and accessories with the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let one of our friendly kitchen designers help make your kitchen dreams come true!
