5 Ways a Separate Kitchen Can Feel Bigger and More Sociable
Is your kitchen “just” a kitchen? You can still pack in space-stretching ideas, extra seating and a sense of connection
While a huge number of the renovated kitchens on Houzz have been turned into airy open-plan rooms, often incorporating a dining area and seating zone, many are also simply kitchens – often described as “closed” as opposed to “open-plan”. If this layout suits your home and lifestyle, but you’d still like your kitchen to feel generous in its facilities, light, sociability or sense of space, these schemes might inspire you.
The designers have added features such as a tiny dining nook, a clever doorway or internal glazing, boosting each room’s sense of space and capacity for social interaction.
The designers have added features such as a tiny dining nook, a clever doorway or internal glazing, boosting each room’s sense of space and capacity for social interaction.
Ta-da! Isn’t this a lovely spot for lingering in? If you can sacrifice a couple of cabinets, this idea would be easy to replicate.
It’s clever, because there’s something about this little dining nook being tucked into a corner and alongside a tall cabinet that makes it feel almost like a room within a room. That, in turn, makes the kitchen feel bigger. Continuity in the paint colour – from cabinets to bench seat – connects it to the kitchen at large, while the row of prints on the walls gently zones it.
Two more details key to its success are the space-saving round table and the little stools, which can easily be tucked away.
Ask your designer if they use Houzz Pro software: tools such as 3D Floor Plans and Mood Boards can help you easily visualise designs for your space.
It’s clever, because there’s something about this little dining nook being tucked into a corner and alongside a tall cabinet that makes it feel almost like a room within a room. That, in turn, makes the kitchen feel bigger. Continuity in the paint colour – from cabinets to bench seat – connects it to the kitchen at large, while the row of prints on the walls gently zones it.
Two more details key to its success are the space-saving round table and the little stools, which can easily be tucked away.
Ask your designer if they use Houzz Pro software: tools such as 3D Floor Plans and Mood Boards can help you easily visualise designs for your space.
2. Widen an opening
In certain cases, a room can be opened up without becoming open-plan, which is exactly what architect Matthew Giles did in his own home by enlarging some of his doorways. This had the effect of making the kitchen and living room feel connected.
Matthew’s house is double-fronted and the kitchen, seen here, is on the left-hand side of the hallway, while the living room is opposite on the right. Scroll down to see what he did.
In certain cases, a room can be opened up without becoming open-plan, which is exactly what architect Matthew Giles did in his own home by enlarging some of his doorways. This had the effect of making the kitchen and living room feel connected.
Matthew’s house is double-fronted and the kitchen, seen here, is on the left-hand side of the hallway, while the living room is opposite on the right. Scroll down to see what he did.
Matthew significantly enlarged the doorways into both rooms. (This photo is taken from the living room.) The openings are aligned, so you can see people and have a conversation between the rooms.
“The openings are 1.5m wide and 3m high,” he says. “The idea is that you get a sense of the width of the house and get that lateral view. They also connect the living/dining room and the kitchen, because the doors are usually open. It’s a great space for parties.”
The doors are detailed carefully so they fold back fully and don’t have architraves or visible door openings. On chilly evenings, the family close them for cosiness.
See the rest of this elegant home.
“The openings are 1.5m wide and 3m high,” he says. “The idea is that you get a sense of the width of the house and get that lateral view. They also connect the living/dining room and the kitchen, because the doors are usually open. It’s a great space for parties.”
The doors are detailed carefully so they fold back fully and don’t have architraves or visible door openings. On chilly evenings, the family close them for cosiness.
See the rest of this elegant home.
3. Go for broken-plan
Oversized doorways are not the only way to connect a separate kitchen to an adjacent or nearby room.
Here, you have a kitchen that remains distinct, while the openings you’ll see in the photo below allow for an easy flow between the kitchen and the living room and hallway without the spaces being fully opened up to each other.
Oversized doorways are not the only way to connect a separate kitchen to an adjacent or nearby room.
Here, you have a kitchen that remains distinct, while the openings you’ll see in the photo below allow for an easy flow between the kitchen and the living room and hallway without the spaces being fully opened up to each other.
Looking towards the living room and hallway, you can see how the kitchen benefits from the light that floods through from the front windows, expanding the sense of space and the sociable flow while remaining very much a stand-alone kitchen.
Limiting demolition was part of the plan by architect Kieran Hawkins of Cairn to reduce the carbon footprint of this renovation in a Victorian terrace. “So we left sections of the wall in place as columns, rather than trying to make completely open-plan areas,” he says.
“Not wanting a space that’s as big and open as you can get requires a bit of a change in mindset,” he continues. “But, actually, having more structure there can create different spaces and more interest internally that gives more character. It can also save money as well as saving carbon, so it’s a win-win-win.”
Check out more sustainable design ideas from this kitchen.
Limiting demolition was part of the plan by architect Kieran Hawkins of Cairn to reduce the carbon footprint of this renovation in a Victorian terrace. “So we left sections of the wall in place as columns, rather than trying to make completely open-plan areas,” he says.
“Not wanting a space that’s as big and open as you can get requires a bit of a change in mindset,” he continues. “But, actually, having more structure there can create different spaces and more interest internally that gives more character. It can also save money as well as saving carbon, so it’s a win-win-win.”
Check out more sustainable design ideas from this kitchen.
4. Add a counter
Galley kitchens don’t typically allow for seating spaces, but this design by Atelier Germain ditched the idea of having units on the left-hand wall, instead opting for a breakfast bar. It’s made the perfect perch for friends and family while the homeowner cooks, and can double up as somewhere to sit and eat or prepare food.
Find the perfect pro for your renovation in the Houzz Professionals Directory and read reviews from previous clients.
Galley kitchens don’t typically allow for seating spaces, but this design by Atelier Germain ditched the idea of having units on the left-hand wall, instead opting for a breakfast bar. It’s made the perfect perch for friends and family while the homeowner cooks, and can double up as somewhere to sit and eat or prepare food.
Find the perfect pro for your renovation in the Houzz Professionals Directory and read reviews from previous clients.
To make up for the reduced cupboard space on the left, the designers took units all the way to the ceiling on the right and included a full-height unit (seen in the previous photo). There’s also a wall-mounted microwave, saving on worktop space.
5. Opt for glass doors
Glazing is another way to connect a kitchen with adjacent spaces, both visually and socially. It can also make a space feel bigger by letting light flow freely.
In this 1980s coastal home upgrade, designer Kate Whitfield of An Artful Life chose white aluminium-framed glazed doors to open up the first floor kitchen on two sides of the room. The doors seen here lead into a dining area.
Glazing is another way to connect a kitchen with adjacent spaces, both visually and socially. It can also make a space feel bigger by letting light flow freely.
In this 1980s coastal home upgrade, designer Kate Whitfield of An Artful Life chose white aluminium-framed glazed doors to open up the first floor kitchen on two sides of the room. The doors seen here lead into a dining area.
On the other side, the doors open onto an airy landing, which has further doors onto a large balcony (just seen on the left).
Nose around the rest of this home’s midcentury upgrade.
Tell us…
Which of these ideas might work for your kitchen renovation? Share your plans and favourites in the Comments.
Nose around the rest of this home’s midcentury upgrade.
Tell us…
Which of these ideas might work for your kitchen renovation? Share your plans and favourites in the Comments.
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The kitchen in this Cornish cottage, designed by Lydia Allen Interiors, shows how to turn a square, U-shaped kitchen into a broken-plan kitchen-diner where several people can comfortably sit for a meal or drinks while food prep is underway.
Check out the bottom left-hand corner for a glimpse of the dining table, then scroll down to see Lydia’s brilliant use of space.