When an open kitchen floorplan becomes important.

When does an open kitchen floorplan become important?

Since kitchens often have the highest impact on a home’s livability and overall value, every design decision is important and every dollar invested has the potential to substantially increase resale value. One of the first decisions will be whether or not to go with an “Open Concept”.  Here is the guidance we provide to our customers about open kitchen floor plans: 

1. Your kitchen must provide for “Communication”. Well-designed kitchens have a sightline from the work area to the kitchen table. We call this “communication”. So, if the table you eat dinner at is on the other side of a wall, take down that wall. And create an open floor plan that will add value to your home..  
2. Smaller homes with two eating areas make less sense. If a home is small, a formal dining room and a kitchen table may be a poor allocation of space. Better to have an open kitchen and a single table with an island than two separate eating areas. Eliminating one table area can make room for a bar or an office that is a better use of the space.
3. When it comes to resale value, open concept is popular. If you are renovating a kitchen to sell a home, create the space people want first. Then splurge on expensive cabinetry or appliances.
4. Open kitchens are brighter. When a kitchen needs more light, removing a wall brings added light from each room to the other.
5. Your kitchen should not be landlocked.  If your kitchen is in the middle of your home and so “land locked”, opening up the spaces around it is an effective way to make your kitchen feel like the central room in the house.
6. An island or peninsula is not the only eating place in a well-designed kitchen. Imagine going to a restaurant and being told only bar seating is available for your party of four. Most people would wait for a table to open. An open kitchen is important if you don’t already have a table in the room. Not having a table to eat at in a kitchen devalues a home. 
7. Entertain often? We all know that people congregate in a home’s kitchen during parties. An open concept kitchen allows the party to expand into other areas around the kitchen and still feel like you are included.

The world becomes less formal as time goes by.

Because of this an open kitchen or what many people refer to as an “open concept” kitchen will stay popular. And the popularity of formal dining rooms will decrease as time goes by. Most importantly, the cost of removing a wall, even an internal load bearing wall, is not significant. Removing a wall costs less than upgrading just one appliance to a professional appliance like a Viking, Wolf, or Sub-Zero. So don’t spend your budget less effectively on expensive cabinetry or appliance upgrades if the kitchen design can improve.

Listen to a Better Call Paul podcast episode below:

Calls with Paul: The Kitchen Design Podcast. Episode 53 Thou hast better call Paul