Open-concept kitchens are popular now, and if you're designing one for your home, there are various things to think about. Besides it having to look super stylish (since it is open and everything is on show), it should be functional and efficient, too.
See in the following slides some design ideas and tips to keep in mind, when planning your open-concept kitchen.
1. Kitchen islands are great for zoning an open cook space, and also providing an additional worktop, but make sure you cater for enough clearances for the passages (here there are passages on either side of the island counter), especially if your kitchen is also a thoroughfare.
Design: PIU Design
2. If you do heavy cooking, you might want to think twice about a totally open concept, as grease and smells will permeate to the rest of your home. You can still achieve the open-concept look, with doors or partitions that allow you to open or close up the space — like sliding doors with glass panels shown here.
Design: The Scientist
3. When in full view (and scrutiny), it is probably better to go with an indunction hob, aesthetics-wise. But make sure you're clued in about the various types of hobs to determine which type is most suitable for you and your space first.
Design: Collective Designs
4. Consider a hideaway kitchen with panels that allow you to conceal worktops and appliances when not in use. Great especially if you seldom cook.
Design: Habit
5. The design of this compact gallery kitchen (see other types of kitchen layouts here) makes efficient use of vertical space by accommodating storage in various ways — cabinets and open shelving — while still maintaining the openess.
Design: J+A Design
6. If you really want the open-concept kitchen look, but your kitchen is tucked away and separate from the rest of your home, you can visually extend it out of its original footprint by installing counters just in front of it. And the area can function as a breakfast or bar counter (see ideas of types of counters here) or even a work area or pantry.
Design: Shen Interior Design
7. If you are going to spend lots of money to make sure your open-concept kitchen looks amazing, you might as well combine your dining area
Design: The Scientist
If your dining area is integrated into your open-concept kitchen, you might want to customise your island counter such that the dining table is also part of it (see some design ideas here). It not only minimises the bulk, but you get an extended worktop surface, too.