The open kitchen concept has been the subject of much debate. Some love it for making their home feel more spacious and airy, while others hate it because, well, for the same exact reason; they prefer homes with well-defined areas and secret places.
But in space-starved Singapore, an open kitchen plan makes a lot of sense. Most of us are trying to maximise every single inch of our HDB flats, and open kitchens really help with that.
If you’re still on the fence about changing your traditional kitchen into an open one, it’s good to know that renovating your kitchen is one of the few types of home renovation investments that gives a return – sometimes by up to 80%.
Rather than wring your hands forever trying to find the perfect layout, an open kitchen could solve your most basic concern. If you rearrange things for an open kitchen, you might find that you’ll enjoy cooking and eating a whole lot more.
Benefits of an Open Kitchen Concept
Here are more benefits of having an open kitchen:
1. Room to Cook
If you love to cook, it’s important to have enough room to move around your kitchen. A serious chef will be running a few different dishes or sauces simultaneously and will need room to get around. With an open plan, you can make sure there’s plenty of space to cook the way you like to.
If you’ve got kids who like to help while you’re in the kitchen, you can set them up at different stations doing different work. One can wash all the veggies while another slices up garlic. Meanwhile, you can man the burners and still have plenty of room to get around without bumping into one another.
2. Entertain While You Cook
Just because you’re responsible for preparing all the delicious food doesn’t mean that you need to remain isolated in the kitchen. With an open kitchen, you can keep an eye out on the kids while making dinner, something that you can’t with a closed kitchen.
On special occasions such as Christmas Eve or other family get-togethers, you can entertain your guests while preparing meals. This makes cooking more fun and inclusive.
3. Rearrange Spaces for Parties
For families who love to host get-togethers, an open kitchen allows you to rearrange the space as needed. Kids can be sat in the corner, an impromptu bar can be set up, and a dessert table can be added.
Open concepts allow for flexibility and adapting to changing situations.
Let’s say that half of your guests didn’t follow protocol and showed up with a plus-one. Thanks to your open concept kitchen, you can shift things around in a jiffy and make space for them. There’s no need to worry about who shows up when your open kitchen can accommodate everyone.
If you choose big quartz or granite countertops, you won’t be worried whether they’ll survive.
4. Let the Kids Go Wild
Kids love to hang around the kitchen and are hungry to learn how to do things on their own. By showing your kids how to do a few things around the kitchen, you can foster independence and build their confidence.
Give them a simple pancake recipe to make on a Sunday morning. Supervise them along the way but try to get away with just giving them the recipe. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Families with dogs and other pets might find that they love to run around the kitchen. Giving them enough space to move around and between people will be fun for them.
An Open Kitchen Offers Infinite Flexibility
When you choose to build an open kitchen, you’re opening your kitchen up to being everything you’ve ever wanted and more. You no longer have to worry about deciding what goes where and whether or not this or that element really fits your style. You’ll know that all the changes you make will total up to something that has infinite flexibility.
Before you start your kitchen renovations, check out our guide for ways you can lower the costs.
