Open Concept vs. Closed Kitchen Design: Which is Better?

If you watch remodeling shows, you might already know about the term “open concept.” It’s used most frequently when it comes to kitchens. However, you may hear it in relation to other rooms in a house.

Remodeling services offered by professionals usually include ways you can update the rooms in your house, provided you have the money. You can remodel virtually any room if you feel like it is outdated or it’s not meeting your family’s needs.

Kitchens and bathrooms are two areas that people frequently want to remodel. Having an older kitchen or bathroom can be a pain, especially if you have one that was originally built in the earlier half of the 20th century or before that.

In this article, we’ll focus on the kitchen. In particular, we’ll focus on “open concept” and so-called “closed” kitchens. There are definitely viable reasons for wanting to go with either design. It is worth thinking about it carefully before you spend thousands of dollars changing this vital part of your living space.

What Does “Open Concept” Mean?

The term “open concept” when referring to kitchens is not something that is completely agreed upon by every home designer or remodeler. However, speaking in the most basic of terms, you could define it as a kitchen that does not have any noticeable barriers either in the kitchen itself or in the surrounding areas.

Another way to describe it would be a kitchen where there is no wall that separates the prep or cooking space from the dining area. You could also describe it as a joint or combined kitchen and dining room.  

What About a “Closed” Kitchen?

This is a stark contrast to a closed kitchen, which could broadly be defined as a kitchen area that is separated by walls from the rest of the house, most notably the dining area or living room. You might also expect a doorway or even a shutting door to lead into the kitchen. Nothing like that will be in evidence with an open kitchen design.

The idea there is to keep the kitchen as its own space. The dining or living room might be viewable from the kitchen, but more often, they will not be.

Often, you will see closed kitchens in older-model homes. Many Colonial style houses have them, as well as most Victorians. Even some more modern designs, such as Cape Cods, ranch-style homes, raised ranches, or split-level homes, will often feature a closed kitchen concept.  

What Are Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Concept Kitchens?

It would be almost impossible to say that a closed or open kitchen concept is superior. It’s really more a matter of preference than anything else. Just as one person might like a particular architectural style of home or have a preferred way of decorating it, that same individual might have an affinity for a closed or open-style kitchen.

Most people who appreciate open concept kitchens like the idea of the kitchen space merging into the dining room, living room, or sometimes even a breakfast nook. They might fancy the notion of cooking in the kitchen while having a conversation with some individuals who are sitting in the dining room or living room having cocktails or eating snacks.

If you’re someone who likes dinner parties, but you don’t want to feel isolated from your guests while you cook, this style might appeal to you. You can take part in the discussion while you prepare the meal, and the guests can compliment you on your cooking techniques and the delicious smells coming from what essentially amounts to the same room.

The same thing that some people like about the open kitchen concept can be precisely what others don’t care for about it. Some cooks prefer to do their food prep away from guests. They may only want the food to come out when it’s ready. If they’re in a marriage or relationship, they might want their spouse or partner to entertain the guests in another room until such time as the food is ready for consumption.  

What About Pros and Cons of Closed Ones?

A closed kitchen gives you more privacy. You can cook there on your own without anyone coming in and disturbing you. That way, you can focus on your food prep without having to make conversation.

If you don’t like feeling isolated while you’re cooking, then you might want the open concept instead. That way, you can feel like you’re part of the gathering even when you’re preparing the meal. You can chime in any time you feel like making a comment, or you might enlist someone’s help if you need a hand chopping vegetables or you have some similar task for which you need an extra pair of hands.

Which One is Better for Your Particular Situation?

Much like many other rooms in the house, you want the kitchen to be a place where you feel comfortable. Many individuals feel that the kitchen is the nerve center of the house, even more than the dining room, den, or living room. It is there from which the food comes, and humans need sustenance. The source of all those memorable meals should be a place where whoever cooks in the house feels at home.

The idea of the open concept kitchen is a more modern one. That’s why you see so many homeowners ask for it in shows where the hosts redesign an old or out-of-date living space. However, what one homeowner likes, another might not.

If you decide you’re going to dedicate thousands of dollars into making a closed kitchen into an open concept one, know that your house will probably appeal more to some buyers because of it but less to certain others. Someone who likes more traditional kitchen designs might balk when they see an open concept kitchen.

Still, the average homeowner will do some redesigning with their use in mind rather than that of the next owner when it comes time to sell.