The concept of an open-plan kitchen isn’t a new one, however, as styles and trends progress, there are countless ways to create a bespoke approach to open-plan living that blends unique style with functional dining and living spaces.
At J.S. Geddes, we have extensive experience in delivering custom kitchen designs that utilise open-plan layouts that bring together all aspects of the kitchen, living and dining space to create a communal hub at the heart of your home.
The Benefits of Open-Plan Living
Open-plan layouts offer a practical way to blend the functional requirements of kitchen design with the multi-functional space required for living and dining areas.
1. Effortless Integration Solutions
Combining a living space and dining area presents countless opportunities to prioritise everything from storage space and practical lighting to integrated appliances and a dedicated cooking zone.
2. An Optimum Choice for Small Homes
An open floor plan kitchen can be efficiently used in smaller layouts by seamlessly integrating with the rest of the home, creating an illusion of a large space within a limited area.
3. Enhanced Entertaining Options
With a multipurpose kitchen and dining room, entertaining opportunities can be created with a multipurpose space that’s perfect for cooking, dining and hosting.
4. Bespoke Design Ideas
With multiple open-plan layout options to take advantage of, your custom design can offer exactly what you need, whether you enjoy cooking, hosting a dinner party or relaxing in a social space.
Designing an Open-Plan Living Space and Dining Area
Creating a luxury kitchen and dining area that elevates your home requires insight into what you need from the space and how you’ll use it. Focal centre pieces in floating ovens can provide a talking point for all guests, whilst a bespoke seating area provides an open-plan space that is unique to the homeowner and their goals. At J.S. Geddes, our team will work with you to plan every stage of your living space to ensure your expectations are consistently exceeded.
Defining Your Goals
Before beginning any kitchen design, it’s crucial to define your goals for the area. Researching varying open-plan kitchen ideas will begin to inspire creativity, helping you decide whether a contemporary style or a more traditional choice is perfect for your home.
Taking time to consider who will be using the space will be key in creating a living and dining space that is perfect for your home. Culinary enthusiasts will benefit from a dedicated cooking area featuring integrated appliances, providing excellent performance and lifelong quality from leading luxury brands. Seamlessly blending into kitchen cupboard styles and shelves, bulky appliances can be concealed with mindful design choices that prioritise more space and extra storage.
For eager entertainers, open-plan dining and living spaces offer an uninterrupted flow from dining room to kitchen, providing distinct ‘zones’ without separating these with walls or architectural features. Complemented with an expanse of natural light within the extended area, your new open-plan area can truly showcase your personality as you host family and friends in your stunningly designed space.
Identifying Your Essentials
Your new kitchen and dining area should encapsulate the functional requirements of the space, but should also deliver on all aspects of your dream open-plan space. As you begin your design journey, identify non-negotiable elements of your new open-plan kitchen that will elevate the everyday.
Is wood flooring the only option when it comes to building your new space from the ground up?
Is a breakfast bar what you envision when you picture your new kitchen and dining room?
Is increasing your home’s resale value a priority?
Your new kitchen and dining room should provide a finished product that looks stunning, is ergonomically correct within your home and surpasses all of your expectations.
Selecting a Timeless Style
Kitchen ideas from various interior designers will undoubtedly focus on different styles, however, it’s important to consider if a current on-trend option is the correct choice for your home.
Like any art form, interior design changes with current trends and styles, meaning what’s in vogue when you build your new kitchen is quickly outdated with an updated visual style.
To ensure a timeless space, our team ensures that each open-plan kitchen we create is completely unique. All elements of the open plan layout are carefully considered and built around the space set up, frequent use cases and, most importantly, the people who will be using the area.
Our range of collections includes Poggenpohl, Callerton and our very own Geddes Collection, each offering a unique take on open-plan kitchen ideas that will elevate your spec with specialist design choices and integrated appliances that will match your lifestyle.
Open Plan Kitchen and Dining Area Ideas
With a firm understanding of the necessities your new space should provide, it’s essential to explore new ideas and concepts that can provide an enhanced fresh visual appeal for your open-plan kitchen. Our extensive experience in delivering living spaces that enhance the homes of our clients has instilled in us incomparable industry knowledge and visions that elevate the visual and functional capabilities of any kitchen and dining area.
Consider a Galley Kitchen
A galley kitchen layout is generally a narrow structure that is characterised by two parallel walls of kitchen cabinets. A galley kitchen is an ideal option for a compact space and can offer an alternative take on the traditional open-plan kitchen. Consider open shelving options for extra storage and display to help the space feel less constricted by cabinets and cupboards.
Introduce a Separate Utility Room
Whilst a utility space can absolutely be integrated into your open floor plan kitchen, it may be worth considering a separate room for solely this. If you’re a seasoned entertainer who wishes to treat guests to a memorable time, hiding appliances and functional tools in a utility room can be an efficient way to take advantage of additional storage.
Luxury Kitchen Appliances
Integrating your new space with premium stainless steel appliances can provide a truly elite cooking experience that will transform mealtimes and make entertaining a memorable event. As a supplier of industry-leading brands including Siemens, Miele and Gaggenau, modern technology can elevate your open-plan kitchen with elegant but functional equipment.
Explore a Broken-Plan Layout
As a contemporary twist on the traditional open-plan kitchen, a broken-plan style uses elements such as open shelving, breakfast bars or partial walls to break up an area into dedicated spaces, such as a cooking zone and an entertaining area. With a broken-plan design, an open layout can be maintained whilst still providing some level of distinction between a dining and living space.
Don’t Forget Good Lighting
The pairing of natural light with practical lighting in an open-plan kitchen is key when considering the kitchen design as a whole. A functional yet contemporary look can be created with the selection of appropriate task lighting for designated kitchen areas, such as pendant lighting to illuminate focal points with elegance.
Creative Kitchen Islands
A kitchen island can be a great idea for open-plan designs that are focused on cooking, socialising and entertaining. A central island can be used to house stainless steel appliances and kitchen units, whilst acting as both a space divider and a food prepping area, assisting with the natural flow of movement throughout the room. Any kitchen island is an excellent position as a central hub of an open-plan kitchen, often featuring pendant lighting to highlight the centre point of the room.
Examine Available Space
Depending on both the space and shape available for your open-plan kitchen, alternative structures may be explored to make the best use of the area. Working with an interior designer will allow you to plan any kitchen ideas around compact spaces or unique shapes. Compact spaces may benefit from open shelves or white cabinets to brighten and open the space, whereas larger rooms may be able to utilise two spaces more distinctly to create an individualised living area and kitchen.
Modern Technology Options
Out with the expected kitchen appliances, open-plan kitchens can allow for the creative use of modern technology for entertaining and lifestyle purposes. Integrated appliances can allow for watching TV from a designated seating area, paired with intuitive lighting such as dimmable LEDs to create a transformational entertaining experience.
Try Out a Breakfast Bar
If your space won’t accommodate a dedicated kitchen island, a breakfast bar can provide a similar offering for small spaces that will benefit from an open-plan design. Breakfast bars offer an informal alternative to a traditional dining table for eating and entertaining, often found in compact spaces that may have only a single wall architectural space to utilise.
Your Open-Plan Kitchen
No matter the route you select for your open-plan kitchen, following the above process and recommendations will undoubtedly result in a space that you are bound to fall in love with. Premium kitchen design is an opportunity to showcase your personality through specialised design ideas and create a space that provides a truly unique match for your lifestyle.
Explore an Open-Plan Kitchen with J.S. Geddes
Our award-winning background in kitchen design provides us with the inspiration and ideation required to create a truly unique open-plan kitchen built exactly for your space. Our state-of-the-art Ayrshire showroom displays our range of previous experience, from warm tones and white cabinets to minimalist modern design techniques.
Quick Answers
An open-plan layout can be an ideal choice for those who enjoy entertaining or hosting parties and gatherings. The free-flowing space offered by an open-plan kitchen can offer a unique feel that provides a contemporary reception area that’s unlimited by a traditional kitchen setup and structure.
An open-plan kitchen may also potentially raise the value of your property, offering a premium living area and dining space that can enhance the quality of your home.
Thanks to modern interior design techniques and processes, open-plan kitchen ideas can be utilised throughout homes of varying sizes and shapes. Smaller spaces can benefit from a consolidated kitchen and living area with intelligent design concepts, whereas larger homes can take advantage of extensive design elements such as a kitchen island, integrated appliances and stylish kitchen units that elevate any given space. An open floor plan kitchen can take advantage of natural light and make even the most compact of rooms feel grand and luxurious.
The layout of an open-plan kitchen design can be shaped around your available space and the current structure of your home. Some kitchen ideas will feature an expansive space, including multiple kitchen units and a kitchen island, whereas smaller spaces may utilise a one-wall kitchen design that will require less room to deliver equally stunning results.
Some open-plan kitchens may choose to feature a contemporary ‘dining nook’ or breakfast bar, rather than a traditional dining table, whilst others may adhere to more conventional styles with closed kitchen units.