Sometime in late ‘30s (yes, that’s a long time back), the kitchen design was reimagined thanks to visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright who founded the concept of Open Kitchens – a modern, airy take on the most important space of the house.
This fundamental shift in design not only had a positive effect on the overall aesthetics of the house but also brought about a lot of behavioural and cultural changes. It made the kitchen a lot more than just a space for cooking.
The island and peninsula (cooking counter) of the open kitchen layout, define the kitchen and delineate cooking zones with built in cooktops, hanging chimneys, sinks and prep stations for home chefs to indulge their passion for cooking. This layout also offers a community place for conversations, dining and even homework.
In India, we are starting to finally see wider adoption of the open kitchen style to either combat space challenges or to add a playful space to the home. The pandemic further influenced the need for open kitchen as more family members were now involved in the kitchen. We have seen many celebs turning into chefs, showing off their beautiful open kitchen layouts.
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Nidhi Vaish, Founder, Yellow Brick Road Designs offers some expert tips which will help you adopt this contemporary kitchen design with ease:
#1: Plan the island space
Multi-tasking as a prep station, dining table, entertainment/community table, the Island is the center piece of any open kitchen layout. It is a defining space that declutters the counters from one another and can also double up as a storage underneath for small appliances, utensils and crockery or can be used to place a built-in dishwashers or an oven, saving space.
Pro-tip: The distance between the island and peninsula should not be beyond 4 feet. This small yet adequate gap between counters allows the island to be a part of the ‘work triangle’ so your small appliances (toasters, mixer grinders), dishwashers are well within range from the cooking counter.
#2: Flat surfaces add more room
If you are looking for a sleek and streamlined kitchen, opt for built-in devices and keep the counters bare to ensure flat surface. An easy way to do this is to integrate wine-coolers and refrigerators behind the cabinet doors alongside the cooking counter. For cooking (and to ensure noise-free, smell-free venting), one can opt for a built-in venting hob which does not let the cat out of the bag! The Siemens Venting Cooktop comes with the design of the inductionAir System that reflects a deep understanding of the modern kitchen concepts: Cooktop and ventilation merge into one appliance that is both refined and eye-catching. Above all, the ventilation keeps in line with the design of the cooktop and its user interface: complex in its idea, yet simple in the execution.
Additionally, if you wish to have a chimney, you can opt for the falling chimney with LED lights, making it an art piece in itself. This layout will not make your kitchen look cramped and free up more floor and counter space to work on.
#3: Higher counters
If you do to continue cooking discretely while having an open layout, you should make the island counter higher. This helps block the view to those in the living room. Higher counters not only come with sleek designs but also save a lot of space. The breakfast counter can also act as a sort of room divider, separating the kitchen from the rest of the space. The height will also offer more storage space beneath so you can explore making a pull-out bar unit as well. Make sure to add chic high stools to liven up the high counter.
#4: Avoid over accessorizing
The whole idea of an open kitchen layout is to offer more space (even in a large house). It is the minimalism of the space that elevates the overall experience of the house. This means, one should avoid over accessorizing it with décor items like art pieces, etc. The best way to add a little pop is with placing some low-maintenance indoor plants and succulents, and by adding a pastel painting on side walls or hang a shelf above the island counter in case cooking is on the other counter. Just this much will do the trick!
#5: Separate out the pantry
One of the best ways to declutter the kitchen is to ensure that you create a small, side nook/ room or partition for pantry items. This way you will be able to continue to store your bulk items without anyone’s notice. A good trick is to make space for broom closet, dust bins to declutter your kitchen. Additionally, you can plan out crockery storage near the sink or a dishwasher as well.