Kitchen to living room opening
29 Open Kitchen Designs with Living Room
In this gallery you’ll find beautiful open kitchen designs with living room including ideas for paint, finishes and decor.
Homes & apartments with open plan design continues to be popular, especially among new developments. Such layout is favored because it helps save space and gives a lighter feel to the space. Open plan layouts are often applied on common areas, such as the living room, dining room & kitchen for residential properties.
People usually have different reasons for favoring open layouts. The living room & the kitchen are not often placed adjacent to each other, as the dining area is usually the one placed adjacent to the kitchen. Placing it right by the living area does have it’s advantages though, most especially if you love multitasking & entertaining your guests.
An open plan living room allows you to see what is happening in the living area while preparing food (or perhaps watch tv while cooking) and also allows easy access & communication with the people in the room, making it perfect for entertaining guests.
Paint Ideas for Open Living Room and Kitchen
When deciding on a paint color for your open living room & kitchen, keep in mind that it should be able to tie together the two spaces without seeming over repetitive. It should be able to match or complement the colors used both the living room and the kitchen.
To get the right balance carefully consider the big picture to create a cohesive design. For a balanced design flow you will want to bring a little of each color from one room to the next. To learn more about the best kitchen paint colors take a look at this page.
For suggestions try playing with different shades of white, taupe and warm colors, as they are generally easy to match with any style. You can also use neutrals like gray for more contemporary looks, or light brown shades for a warm and cozy feel.
Try using colors of different intensities from the same color palette. The use of a color wheel can help you find complementary color schemes that will have a pleasing effect.
For example shades of blues and greens often work well together.
This lovely country style kitchen takes full advantage of the open layout, connecting the kitchen, dining as well as the living area. Warm colors & finishes gives it a romantically antique feel. The cream kitchen cabinets match the room’s furniture and decor to provide an inviting ambiance.
Decorating Open Floor Plan Living Room and Kitchen
There are many fun ways you can decorate and style your open kitchen and living room. Just keep in mind to avoid blocking views in order to maintain good visibility in both spaces.
- Play with textures – use textured finishes on some walls such as the backsplash or the fireplace. A subtle change in texture goes a long way and helps keep your design from feeling bland.
- Contrast the primary color found on your room’s walls and floors (primary color) with color accents (secondary color) to provide a pleasing scale in your design.
- Add pendant lamps – unique pendant lamps instantly add more style and personality to your design. This especially looks good when placed above an island counter.
- Add plants – instantly add life to any space by adding live plants and flowers. Not only would it make your space look more alive, but it also helps clean the air!
- Make sure you have adequate lighting and create focal points on accents such as built-ins, artwork or areas of contrasting color to create visual interest.
Below are excellent examples of open living room and kitchens you can take inspiration from.
Classic French style cabinets in a powder blue and white creates a light and refreshing atmosphere. Brick-clad fireplace and wooden beams add texture and depth to the design.
Limited space made using white food the kitchen cabinets the most practical choice.
The kitchen is placed perpendicular to the living area, using the console tale and the sofa top separate the two spaces workout completely blocking it from one another.
The kitchen is the main feature of this open layout as it occupies most of the space. The sofa faces the kitchen island counters to facilitate entertaining.
Open Floor Plan Kitchen Living Room and Dining Room
Open plan dining room and kitchen is more common as making them directly connected/share the space is more practical. The efficiency of serving the food just right after you have prepared it makes it an ideal choice for families and those who like to interact with guests. It is definitely the ideal layout for multi-taskers.
This kitchen is a great place to entertain guests with a wide open concept with plenty of space. Adding that bright orange modern bench adds a nice pop of color and a more refreshing vibe to this sleek kitchen design.
A long kitchen peninsula facing the living room with a stainless steel cooktop provides plenty of work space for meal preparation.
This contemporary kitchen features a large open plan design that reaches in to the dining area and living room. The room has beautiful light oak flooring that ties it all together and looks great paired with the kitchen’s white cabinetry and marble countertops.
This open plan kitchen is directly accessible to both the dining area and the living area, making it an ideal space for families who enjoy food preparation together. This also helps make the space feel bigger, as less partitions creates the illusion of a bigger space.
High ceiling gives this kitchen and dining area a spacious feel despite its small floor area. The kitchen is a sleek combination of dark wengue cabinets and marble countertop, while the dining area is a simple 6-seater round glass table, making it an ideal breakfast area.
With a very limited floor area available, adapting an open layout for the kitchen, dining and living areas is the most ideal arrangement. Instead of a separate dining area, the kitchen island also doubles as the dining table, enabling the design to maintain a sleek and minimalist feel, with large open areas.
The use of glossy white kitchen cabinets helps make the space look bright and very modern, to match the over-all concept of the space. The living area is directly accessible from the kitchen, and the TV is even visible from the cooking area, allowing you to multi-task.
An illusion of division is created using a series of door frames in this classic style kitchen design. The illusion allows you to have a sense of privacy in the kitchen, while at the same time, maintain the open layout as everything in the kitchen is still easily visible. This type of design is often the result of necessity as the support beams may be costly to remove during an open concept remodel.
If you want to maintain a definite separation between spaces, yet don’t want to use a full division, using a higher counter to divide the kitchen between the living area is a good design solution. This allows you to create a demarcation between the two spaces, while maintaining enough visibility and easy access between the two spaces.
Using all white for the kitchen helps balance-out the dark brown color used on the flooring, while also bringing your attention towards the kitchen area.
Marble continues to be a popular material choice for its classic appeal and versatility. It instantly adds a more sophisticated & luxurious feel to any space. In this case, marble was used on both the kitchen and the living area, tying up the look of the two spaces. The golden maple cabinets adds a warm touch to the overall feel of the space.
Structural limitations sometimes hinder on creating a completely open layout, but you can always find ways to work around it.
This dining and kitchen for example, uses a large opening between the kitchen and dining to help achieve the look and feel of an open layout.
The small floor area makes an open plan necessary for spaces such as this example. With careful planning, it was successfully able to create an open layout that combines the kitchen, dining and living areas. It also maintains a cohesive look, featuring classic style furniture and cabinetry.
Elegance with a touch of rustic appeal is the main charm of this open layout kitchen. Classic French style architecture and matching furniture pieces, combined with classic-inspired kitchen cabinets and lighting makes this design look refreshingly classy.
Modern with baroque inspirations, this contemporary kitchen and living area is a gorgeous example of open plan kitchen & living rooms. The amount of natural light and the tasteful finishes used on the floors, walls and ceiling not only add to the beauty of the space, but also help tie up the design/overall look.
By exposing the solid beams and trusses on the ceiling, the space not only adds a more open feel to the space, but also gives it more personality. Soft cornflower blue kitchen cabinets gives a light and refreshing feel to the mainly warm-toned color scheme.
Another great example of an open layout with a clear space demarcation. This kitchen uses kitchen counters to separate the kitchen between the other areas, while still maintaining an open layout.
Many apartment and condo owners are faced with how to design a smaller space that provides for the kitchen, dining and living room. This contemporary kitchen offers an open concept with breakfast bar island adjacent to the living room with a sectional couch.
Open Concept Kitchen & Living Room in a Small Space
Small spaces benefit the most in open layout concepts. There are, of course limitations and challenges depending on the floor plan your are working on, but once you find a way to work around the limited space, the open space layout’s benefits would definitely outweigh its cons.
Smaller spaces would need a more careful planning and should keep in mind how you use the space in actual practice. The design should definitely make your life easier according to your routine/habits, or otherwise help improve your current practices.
For kitchens, modular kitchen cabinets is a great practical choice, as it allows flexibility and mobility. Because of the possibility of a limited counter space, do consider built-in appliances to help save space.
This apartment features a compact kitchen with peninsula and an open plan layout opening to the dining area and living room. Wood flooring tie the rooms together while decor such as the dining room’s area rug and the living room’s artwork help to designate each individual space.
This contemporary kitchen’s design allows the cook to face family and friends while preparing meals and looks out upon the main living space. A marble topped peninsula is ideal for families to eat on the go as well as for socializing and entertaining.
The gray and white kitchen design offers a neutral complimentary color palette that is attractive and sought after.
This apartment features a contemporary kitchen with modular cabinets that opens up to a small dining and living area. A large glass window allows plenty of natural light that is enhances by a variety of light fixtures such as the modern track lights, globe pendant floor lamp, recessed and under cabinet lighting.
This open plan kitchen opens to a small dining area and living room. The microwave oven is built-in with the overhead cabinets because of the very small countertop space left.
For small kitchens finding sufficient counter space can be a issue. Using a portable island is a great way to allow diners to eat-in the space and help the cook face outwards while keeping an eye of small children or entertaining guests. This wood topped portable kitchen island also has a countertop that hinges up providing even more space when needed.
Some layouts really don’t have the luxury of the space, so a more compact design is needed such as this. You can do away with a kitchen island if there is really no space for it, and try using sleek & compact appliances that fits your kitchen counters.
For even more open plan ideas visit our gallery of open concept kitchens.
Open Concept Kitchen and Living Room – 55 Designs & Ideas
If one takes a closer look at the historical evolution of kitchens, the most notable development is the circulation of purpose and the place of the kitchen premise in the house arrangement. From strictly functional space, usually staked on the back of the home or underneath all the other rooms on the underground level (if it is a big house or an old mansion) the kitchens become an attractive premise located at the heart of the house composition. Thanks to technological advances and clever architectural solutions for ventilation and space distribution nowadays the kitchens become a central piece of the design arrangement around which the daily lives revolve.
The open concept of the living zones in modern architecture and design places the modern kitchen into the center of the decor composition.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
For centuries the kitchen was strictly a work space. Often tucked in the back of the house, it had room for just the bare essentials. But a peek at many new kitchens today reveals a very different approach: the open concept kitchen at the heart of the home. Now people want the kitchen to be an active part of the family home, and open-concept kitchens are by far the more popular choice today.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
What is an Open Concept Kitchen?
Let’s take a look at the open floor plan of modern kitchens – what defines them, what are the main characteristics and variations of such an arrangement and what are the latest tendencies in contemporary kitchen design? The search of modern designers for fluid and free space flow, the need to combine the high quality of life with simplistic and elegant arrangement without sacrificing the functionality of purpose, leads to a variety of open plan living premise arraignment.
Most often, the kitchen zone – open and functional is linked to some kind of dining area – from simple bar arrangement to the classic dining table – chairs set. And usually, in the open floor concept, the dining area gives the symbolic border between the food preparation zone and the rest of the daily living space. But thanks to the infinite creativity of modern designers there is a great variety of approaches to arrange such a layout.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
The idea of an open concept kitchen is not at all unusual, especially in the case of modern and contemporary homes. Nowadays the tendency is to make the interior as fluid as possible and to simplify the structure and the decor as much as possible without sacrificing the functionality. It’s why eliminating the barrier between the kitchen and the social spaces, is a practical move. Most often, the kitchen is linked to the dining area and the two spaces are adjacent. The dining table usually becomes a buffer zone between the kitchen and the living/seating area.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
Pros & Cons of an Open Kitchen Layout
Why to choose and open floor design arrangement? The easiest way, when faced with choice, is to take a thorough look at the advantages and possible limitations of the task.
Image credit: Tseh Architectural Group
Advantages: Firstly, an open layout caries a great benefit for the social life of the family – no more isolation and compartmentalization of the food preparation process – all the inhabitants and their guest can participate fully not only in the consummation but in the process of preparation of the meal – even if it’s only as a company to the cook. So, opening the kitchen towards the rest of the living premises introduces a unity not only to the spatial arrangement but into the lives of the owners as well.
Image credit: Tamara Wibowo Architects
Apart from the social benefits of such layout, the feel of spaciousness, free movement and open space for the home is not to be underestimated.
With clever design arrangement, even a small home can appear big and spacious when a free flow is established between the main zones of living premises. And of course, the practical side of the free movement between the kitchen counter and oven to the dining area makes serving and picking up the table an easy and enjoyable task.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
Disadvantages: Some difficulties of open floor arrangement for the kitchen can come from the architectural challenge of removing walls, adding new plumbing and wiring if ones are not provided from the original architectural construct of your home.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
A small challenge can come from the lack of compartmentalization – open floor arrangement means a free migration of noises, smells and general chaos between the daily zones of your home. And finally the cost of remodeling your kitchen can be quite significant, alas, the kitchen is one of the most expensive spaces in one’s home – be prepared for that inconvenience as well.
So, if your mind is made up, let’s continue to explore the possibilities offered from modern design and innovative arrangements for your open plan project.
Open Concept Kitchen and Living Room Layouts
Image credit: Dröm Living
One Wall Modular Kitchen
This type of kitchen arrangement revolves around a one-wall setting that host different modules of kitchen appliances aiming for a linear configuration, which makes it the most simple and clear-lined way to compose a cooking corner into the open layout of the home. In this way, the kitchen zone in the open-plan configuration stays as a single space without defined borders between it and the rest of the living space.
Image credit: Fateeva Design
Here the inventive imagination of modern designers is searching for a flexible, colorful and practical arrangement of the different kitchen units (from the fridge to the sink) so to suit the owners needs and personal style in just one, straight line of working space.
Image credit: Daria Zinovatnaya
Galley Kitchen Layout
Taking its name from a ship configuration this type – the galley kitchen’s layout is arranged along the rear of the living space and like a ship’s galley is stretching lengthways as a corridor through the ship. And because the galleries represent a confined space, more or less by definition, the gallery kitchens are especially suitable for small homes or challenging premises.
Image credit: platau
Located between two parallel benches (cabinets, kitchen islands or another of your choosing modules from the kitchen appliances) this type of modern kitchen layout is, as a matter of fact, so efficient and easy to maneuver through that is very popular as a busy restaurant’s favored kitchen’s layout. In fact, they are efficient for working movements but not so much for social interaction – this type of arrangements usually do not include a dining corner or sit and chat area.
Image credit: A Fresh Touch Interiors
So, suitable for small apartments or large open premises – this type of modern kitchen arrangement can be quite fun: arranging the kitchen modules and utilizing the “speed track” between them in equal measures.
Image credit: A Fresh Touch Interiors
L-Shaped Modular Kitchen
The L-shaped modular kitchen is quite a popular layout especially when the kitchen adjoins another of the day-life living premises. This type of simple, yet effective kitchen configuration, offers a magnificent decor not only for functional cooking but also, with its open-end connection, brings dynamics for the social interactions of the home, as well.
Finishing the small stripe of the letter L – a shot kitchen unit serving as a cute breakfast – bar is also quite a popular choice. Offering comfort, practical distribution of space and enough countertops and cabinets to host all the necessary appliances of one’s kitchen – the L shaped configuration is a good, classic choice to go with.
Image credit: Shoko Design
The easy going and stylish dynamics of the L-shaped kitchen’s configuration offers a great variety of design choices one can go for. Careful planning of your kitchen, clever selection of modules for any particular configuration guarantees a functional distribution of space and enough storage and utility units to meet your needs.
L-shaped kitchens feature plenty of counter space, open end for easy connection with the rest of the living premises and enough inner space for kitchen work without going around or always bumping into something.
Image credit: Shoko Design
U-Shaped (Horseshoe) Kitchen
Almost as defining a room within a room, this functional and we may add – cozy kitchen arrangement is especially suitable for vast open plan layouts or if one desires a more cozy definition of the food preparation zone. In reality, the U-shaped kitchen configuration works equally well in small and large spaces, offering multiple cabinets and practical surface choices for the cook. Compactly arranging multiple modular kitchen pieces the U-shape configuration offers lots of countertop surface and well-organized storage spaces that are always close at hand. The other positive characteristic of such a configuration is that multiple cooks can use the space simultaneously without getting in each other’s ways.
Image credit: Interjero Architektūra
U-shaped modular kitchen configuration offers a very cozy expression of separate functions introducing a well-defined cooking corner within an open space layout. The three walls cladding with different kitchen modules, benches and countertops is not only very practical solution but is also a very welcoming one in the design configuration of the home. Seclusion, lots of counter space and efficiency in small or large homes are just some of the pluses for the U-shaped kitchen layout.
Image credit: Y Designs
Image credit: Y Designs
Image credit: Y Designs
G-Shaped (Peninsula) Kitchen
One may look at the G-shaped kitchen is an expansion of the U-shaped configuration – four walls of storage plus the benefit of an additional peninsula that can host more cabinetry or an inviting kitchen island bar. In reality, this kitchen arrangement can be viewed as an upgrade form other letter kitchen configurations, creating an optimum of open floor plan utilization of space.
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
An abundance of working areas – countertops, appliances and functional cabinetry all arrange around a singular center makes it very easy to operate, create meals and clean afterward without hanging off a mileage. Also, the increased countertop space of the G-shaped kitchen is reachable and usable during the entire cooking process. And the open end of the configuration still connects you with the rest of the social flow.
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
Open Kitchens With Island
Not limited in specific dimensions or shapes the kitchen island offers great diversity for personal style expression. The kitchen island concept is offering a countertop surface and storage unit that stands freely in the kitchen layout without being connected to the rest of the kitchen modules, providing the possibility for free movement around it, stylish dynamic and unique decor composition.
Image credit: Amitzi Architects
Such an arrangement can be easily incorporated in L-shaped, U-shaped or G-shaped kitchens, one wall kitchen or galley ones, or the beauty of it can form a functional kitchen space all by itself.
Image credit: Olga Akulova
The kitchen island becomes a very functional knack in the imaginative kitchen arrangement – it can offer an extra working, countertop surface, it can hosts sinks or other kitchen appliances, cabinetry and so on, or it can minimalistically offer only a dining – bar configuration. Either way, the kitchen island unit is always a stylish and usable choice that can help you define an extra working surface in for example L-shaped configuration, it can also help you to segment the kitchen into different zones, so that more than one person can work in the kitchen without any significant interference. Being flexible and stylish the island can be introduced in a large variety of kitchen’s layouts always caring a freestyle and dynamic element.
Image credit: Olga Akulova
Small Open Concept Kitchen
As we established already the open floor layout with its simplicity of structure and openness and ease of movement is quite trendy in contemporary design scene.
The link between kitchen, dining and living room premises is searched to be as fluid and flexible as possible in modern life dynamics so this type of configuration becomes frequently used by renowned designers and architects.
Image credit: French Quarter
In its essence eliminating the physical barrier between the social premises and the kitchens is a practical move – simpler shell – simpler movement – simpler life, so to say. And the good news is that such a configuration is entirely possible even for small homes and space-challenged urban dwellings. You do not need a grand scale architectural shell to achieve an easy, open layout for your daily life and social premises. Quite impressive and attractive results can be found in today’s’ design scene for small, open concept kitchens. Let’s take a look.
Image credit: Vaida Atkocaityte
Black Open Plan Kitchen
Deciding your kitchen in black is not so exotic and uncommon anymore. Actually, this strong color composition is quite trendy for such premises, especially in open plan kitchen arrangements for a bachelor’s pads – a very hot approach that gives a hint of row and untainted power.
Image credit: Toota
But not only – we have selected some pretty amazing examples for you ( in a wide range of styles; from rustic to ultra-modern and urban pads) in our article – Kitchen Design Trends 2018/2019 that show how a beautiful design composition can sit exceptionally well in black for your kitchen.
Image credit: Carter Williamson
As a matter of fact, the black compositions can be quite demanding and characteristic, and that’s the reason most house owners avoid the combination: black and kitchen. But with its dynamic and strong presence, the black selection is quite popular with bold designers, artistic circles, and more demanding clients searching for untypical luxury.
Image credit: Yo Dezeen
So here are some intriguing examples for you to take a look and get inspired. The very creative Ukrainian studio Yo Dezeen have some inspired projects in which the black is the dominating color when it comes of kitchen and the living room premises. Check them.
Image credit: Metaforma
White Open Plan Kitchen
Another polar choice is the white – here the designers and homeowners find a refuge (a classic one, we may add) from bold colors and strong combinations.
Image credit: Toota
Using an abundance of white elements and surfaces creates a feel of spaciousness and luminous ease so naturally, a lot of people prefer it.
Image credit: Kubikoo Estudio
White is a good color for opening up and lighting up the decor compositions – so it is especially applicable when there is a dynamic open plan kitchen composition but on a small scale even the tiniest premise can host enough modular surfaces without looking crowded if a light color combination and simplistic shapes are creatively applied.
Keep it Sweet and Simple
Golden rule to follow especially when it comes to small premises, which are the real challenge to design. We selected for you three different projects which demonstrate a very creative and adequate composition for limited space and open plan kitchen configuration.
Image credit: GDL Arquitetura
The white walls and general lightness of the backdrop and the color composition are an excellent base for the open plan composition. The entwinement of wooden surfaces, fresh green elements, and prevailing whiteness creates an ambiance of ease and freshens.
Image credit: Interurban
Soft and clear lined sitting arrangements combine exceptionally well with light colors and classic gray elements. This kind of simplicity opens the premises and carries a feel of purity and relaxation.
Image credit: Redeco
Incorporate Color
Just don’t be afraid to use color. Applied creatively and with a clever dash, they will give you a great advantage when composing your signature home decor. Lately, the pastel tonalities are so trendy that we encounter great examples of their creative usage not only in living rooms and bedrooms but also in unexpected kitchen compositions.
Image credit: FU-GE Design
The Millennial Pink is also not losing its hot ant trendy position, we encounter it quite often as a design color in trendy furniture design and upholstery, as a wall color or just as a decorative element.
Image credit: October
Different combinations of blue, orange or yellow can also be a winning composition for your kitchen space. They introduce certain mood and personal sentiment into one of the most practical premises of your home.
When it comes to kitchen and living room wallpaper ideas, murals are so popular right now and really express your personality. It can also be used to highlight a particular architectural feature such as a chimney breast or alcoves.
Image credit: Moneo Brock Studio
Let There Be Light
The mansard or mezzanine premise caries certain romantic spirit and coziness but it also can be quite a challenging space to design: the sloped roof, the exposed wooden beams, and the small windows can crowd and darken the space. But as any other challenge, an opportunity can be found here for the inventive and highly creative design spirits. Here are three examples of how such premises can be adequate to modern lifestyle and offer comfort and elegance thanks to the clever incorporation of light into the design compositions.
Image credit: Vipp
The modular kitchen by Vipp separates the open floor space into a food preparation zone, and a living premise and the designers use large windows with characteristic silhouettes to illuminate different elements of the decor. The light becomes a key factor of the design composition introducing comfort and functionality to the unusual space distribution.
Image credit: don’t DIY Studio
Using the light to create comfortable and welcoming ambiance gives you home certain appeal, elegance and unique character. The natural light gives a fresh and healthy glow to anything that touches including your food – so it is essential to have good natural light illumination in the food preparation zone. When working on the kitchen counter, it is clever to arrange the layout in such a manner that the light comes behind your shoulder and does not blind you in your face.
Image credit: Softdecor
As these examples show – using the light as an essential protagonist of the design arrangement will give you not only unique and expressive home, but it will also increase the productivity of your daily life premises, will introduce calm and ease into your decor composition and will ensure safe and comfortable environment.
Arranging the light so it can illuminate all of your activates – cooking, serving and consuming the food, cleaning, tidying or just relaxing – can be quite a challenge but it is totally worth it.
Image credit: Moloney Architects
Simple Color Palette
graffiti gray in combination with white and light beige accentuated by strong black elements is a very trendy and elegant combination nowadays. The Taiwanese studio 2BOOKS design present us with one very stylish and modern Zen – take on contemporary urban lifestyle.
Image credit: 2BOOKS design
Lacquered kitchen cabinets, a metal cladding of the kitchen island and strong graphic accents create expressive ambiance. The entwinement of the purity of the cray base and the warm accent of the beige upholstery and decor elements is also a winning combination.
Image credit: Studio Wills + Architects
Using pure and simple color combinations allows you to introduce bolder colors into your interior decor composition without making it heavy or crowded.
In the second project, the usage of untainted wood cladding and fresh green elements sits very well with the dynamic black of the kitchen modules. Dominant colors like blue or green are perfect for artistic and expressive urban dwellings and applied cleverly can open the space and offer unique ambiance for your kitchen experience.
Image credit: Fateeva Design
Indoor-Outdoor Appeal
creating a strong link between the outside nature and your open floor kitchen exposition can be winning design knack that brings serenity and unique character to your interior design project. Establishing a Natural Approach through openings, views, materials and design elements requires certain architectural pre-givings but bringing Nature into your home is always possible.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
Sitting in the border between indoor and outdoor premise this kitchen design project introduces a dining experience that makes a connection between home and nature through doors, structures and materials.
The fresh feel of the exposed concrete walls and rich tile flooring is balanced by the warmth of the wooden structures and their link with the lush green plants. This indoor-outdoor kitchen makes the connection through doors and through materials.
Image credit: Tamara Wibowo Architects
Using larger window openings, sliding glass doors or French doors is a good approach to create a strong link between the inside premises and the outside gardens and surroundings. Introducing abundance of natural light into the kitchen zone is always a plus. No to mention fresh air, natural ventilation and beautiful views.
Image credit: Carter Williamson
Family Friendly Kitchen
When talking about family-friendly space design that offers attractive, playful and practical at the same time layout in which all family members feel comfortable and safe the renowned Taiwanese studio HAO Design comes to mind. They playfully insert intriguing design elements (including LEGO inspired furniture pieces or trampolines) into the open layout of the kitchen-living room premise combo.
Image credit: HAO Design
The goal: the children to spend as much time as possible with their parents in a safe and loving environment is achieved by creating a light modern interior composition that incorporates, a play area – a climbing and sliding structures plus whimsical design details – into an elegant layout with an abundance of soft natural materials. Composing open, organic spaces that inspire children, as well as adults for creative activates, is quite a signature design touch.
Image credit: HAO Design
In today’s busy lifestyle such compositions in which children can freely play alongside the adult members of the families while they perform their daily activities is quite precious and stimulate us to observe the creative searches of modern designers towards family time premises.
Image credit: HAO Design
Divide Kitchen from Living Room
There are many elegant and creative ways to separate, or more precisely to signify the symbolic border between the kitchen and living room premises without actually creating different rooms with walls and doors.
One of the trendy approaches in modern design is to elevate one of the zones. Creating a layering to the open plan layout is a creative and dynamic approach that visually distinguishes the difference between purpose and aloes you to use different design combinations in one open space.
Image credit: FGR Architects
Another frequently used approach for separation between the food preparation zone and the living space in the open layout arrangement is the glass partition – a trendy and functional knack that, although visually do not separates – light and view still go through – gives a certain level of privacy between the two zones. Noises and smells are kept contained without disturbing the visual flow of the layout.
Image credit: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Image credit: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Using a sliding door or incorporated panel, that hides if necessary the kitchen and food preparation zone is also a popular option in modern design. Some luxurious projects use the strong textual and materials accents to “make disappear” the food preparation zone when not in use.
In this trendy and luxurious project, the continuity of the materials palette and the custom-made structures that entwine wood, marble and matt black surfaces helps the designers to melt the kitchen and hid it behind a sliding panel without visually disturbing the unity of the open floor plan.
Image credit: ONG&ONG
Image credit: ONG&ONG
Kitchen-not-kitchen: 10 ideas for integrating the kitchen into the living room
April 03, 2019
Back to all news
Never before has the kitchen played such an important role in the home. Whether you live in a small apartment or a large house, the idea is to combine the kitchen with an open plan living room - the only place dedicated to joyful moments that you will share with family and friends. Furniture with a diverse set of functions for the living room and kitchen is designed to harmoniously complement and emphasize each other, to be combined with each other. New designer kitchens are the result of this trend.
There are two approaches that fit the bill: the kitchen-no-kitchen, with precise design and aesthetic materials suitable for the living room, or the hidden kitchen, elegantly hidden and disappearing when not in use.
Complex destructured units
This open-plan kitchen has a sophisticated, inviting aesthetic that is the result of breaking down key functional areas. There are elegant floor-to-ceiling wardrobes with built-in appliances, a cooking area with Carrara marble top and a monolithic central island combined with a breakfast bar. They create an overall scheme that fits perfectly into the living room.
Prime kitchen designed by Dada Design 2018, Dada.
Fine materials
It is extremely important that you choose the right finish to integrate the kitchen into the living room. Refined materials and precise details, in harmony with the overall concept of the living room, turn the kitchen into an elegant masterpiece. Doors without handles are an example of elements worth paying attention to!
Hi-Line 6 Frame Door kitchen designed by Dada Design 2018, Dada.
Unconventional
Table and kitchen in one separate unit Air by Lago is perfect for a young dynamic home. Thanks to the round design, all guests gather around the hob built into the countertop. The material of the tabletop is white PuroTouch glass, which can be easily integrated into the living room.
Air kitchen designed by DanieleLago 2016, Lago.
Traditional
Traditional yet unconventional because it has no glass cabinets, the Carattere kitchen elegantly combines different incarnations. Part kitchen and part living room, thanks to large storage systems that can store everything you need, creates a neat and thoughtful overall result.
Carattere kitchen designed by Vuesse 2016, Scavolini.
Abstract and floating
For a more natural style with rustic undertones, this kitchen pairs natural oak base units with low-level cabinets in a variety of colors and materials that are completely incompatible with each other.
This unusual combination of materials and colors robs the kitchen of its most distinctive features.
Wildwood kitchen designed by Daniele Lago 2014, Lago.
Kitchen-not-kitchen
In an attempt to eliminate one of the main characteristics of the kitchen (many items on display, each one different from the other), the Qi kitchen by Nendo for Scavolini minimizes it to two components: cabinets with wooden shelves and white cabinets.
Qi kitchen designed by Nendo 2016 by Scavolini.
Cabin kitchen
If you prefer the hidden kitchen to blend in with the living room and not be exposed, you can hide it in a closet by opting for a design with translucent doors and soft lighting in the background.
Inside System kitchen designed by Giuseppe Bavuso 2018, Ernestomeda.
Magic Apron
Every chef dreams of having a fully equipped vanity tile so that everything you need is within reach. To integrate it into the living room and put away all the tools with the inevitable clutter, Valcucine has invented the new Logica system, designed with an extremely refined closing mechanism.
Artematica Vitrum kitchen in concrete gray glass designed by Gabriele Centazzo 2018, Valcucine.
Fully closed
With the new Logica system, you can lower the protective cover to the level of the countertop, including the faucet. Quiet and light doors tilt upwards, while those that slide downwards open and close gently, making the kitchen disappear completely.
Artematica Vitrum kitchen in gray concrete glass designed by Gabriele Centazzo 2018, Valcucine
Hidden kitchen
A simple hand movement is all it takes to open the door and turn on the faucet and lights at the same time. Like a conductor, you set the whole kitchen in motion and with the same grace you close it so that it becomes a living room.
Genius Loci Verde Oceanico kitchen with V-Motion system designed by Gabriele Centazzo 2018, Valcucine.
Kitchen-living room with an island: 20 real examples in photo
The island in the kitchen is the dream of many owners of large footage.
Not surprisingly, such a solution is attractive: it helps to organize space and gives additional storage space for kitchen accessories. On such an island you can even take out the hob and make room at the sink for food processing. Or replay everything quite the opposite.
Usually the island is made in the kitchen combined with the living room, because in such a space there is more space.
Pluses of the island on kitchen-living room
The functional component assumes that the cooking the island can be used as a place for a dishwasher or washing machine, ovens, etc.
- The division of space by object is an interesting design move. No walls are needed if the island visually draws a line between living room and kitchen.
- The island in the kitchen is a stylish solution. This is a new approach to organization of space: the islands began to appear relatively recently and already managed to make a splash in the design community.
- Ease of use cannot be put in the last place. An island in the kitchen is also a place where you can comfortably sit with a company or wait for someone else to cook food (which is always nice, truth?).
- The increase in capacity will be a pleasant discovery. Now the kitchen will definitely fit that set of pots donated by relatives on wedding, or a juicer that is taken out of the closet only on holidays.
Cons of the island on kitchen-living room
Less minuses than advantages, but they are also important to take into account.
- understand that he still cannot replace a full-fledged dining table. Quicker in total, bar stools will be located near it, but they are still not so comfortable, like soft chairs at a small height from the floor.
- For small rooms, the island will immediately say “bye” - its dimensions start at two meters. Actually, that's why you have to combine the kitchen and living room.
- And the icing on the cake: the island is fraught with difficulties for conducting communications - gasification and water.
Island dimensions in kitchen-living room
Designers warn: for comfortable maneuvering along kitchen, the distance between the island and the other set must be at least one meters. Otherwise, you will have to bump into all corners and it will be inconvenient to open cabinets and boxes.
- The optimal height of the worktop from the floor for work is about a meter.
- The shape of the tabletop is not particularly adjustable, it can be the way the owners like it:
- Rectangle and square. This is the most common a shape that helps distribute space so ergonomically that it fits as many storage spaces as possible.
- Angle . Very popular in small kitchen-living rooms where you need divide the room into thematic spaces
- Semicircle .
This form is suitable only for large kitchen-living rooms, where you will definitely find where to roam. It is usually found in private houses and cottages. - Circle . These islands are usually ordered by people who have houses have a small child. With such furniture, he definitely will not beat on sharp corners.
- Miscellaneous . Super thoughtful option when part where prepare food, is lower, and the dining part is higher. So splashes are not enter the dining area.
Island material
There are certain materials that are most suitable for creating islands for kitchen-living rooms:
Chipboard. This is the most budget option, however, it cannot be said that it is much inferior in quality natural materials. Modern technology has given it strength and wear resistance. There are many colors on the market to suit any interior.
Stainless steel. Strong and durable, but you will have to take care of it carefully, as well as on such streaks remain on the coating.
Wood. This material is available, but the choice of textures and colors on the market is very limited. Will be a salvation eco lovers.
Artificial stone. Option for premium kitchens. It looks luxurious, but it also has its downsides. The stumbling block is that it is easy to leave on its surface scratch.
Island in different styles
The island in the kitchen-living room can be placed in various interiors regardless of design. It will be styled differently on different occasions, but fit into any solution.
Classic Island
Classic is natural wood, decor and massive elements. Symmetry must be maintained, which is best achieved corner or U-shaped layout of the island.
Countertop available in artificial or natural stone. The second is more durable, but it is very heavy and if carelessly use chips are inevitable. Artificial stone is more fragile, but at the same time looks as majestic as natural.
Loft island
The layout of the kitchen-living room is ideal for a loft style that loves freedom and despises walls.
It is not necessary to make the island the same color as the kitchen island headset, it may well become an accent element of the interior. Raw wood and metal are the best options for a loft island.
Art Nouveau Island
In Art Nouveau style, a technological approach and a minimalist kitchen are important. Storage systems are maximally structured and easy to use use. The base is a monochrome combination of white and black, as well as gray and beige. The accents are bright colors.
Island style high-tech
A high-tech kitchen is a lot of chrome elements, acrylic facades and gloss. All this makes the room look like space ship.
Hi-tech is cutting-edge style, so he loves it when everything is furnished with the latest technology.
The table top is often made glass or metal.
Island in Provence style
Kitchen-living room in bright colors and cute decor and textiles are the perfect combination for this interior. Wood has become the main material here. It is better to make the island open so that all the shelves are in sight. If you want privacy, you can hang curtains on them.
A whitewashed wood or artificial stone top looks especially good. You can decorate the base with decoupage.
Country style island
Solid wood will be the base country. No need to think about the careful processing of wood - in natural looks like it fits perfectly.
Island color in kitchen-living room
As a rule, the color of the suite and the island is identical. This relieves headaches about the combination of shades. But the island can become an accent, for example, in a kitchen decorated in beige tones.
