It doesn’t matter whether your house is large or small, there are two things that can really help you to make the most of the space you have: open concept kitchen ideas or expanding you outdoor living area.
Open Plan
An open concept kitchen and even an entirely open plan house will increase the space you have available and your ability to talk to family and friends even when preparing food.
An open plan house can make the house seem much larger and an open concept kitchen can make it easy to move around and get your culinary jobs done.
Go Outside
The other way to boost you available space is to go outside. Of course, you do this in the warmer months. But, changing the exit of your home really helps make you feel like it’s outside even when you’re inside. That will make your home feel larger.
Any outside space should have a large enough area to entertain or relax and including outdoor kitchens makes it much easier to be part of the party while preparing the food.
Unfortunately, knocking walls down in your home to create an open plan effect is not always possible, but making your kitchen open concept to maximize the flow of the kitchen is.
Here are some great ideas to get you started.
Skip The Dining Room Table
In fact, skip the dining room altogether. If possible encompass it into your kitchen, if not it’s an extra room for something else.
Instead of having a dining room which is mainly occupied by the dining room table, have a breakfast bar included in your kitchen space or install a separate island with enough space for 4-6 people to sit comfortably. This will be easier to keep clean, a better use of the space, and can look pretty good.
Fill A Wall
You’ll need to choose the wall at the back of your kitchen preferably one that doesn’t currently have windows. You can then fill this wall with custom-made cabinets. Choose stylish modern ones that hide all the appliances and provide plenty of storage space. This will become the main units in your kitchen and will ensure that the kitchen feels more open thanks to the fact that the remaining units will be low level.
Create A Low Barrier
Even an open plan home needs a little definition. It’s a good idea to create a low barrier between you and the rest of the house. This could be the kitchen island, a low stud wall with comfy chairs in front of it, or just a row of units. It defines the kitchen area, keeping people out while you’re preparing food but also allows you to face into the room and be part of whatever is going on.
Skip The Wall
Another great idea is to actually create the kitchen in the middle of the room, without any appliances or units touching walls. The simplest way to do this is to create a C or G shaped kitchen. This creates an easy to move around space that covers all your cooking needs. But, the beauty is that this can be positioned anywhere in your home, allowing you to transform the living arrangements and the way you use the space.