Furnishing ideas for an open kitchen

What used to be simply functional and therefore hidden behind a door is now the eye-catcher in the home par excellence: the kitchen. The trend of combining the kitchen with the dining area and the living room in one room has not waned for years. But why do so many people follow this idea of an open-plan layout and combine the living room, kitchen and dining room in an open-plan living concept?

The advantages of an open-plan kitchen

An open-plan kitchen/living room has many advantages, which we present below.

The look of the room - few walls create an inviting atmosphere

First of all, an open-plan kitchen looks great. It creates a large space that is not interrupted by doors, partitions or other walls. It allows the living area and dining room to merge with the kitchen. This allows you to furnish and design a large living space in an open-plan way, without having to divide your home into individual areas and separate rooms. Instead of functionality, the focus here is clearly on the look of the room, which also gives you plenty of scope for design. An open-plan kitchen also saves space, which is particularly advantageous for small kitchens and a small living room.

From the open-plan kitchen, you have a view of the entire living area

A practical feature of an open-plan kitchen is that you can keep a close eye on what's going on in the living room even when you're cooking. This means you are undisturbed in the eat-in kitchen, but still have a constant view of your children. This saves you having to run around between two different rooms.

But the open kitchen is also inviting and practical away from the children, who play alone in the living area. When cooking together, there is no longer any need to stand alone in a kitchen or step on each other's toes in a room that is far too small, while the rest of the guests are in a separate dining room. Instead, you can relax and cook while your friends are already seated at the counter or dining table. This way, you can also furnish a small apartment with a combination of an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room.

Set up room dividers in open-plan rooms as a flexibly movable wall

Although the open-plan kitchen is intentionally an open space, it should also function as a room divider. If you install a counter or bar in the room, you still have a clear separation between the kitchen and the living area despite the large space. A counter can simply be made from a tabletop with posts or installed as a shelf. This solution even creates additional practical storage space. The frame can also be used as a shelf or dining table in the small living/dining room.

Designing your open kitchen

There are almost endless possibilities when it comes to designing your open-plan kitchen. It all depends on your individual taste, your financial means and the structural conditions. You can find plenty of suitable inspiration with ideas for the whole family in kitchen studios, at interior design fairs, in home magazines - or here in our world of inspiration.

Planning the basics when furnishing your eat-in kitchen

Before you get down to the actual design of your kitchen, you need to consider where your connections are located. Electricity, water and gas must be perfectly matched to the kitchen so that everything fits. Ideally, you should plan a completely new kitchen as part of a house build and have the connections installed accordingly. However, this is not always possible in an older house in which a new kitchen is to be installed. The "magic triangle" is also important. This states that the stove, fridge and sink should be as close to each other as possible. If this is not the case, you will be constantly switching between the different places while cooking. This can be annoying in the long run.

Cupboards and shelves

One of the most important factors in an eat-in kitchen is storage space. After all, dishes, cooking utensils and tools such as a mixer need to be stored here. In an open kitchen, you can easily make use of open shelves and cabinets. These pieces of furniture create a harmonious look, especially if they reflect the style of both the living room and the kitchen. Whether crockery, plants or books, everything has its place here.

The open-plan kitchen-living room can finally be a thing of the past. Instead, use a waste separation system that is built into the cupboard. The HAILO Cargo Synchro, for example, which can be fitted under the sink, is ideal for this. With its synchronized full-extension runners, the waste separation system is much easier to use. The rails ensure smoother running and make the Cargo Synchro quiet and stable. The retractable metal system lid is fully covered with a non-slip rubber mat and is ideal as a storage surface for various utensils.

Electrical appliances

The most important electrical appliances in your open-plan kitchen are the oven, microwave, dishwasher and fridge. In conventional kitchens, these are usually visible at first glance, but not in modern apartments with a combined living and dining room. Here, the corresponding appliances are usually hidden in the cupboard to save space and ensure a neat and tidy appearance in the living and dining area.

Are you wondering where exactly you should install your extractor hood? For an open-plan kitchen, there are models that extract the fumes from above, as well as those that are already integrated into the hob. These draw the fumes downwards and not only look great in a modern kitchen, but also save you from fogging up your glasses while cooking.

Tip: Plan a powerful extractor hood for a modern eat-in kitchen to prevent unpleasant odors from flowing from the kitchen into the living and dining area of the open-plan living space.

Further tips and ideas for your modern eat-in kitchen in your house and apartment

Shelves, furniture and electrical appliances are not enough, because the open-plan eat-in kitchen should not only be practical, but also create a visually attractive living space. To achieve this, it is advisable to adopt the furnishing style of the living room for all rooms. In principle, this creates a pleasant, flowing transition between the living and cooking areas. Whether wood, ceramic, glass or plastic, anything is possible here, including lacquered fronts. Plan so that the colors in the living-dining room and the furniture such as the sofa, dining table and worktop are coordinated. This will create a cozy atmosphere in your room. Don't forget that different floor coverings also create different designs in your room.

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