OPEN KITCHEN VS CLOSED KITCHEN
Currently, when it comes to open kitchens, we are experiencing a trend possibly influenced by American movies and it is what is known as “open concept”.
When making the decision between an open kitchen or an independent kitchen, it would be advisable to take into account personal preferences, the needs of each family, whether the architecture of the home allows it, and of course the space.
Each family is different and there is no right or wrong option, there are simply advantages and disadvantages to both options.
When we talk about open kitchens, we do not necessarily mean eliminating the barriers between the kitchen and the dining room or living room. Physical barriers, but it is also presented as a visual continuity, with greater luminosity and spaciousness, where the screens or glass doors do all the work.
In Spain there is a certain reluctance to leave the kitchen completely open, attributing it to the extraction of odours, but in this aspect the extractor hoods have nothing to do with those of years ago.
When you opt for an open space without barriers, an island or peninsula is the one that mediates between the kitchen and the living room, hence putting a bar with stools is an option that unifies the spaces.
ADVANTAGES OF THE OPEN KITCHEN.-
A feeling of spaciousness is gained, since by eliminating physical barriers, by doing away with partitions and doors, the room becomes larger, this is an incentive for small kitchens.
Another advantage of an open kitchen is the luminosity since the light is distributed throughout the different rooms and it is easier to take advantage of it and make it brighter. Light always makes spaces more comfortable.
Sometimes kitchens no longer look like kitchens, design changes, the continuity of the floor, introducing paint and paper in kitchens, etc., have meant that there is no sudden change when you go from the living room to the kitchen or vice versa, it is a change gradual, where there is continuity.
Eliminating these barriers in the kitchens allows for a multiple variety of uses of that integrated space, where having a conversation with those in the dining room is much easier and if it is your turn to cook you are not left isolated from the rest without knowing what's going on in the living room. It's easier not to miss anything.
Kitchens in Spanish culture have been the nerve center of the home where, despite being small, everyone ended up standing, talking, drinking and eating. These are the kitchens of our grandmothers that we remember with so much affection.
For this reason, the kitchen island can become a table where a chat with a glass of wine while cooking is one of the best moments of the day, or an improvised office with a laptop, even where you can do homework with the children.
DISADVANTAGES OF OPEN KITCHENS.-
Let's analyze the disadvantages, let's start with the noise. It is evident that if food is prepared in the kitchen, pots, pans, and plates are moved. And that the appliances are used, dishwasher, hood, thermomix, mixer, microwave. And that reaches the room that we have dedicated to the living room where it is possible that someone is watching a movie, working or taking a nap, which can be very annoying.
Odors are one of the big cons of open kitchens, where the smells of what is being cooked will reach the next room, but in case we close the door to our kitchen when cooking. Maybe a good extractor hood will solve everything.
Another con that we can attribute to open kitchens is the clutter, when you have a closed kitchen, you close the door and you no longer see the clutter, but with open kitchens the clutter in the kitchen will be visible and perhaps that tranquility that enjoy at mealtime disappears.
In any case, we recommend that you freely choose either of the two options without getting carried away by trends or opinions of others. The main thing is to inform yourself, assess your needs and your tastes and what you choose is sure to be the right one.
