Unless you live in a new or recently built house, chances are your home was designed with distinctly defined rooms like the kitchen, dining and family room that are closed off from one another. In some cases, this can be a blessing. If you are using the formal dining room as an office or playroom, it’s a simple step to close the door on the mess (or the noise) when you have visitors!
However, top of the wish list for most of the homeowners we work with is to make their main level feel “more open.” Most homeowners are ‘over’ walls that block views between rooms or to the outside of the home, the labyrinth of doors that mean one has to be shut before another can be opened, or the dark, closed-in feeling of the kitchen.
Whatever the scenario, creating an open concept for a space usually starts with removing doors and taking down walls. Although the overall square footage of a space doesn’t necessarily increase, the visual it provides makes it feel like a much bigger space. It’s also a much better way to use space.
With most homeowners rarely using a formal dining room even when they have one, and preferring to be able to see into the eating area or family room when they are in the kitchen, an open floor plan provides better flow between spaces and allows for flexibility in how it’s used. An open concept also allows for more natural light to flow throughout the entire area.
Let’s take a look at an example.
The design challenge in this Kitchen remodel in Vienna is a common one. The Kitchen was walled-in and separated from a little-used separate formal Dining Room that made the spaces feel cramped and closed-in. The Kitchen also had a U-shaped countertop with a peninsula that separated it from the Breakfast Nook, making the space feel even smaller. Our clients were ready to completely change things up by removing the walls that created a physical separation of space on the Main Level and create a truly open concept!
Check out our Resources page and watch our free webinar with insider tips on how to create a more open concept kitchen and for more freebies to help you on your remodeling journey!
Interested in working with us as your kitchen remodeler in Vienna or the surrounding area? Check out our areas of service and get in touch! Our no-obligation consultations are FREE and we also offer VIRTUAL meetings to respect social distancing.
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