ᐅ Conversion from a closed kitchen to an open-plan kitchen

Created on: 12 Feb 2024 09:05
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NickCH83
Hello everyone,

We plan to renovate our closed kitchen by removing a wall and creating an open kitchen.

I’ve been thinking hard about how to arrange the space, but I can’t find a good solution. This is the floor plan.

Floor plan of a house: kitchen, bathroom, living room; 400V electrical supply; dimensions provided.

Currently, cooking takes place in the upper left “corner” with the cook’s back to the room. We have two dining tables: one with a corner bench in the kitchen, and another in front of the kitchen, where it will also be in the future. The floor tiles reflect the “old” room layout. We will replace the tiles, so the electrical wiring can be moved to the center of the room. In theory, we could also run other cables through the middle, as the basement below allows easy drilling.

A few requirements:
- The sink should stay where it is now (left, by the window), partly because of the plumbing connections and partly because of the view while washing up.
- The large sliding door at the bottom will be replaced, so changes are still possible. Currently, that section consists of a window and a door. This is also the access to the terrace and garden. We want a large glass front here to better connect the terrace to the house. There is a covered terrace in front of it. I’m not sure yet whether it will be a sliding door or a large glass front with a door. Visually, I prefer a sliding door, but I don’t find them very practical – although that is another topic. The important thing for the kitchen is that this is an exit to the outside.

So far, this is my best layout:

Floor plan of a house with kitchen, dining area, and living room in an open layout.


3D render of an open kitchen and dining area with island, dining table, and large windows.

The cabinets and appliances don’t have to be exactly like this (not even the colors); this is just an initial proposal for the floor plan.

What I don’t like about it mainly is the lack of counter workspace.
The passage next to the tiled stove is a bit narrow, but it already is like that and will probably be difficult to change unless we move the dining table further into the living room – but then the distances become too long.

Do you have any other creative ideas?
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NickCH83
14 Feb 2024 16:56
Why does the island have to be 2m (6.6 feet) long? I calculated 90cm (35 inches) plus 2 times 40cm (16 inches), so 1.7m (5.6 feet).
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evelinoz
15 Feb 2024 14:15
What do you want to do on 40cm (16 inches) next to the cooktop? Bread schnitzels for the family or roll out and top a pizza? Put down groceries? My island is 2 x 1.2m (6.5 x 4 feet) without a cooktop or sink, and it’s used for other purposes as well.
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NickCH83
15 Feb 2024 20:38
Good point, 40cm (16 inches) might be a bit tight there. I’m currently at 1.70m (5 ft 7 in), so adding the extra 30cm (12 inches) to reach 2m (6 ft 7 in) should still work fine.
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evelinoz
16 Feb 2024 00:26
Yes, you wouldn’t necessarily install the cooktop in the center, but rather try to create a slightly larger work surface at one end.