Closed vs Open Kitchen design | Which would you choose?

Although most of us would only consider an open kitchen design or open concept living space, there are times when a closed kitchen design is a better option. In this video, I walk through the pros and cons of the open kitchen design and closed kitchen design to help you determine which is best for you.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:36 Open kitchen design
0:54 Benefits of an open kitchen design
3:48 Downsides of an open concept kitchen
5:19 Closed kitchen design
5:35 Benefits of a closed kitchen design
7:24 Downsides of a closed floor plan
9:06 Recap

Even though this isn't a construction video, these are my commonly used tools (Affiliate links):

[davidbasset]

open kitchen is for people who don't cook with onions, garlic, high heat, etc...

[blueeyedbehr]

6:47 explains it all. this is why i prefer a closed kitchen. also, i'm easily distracted, so please keep all guests away from me while i'm trying to prepare a delicious meal for them!

[bluedrummajor]

I grew up in the 1960's and 70's. I'm okay with the kitchen being open to the dining room, but I don't want it open to the rest of the house.

[jackiepitts]

Good video but you missed the number one reason for having a closed concept.
I love being able to close the door to the kitchen and other rooms and only heat or cool the rooms we are in. We save so much money by being able to close off rooms it is amazing.
As someone who has always had open concept this is by far the best reason to have a closed concept home.

[marcialim]

Renovating an older home and chose to keep the existing separate kitchen design instead of having a load bearing wall removed. I included an eat-in breakfast nook as well as peninsula seating in the design so that I can still watch kids while they do homework. For introverts, its nice to have a separate space to think and work. I personally find it somewhat challenging to engage in conversation and cook at the same time while entertaining. I would much rather have most of the meal cooked before guests arrive, and be able to serve the food hot and close the door to the mess.

[darlene]

Love a separate kitchen and dinning room. Have large windows and great ventilation. Just need my space to cook and clean and cooking can be a labor of love. I absolutely believe a separate dining area is a more relaxing, fun, and more enjoyable space. Don't think I would want to walk Into restaurant and watch someone cook my food...just me...but I enjoy cooking and I don't want to sit where I work to eat...I don t like saying closed kitchen I say separate...Dont get me wrong love to teach family how to cook with me yet not every one wants to learn so that's why I love separate kit hen❤❤❤I have large kit hen❤

[JamieRushing]

I despise open floor plans. I hate everything about it

[juliedabbs]

Reading the comments here have really given me some reassurance! We are moving into a home that’s almost forty years old. The kitchen is closed, but it has lots of windows and the slider to the patio where the barbecuer will be. There is room for a small breakfast table. And it even has a small nook with built in desk. It is just hubby and me and we aren’t planning on moving again. I thought it great, but could tell our young realtor thought it dated. I wondered if anyone else thought it a good thing.

[bettypang]

Renovation being planned. No open kitchen. Formal entertaining so no thanks to guests watching me tasting the sauces and throwing spoons into the sink !😂

[bitterhoney]

Open concept, canned ceiling lights, island kitchens - the bane of new homes. Besides being poorly built crackerboxes that are thrown together for maximum profit a of them are put on slab foundations - another big no no. Give me a 1930s style house with long hallways, big front rooms, combined dining and kitchen areas both in a separate room, at least 3 or 4 windows in each room, a pier and beam foundation and even a basement if possible. And sell it for less than $400, 000.

[GardenGirl]

We have a closed kitchen design but we also have 4 large windows and a patio door . The natural lighting wins every time .

[compassandradio]

My reno plan has my kitchen partially open. From the front door vantage point, you can see a beautiful, large island, pendants, open shelving with french doors in the background allowing plenty of natural light to flow. However, I have the main, load bearing wall directly in between the front door and the working side of the kitchen. As you walk around it, the stove w/ hood come into view followed by the sink and pantry area. The refrigerator, my least favorite object in any kitchen design, is tucked away on the other side of the wall. You have to actually be in the middle of the kitchen to see it. I can't wait to put this all together. I love your content! Keep up the outstanding work👍

[deli]

Haha from the comments, it looks like closed is making a comeback. I prefer closed or at least semi closed. Whenever I look at model homes, the open concept just looks awkward. Not to mention, many homes are designed without acknowledging the fact that people have TVs.

[trinaroe]

Don’t like open concept. The only way I’d go with it is if the entire home was under 400 sf.

[paulyoshida]

An open kitchen is for people who don't really cook, but want a "beautiful" kitchen for show, and who just want to serve hors d'oeuvres on a platter, heat up a pizza, boil something, or just use the microwave. Essentially, if you just eat salads or food that can be made in a blender, and don't have much of a need for a skillet or a wok, then it may be fine. However, if you regularly fry/grill/sauté, etc then you want your kitchen to be as isolated as possible. Oils become aerosolized and stick to everything, making it grimy and greasy, attracting more dust to stick to the surface, and you have a layer of gross greasy dusty mess. This happens in every kitchen that sees proper use. The cabinets, lights, walls, and ceiling all get this way. You don't want that all throughout your house. The smells are besides the point. It's the aerosolized grease and fumes that you are trying to contain. Can a high powered ventilation fan prevent all of this? Maybe...it definitely helps. But, most homes' ventilation system isn't adequate, and even so, professional kitchens, with commercial ventilation hoods teach us that it can't be totally controlled. I don't want that grease building up on my furniture or appliances. Yet, almost every home I've ever looked at has inadequate ventilation, and most of them have an open kitchen. I call them designer barbie doll kitchens.

[jbb]

I'm building a new kitchen and I'm torn between making an open concept vs a closed concept plan. The kitchen area is long and narrow, and if we install a 2/3 wall to cut off the kitchen from the living area, I'm concerned that I'm going to feel cramped in the kitchen. Furthermore, I feel that there won't be as much natural light in the kitchen. On the other hand, I do a lot of cooking and don't like the idea of having all the cooking odors permeate throughout the living area in an open concept plan.

[fairy]

My dad's condo had a closed kitchen, but it never felt claustrophobic. Thanks to the giant glass doors, separating the kitchen and dinning room.
And I've heard people say: "closed kitchen is sexist cos you're locking the woman away to cook in a coffin room." Which ironically is more sexist than a closed kitchen. It insinuates that cooking is a woman's job, while in other cultures, cooking is a communal activity, everyone comes together to cook.

[divyanshugogna]

I have zero problems with open kitchen if all people in house, change their cooking habits such that its not too Smoky, oilly, smelly etc.


Just the smell alone going into other parts of house is enough to deter me from considering open design.

And trust me i have seen people who's cooking is so terrible that they just cannot cook without smoking enter house, nor make it full of nasty oilly smell. And no matter how good of an exhaust you put in there but person can just overcome it (some even so annoying who never turn on exhaust despite having it there).
So best to make it dumb proof (in terms of smell).

[maxrey]

I prefer closed or at least semi-close- Who wants to hear and smell all the going on's in a kitchen? Also, what about the kitchen mess with having a dinner party?

[ryansoo]

I would choose a kitchen that can be closed off during and after the cooking process. Recently there has been a lot of press regarding the amount of pollutants, contaminates and chemicals produced by gas stoves and that people should switch to induction (which eliminates the contaminates produced by the gas). However, pollutants are still being produced from the food, and since most people have poorly designed ventilation systems over their stoves (or don't even bother using them) the contaminates circulate throughout the room and if it's an open plan "great room" the problem becomes even more widespread.
If the kitchen can be closed off by a sliding door during the cooking process and for a short amount of time afterward so the vent hood can clear the room then the indoor air quality of the entire home is improved.