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Interior design of the kitchen-dining room in the house
Is it worth it to combine the kitchen with the dining room and what style is ideal for this? Read and apply kitchen and dining room interior design tips on the Room Planner.
Features and benefits of connecting the kitchen with the dining room
An open-plan kitchen interior design idea can be a stylish addition to most homes. Such interior kitchen designs also usually feature a holistic view of both areas.
This open, airy concept has gained immense popularity and is commonly seen in magazines and movies. While such exposure makes it seem stylish and desirable on an aesthetic level, there are also many practical advantages to it. Here are the 4 main pros to combining interior design for the kitchen and dining room.
Interaction
A wall or barrier can be a huge impediment to conversations, especially when it involves a group instead of just a pair of participants. It is especially difficult for the hostess or host to keep engaged while also monitoring the evolving situation in the kitchen.
A modern interior design for a kitchen does away with this problem immediately. Start or continue a discussion with family or guests as you put the final touches on a dish. Conversation is the life of a party and a connected kitchen and dining area is a great asset.
Light
Any massive solid object becomes a barrier to light and walls are the worst culprits. An interior design dining room that connects to a kitchen without walls can let in a huge volume of direct and reflected light.
Such a kitchen modern interior design does not have to be limited to natural light. A range of ceiling lamps, downlights, wall sconces, and standalone floor lamps can all add to the illumination as well. Depending on the placement, they can work for either area or both.
Maintenance
A home interior kitchen design that tears down the barrier with the dining room increases its visibility. The open concept exposes the kitchen far and wide, which can make it more difficult to ignore a mess.
Yes, this is a bit of a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to cleanliness but it works. It can spur us to tackle the pile of dishes sitting in the sink or the mess on the stove from last weekend’s party. Uncomfortable, perhaps, but effective all the same.
Oversight
More important than looking at a mess is maintaining oversight over the kids. A modern interior design dining room that adjoins and flows into a kitchen is the ideal place for your children to tackle their homework. Not only can you monitor their activities, but you are also accessible to assist when they need it.
An open layout can also create a welcoming vibe around the area; kids looking for a place to work or play may naturally gravitate there. The open plan is a wonderful tool to increase family interaction and understanding.
Is it worth separating the design of the kitchen from the dining room?
The interior design dining room and combined kitchen has its benefits but you should also consider its possible downsides.
Privacy and concentration
The foremost problem that most cooking enthusiasts face with an open-plan kitchen is the loss of solitude. It could be your desire to keep certain elements or tricks to your cooking a secret, or how having people hovering around you is distracting (or exasperating!)
An open concept small kitchen design interior can also be distracting with the noise of conversation, clatter of dinnerware, or din from TVs.
Smell
The aroma of a fresh loaf of bread wafting through the home is welcome but what about that of other, less-pleasant smells from the kitchen? Smells from an open-concept kitchen may be distracting to anyone watching a show or attempting a difficult mathematics question.
Sound
The kitchen can be one of the noisiest places in a home when a meal is being prepared. A simple interior design for kitchen without walls will reverberate with the sound of a chopper on a board, the clang of utensils on pans, bangs from pots landing on counters, and countless other noises. It could prove to be even more distracting than a TV!
Heat
Unless you have a very well-ventilated kitchen and proficient HVAC system, the heat from the room can easily affect adjoining areas. It may affect the mood at a party, especially in the hotter months, and be very distracting for kids trying to do their homework at the dining table.
What style is suitable for a kitchen with a dining room?
For interior design ideas for dining rooms with adjoining kitchens, look no further than any style that includes a lot of open space and light.
One of these is transitional interior design. It is a cross between traditional décor with its compartmentalization and the contemporary style, which favors openness. A semi-open barrier such as a floor-to-ceiling glass door would be perfect here.
A modern style, where décor is kept to a minimum, also works well with combined kitchen-dining areas. With the wall removed, there is one less surface to address and the resulting openness is a natural ally of this style.
Eclectic style, which welcomes influences from diverse styles can also work with an open kitchen-dining concept. This allows you to maintain a more ‘closed’ interior design style with other areas and embrace the variance of openness in one part of the home.
Like the modern style, contemporary interior design also embraces uncomplicated interiors. The less-is-more approach is an ideal fit for a combined kitchen-dining area that foregoes doors and partitions.
The modern farmhouse interior design is known for its open concept for practical purposes, and that gels with the removal of a kitchen door. It keeps décor clean and simple while allowing what remains to retain its strong character.
Dining Room Kitchen Design Tips
Here are 5 tips to apply to any combined kitchen and dining area.
Benches — Picnic-style benches at the dining table add a touch of fun and playfulness to the combined area. They are especially great for saving space.
Pendant lights — With a joint-use area, adjustable pendant lights can flip the focus to the area at the center of the action at the flip of a switch, literally.
Windows — Removing walls is all about adding light and you can contribute to the effort using large windows that can be adjusted to the season.
Placement — While ‘borderless’, it helps to create a natural separation between kitchen and dining areas. A large object such as a dining table and picnic benches are perfect for this.
Color — Pops of the same color in the two separate areas can help to create a visual bond. This strategy can be applied through the use of plants and flowers, as well as art.
Still confused about a combined kitchen and dining area? The Room Planner App helps you design your real or fantasy home in any style, all in the palm of your hand. Try it for free today!
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