Open Kitchens Are Gorgeous But Are They Suitable for Indian Homes?

Open kitchens for Indian homes are a hot trend in the market. And boy oh boy, do all those open kitchen images look gorgeous! But are they suitable for our Indian homes? Let’s find out.

So, we figured that the only way for you to determine whether open kitchens are practical in your Indian home or not, is by first looking at their advantages and disadvantages. Doing so will help you to understand what particular characteristics of open kitchens you love, what you can’t compromise upon and what you can adjust to. This understanding will make your decision easier. Later in the post, we also help you with some tricks that help you strike a balance between what you want and what you don’t want. Sounds great?

So, here’s what this post will help you with:

• Advantages of open kitchens
• Disadvantages of open kitchens
• Are open kitchens then suitable for Indian homes?
• Open kitchen ideas and tips to solve all your problems
• How to seamlessly tie an open kitchen into your living room design

BONUS!  15+ Indian Kitchen Design Images from Real Homes

Benefits of Open Kitchens for Indian Homes

1. Makes your space seem larger.

Rarely do apartments in India have spacious kitchens. Either the plans don’t accommodate for enough floor space or we just have to make do with the small-sized kitchen that the builder provides. In such a scenario, an open kitchen floor plan, even if it’s a small open kitchen design, makes the area seem larger than it is. Open kitchens tend to be naturally brighter and well-ventilated, as compared to closed ones.

2. Connects you with the rest of your home.

Another common scenario in Indian homes, especially during gatherings, is that the person cooking or preparing dishes is always isolated from the rest of the crowd and misses out on conversations. Open kitchens would not only facilitate conversation but your guests too have the option of joining you in the kitchen without missing out on socialising with others.

3. Helps you multitask.

Nowadays, we’re all leading busy lives and juggling multiple things at a time. For instance,  you may have to whip up dinner but also keep an eye on your kids studying. Open kitchens help you supervise your children’s activities while you’re engaged in the kitchen. In fact, you could also catch up on movies or TV shows playing in the adjoining room.

4. Provides scope to decorate.

If you have gorgeous, sleek cabinetry, eye-catching backsplash tiles and open shelving, an open kitchen layout can help you show it off to others.

Browse through open kitchen ideas here.

Also Read : Modern Kitchen Design: 10 Simple Ideas for Every Indian Home

Disadvantages of Open Kitchens for Indian Homes

1. Can’t hide clutter.

The number of utensils, ingredients and people in an Indian kitchen invariably leads to a lot of mess being created. In such a scenario, open kitchens are unable to hide the clutter and the mess is there for everyone to see.

2. Facilitates spread of vapours.

Indian cooking requires the use of a generous dose of spices and tadka, all of which gives rise to strong smells. An open kitchen doesn’t curtail the spread of these smells and the latter may wift through to your living room and bedroom.

3. Doesn’t keep noise in check.

All the noise that is usual of a kitchen–whistling of the pressure cooker, running of the dishwasher, mixing of the grinder, etc.–can be heard in adjacent rooms. This could be disturbing to those in other rooms and areas of the house.

Are Open Kitchens Then Suitable for Indian Homes?

Now that you know the advantages and disadvantages of an open kitchen, it makes it easier to decide whether it is a suitable fit for your home. Here’s our answer:

• Yes, they’re suitable, if you would not only like your home to appear larger and feel more ventilated, but if you would like to be at the heart of all the activities in your home.
• No, they’re not suitable, if you weigh the disadvantages over the benefits, and like your kitchen to be a private space where you can cook without worrying about the noise and smells.

Also Read : 13 Small Kitchen Design Ideas That Make a Big Impact

Open Kitchen Ideas & Tips to Solve All Your Problems

If you want to incorporate an open kitchen design in your home, then these tips and ideas will help nail a perfect space.

• Incorporate sliding doors and your modern kitchen can be opened or closed whenever you want.
• Add a glass partition to separate the kitchen from the living room, and still allow for natural light to seep in and, hence, brighten up the space.
• Use clever storage and smart kitchen accessories to ensure that your kitchen looks clutter-free and organised.
• Invest in a proper ventilation set-up with exhaust fans and electric chimneys right above your cook-top if you can’t bear the thought of any odour spreading from kitchen to the rest of the house.
• Hide just a small part of the kitchen — maybe the part that sees the most action, like your washing area or where you keep all your cooking items.
• Create a partition with plants between the kitchen and the living room.
• Make guests sit with their backs to the kitchen and not peek in all the time, by creating a seating arrangement in the adjoining room where the sofas are turned away from the kitchen.

Bonus: Combine an Open Kitchen Design and a Living Room Seamlessly

• The easiest way to tie in your open kitchen design with that of your living room is by extending the flooring of the living room into the kitchen. This creates a cohesive look and merges both the spaces.
• If not the flooring, you could go for the same wooden finishes in your living room as well as on your kitchen cabinets. Repeating elements of the living room in the kitchen or vice-versa unites both the space under one particular style.
• Opt for steel home kitchen appliances as these make your open kitchen look sleeker and modern. You could even hide them behind sleek and modern cabinets, so that there is a harmonious blend of the kitchen with the living room.

Also Read : The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need for Kitchen Light

Now that you have all these tips in hand, are you going to opt for an open kitchen design? Tell us below!