After the bathroom renovation, it is time to update the kitchen. Just like the dining living room, this room plays a crucial role in the house. Faced with the overwhelming pace of daily life, it offers the family the opportunity to come together around a kitchen table to communicate.
Before proceeding with its layout, it is necessary to choose the style of kitchen to adopt. Between the industrial kitchen, modern kitchen, rustic kitchen, and traditional kitchen, the American kitchen attracts many people. It has been gaining more and more followers for many years. If this modern kitchen catches your attention, we suggest you read this article. We provide clarifications on the subject.
Summary of my point of view: In my opinion, the American kitchen is much more than an architectural choice: it is the social heart of the modern home. I find that removing the partition between meal preparation and the living room radically changes the family dynamic by promoting sharing and conviviality. My editorial perspective focuses particularly on visual balance: to succeed in this project, you must not simply open the space, but create a smooth transition that respects the decorative identity of both areas while subtly masking the technical aspect of cooking.
What is an American kitchen?
Certainly, many are eager to learn how to arrange an American kitchen. But to better understand the subject, it is first necessary to explain exactly what is meant by American kitchen or American-style kitchen.
Simply put, it is an open kitchen. This is part of the characteristics of an American kitchen. It excludes the use of partitions separating it from other living areas such as the dining living room. An American kitchen can open, for example, either onto the veranda or onto the dining living room. It thus communicates with a living space. Their separation is sometimes marked by a central island bar.
Compared to most kitchens, the American-style kitchen is suitable for all housing configurations. Whether you are equipping a studio or a large living room, it can be integrated without difficulty into a house. Whatever the layout, in L or U shape, it always knows how to find its place. This versatility is among the advantages of the American kitchen.
During the renovation of my first apartment, I immediately knocked down the wall that isolated my small dark kitchen from the living room. My major realization was not related to gaining space, but to the change in my social habits: I realized that I no longer spent my reception evenings alone behind my stove while my guests laughed in the next room. This experience taught me that opening a kitchen completely redefines the feeling of freedom at home, transforming a sometimes monotonous daily task into a moment of constant exchange with the rest of the household.
What are the advantages of an American kitchen?
If the American kitchen interests you, remember that it is classified as a modern and design kitchen par excellence. Appliances or kitchen countertop storage, all the elements that compose it are well chosen to combine practicality and trendiness. Unlike other types of kitchens, it offers many layout possibilities.
In all cases, it remains essential to consider the layout of the space before fitting an American kitchen. This helps to maintain an aspect that is both functional and harmonious.
Among the advantages of an American kitchen, it also attracts most people due to the absence of walls or partitions. As a result, it appears much brighter, enhancing the comfort of use.
Even better, it creates a larger space in the home. Since it uses no walls, simply install a central island bar to separate it from the living-dining room. This layout is perfect for small rooms, as the lack of partitions offers a trompe-l’œil effect. Your kitchen with a central island looks huge.
Besides the functional aspect of the American kitchen, it can also seem more sociable. Unlike a closed kitchen, it gives you the opportunity to stay in contact with your guests while preparing meals. You can simultaneously watch the children and interact with your guests.
How to fit an American kitchen in a small space?
Before answering this question, it is important to emphasize that this central island kitchen is not only reserved for spacious rooms but also for small areas. Thus, even if your room seems narrow, fitting an American-style kitchen dining room visually enlarges the space. The absence of walls offers you many layout options.
Firstly, it is advised to use a central island. Like a kitchen worktop, it provides you with a place to cook. But that’s not all, it gives you space to have your breakfast or dinner with your family. Therefore, one can say that the central island kitchen is valued not only for its sociable side but also for its functionality.
Secondly, no corner should be left unused. Make efforts to maximize storage. Since space is limited, better storage for the kitchen worktop is necessary. To do this, try to store bulky items such as appliances in cabinets. If possible, their doors should be sliding to optimize the circulation area.
To exploit every nook, install spice drawers. Add extra storage in all corners. For example, you can store your dishes or dish drainer there. By taking advantage of the ceiling height, you have the possibility to add storage. If you place storage units above or near your kitchen worktop, it gives the room a lengthening effect.
That said, don’t forget to multiply light sources. They visually enlarge the surface in a small space. For the type of flooring, the color of furniture and walls, favor light tones. They bring brightness and emphasize the sociability of the American kitchen.
Comparative table of open kitchen configurations
| Type of layout | Main advantage | Technical constraint | Atmosphere |
| With central island | Maximum sociability | Requires a large volume | Modern / Professional |
| With bar or counter | Visual delimitation | Specific seating height | Bistro / Dynamic |
| Open “L” | Space saving | Fewer work surfaces | Clean / Discreet |
Which household appliances are essential in an American kitchen?
As in other kitchens, you need a number of household appliances in your open-plan kitchen space. The list is long, but the essential thing is to equip yourself with the devices you use daily, namely the coffee machine, kettle, juice extractor, ice cream maker, toaster, salamander grill, steam cooker, multifunction robot, slicer, and many others.
Please store them cleverly to highlight the functional nature of the open-plan kitchen. While small models can be placed on your kitchen worktop, it is preferable to store the others in cupboards to avoid cluttering the space.
The cooktop also finds its place in a modern kitchen such as an open-plan kitchen. It includes the cooking plate such as the induction hob, gas hob, or ceramic hob. You can choose according to your habits. Additionally, you have the option to use a hood. By installing it along a wall, it blends nicely with the upper cabinetry.
To keep food fresh, it is important to equip yourself with a refrigerator. Depending on the room layout and space constraints, you can choose between a freestanding or built-in model. Connected refrigerators are very popular. This product helps you manage your food storage. Whatever the type of appliance, always maintain the characteristics of the open-plan kitchen.
How to integrate an open-plan kitchen into an open space?
There are several advantages of an open-plan kitchen. This layout improves the lighting of the room. Moreover, it allows social interaction. You can continue chatting with your family while preparing meals.
To install it in an open space, it is essential to carefully consider the layout. The room often consists of an entrance, a living-dining room, and an open-plan kitchen space. Make sure the whole is arranged logically and harmoniously. In this way, the kitchen is both pleasing to the eye and comfortable to live in.
Ensure that no obstacle hinders movement between the different areas. For example, you should not have to detour or move furniture to reach the kitchen. Many elements must also be taken into account to organize the space and especially to make it comfortable, such as lighting, color harmony, materials, and more.
To enhance this kitchen in an open space, choose the equipment carefully. To keep everything well organized, prioritize storage. Utensils, food, and dishes should each have their place in a harmonious way, highlighting the functional specificity of the open-plan kitchen.
Adding a bar is also a good idea to delineate the open-plan kitchen space from the rest of the room. It becomes your favorite spot in the house where you can have a drink with your guests, emphasizing the conviviality of the open-plan kitchen.
What materials are recommended for an open-plan kitchen?
Several materials combine to meet the characteristics of the open-plan kitchen. If you like to equip it with a central island, the marble and granite model is incomparable.
Although these materials seem the most expensive, they are also the most noble. With natural tones, the central island bar gives an appearance that is both elegant and modern. If this model appeals to you but your budget prevents you from acquiring one, consider taking out a loan and check your repayment capacity.
Regarding furniture, there are several types of materials to suit all styles. Wood is one of the most popular finishes. Timeless, it brings a warm atmosphere to your living space kitchen. Besides that, there is laminate, melamine, polymer, lacquer, acrylic, and more. You have plenty of choices.
About open-plan kitchen accessories, nothing beats opting for stainless steel for bulky appliances. To break the neutrality, favor small appliances and utensils in color. A mix of warm tones brings life to the space.
For floor covering, tiles are among the most used materials. But it is equally possible to favor other materials to personalize your kitchen dining room or to give it style.
You can, for example, choose engineered wood flooring. It resists temperature changes and humidity better. PVC can also cover the floor of your kitchen with central island table. Less dirtying, it is easy and quick to clean.
How to maximize storage in an open-plan kitchen?
An open-plan kitchen offers a pleasant feeling to live in when it is efficiently organized. To achieve this goal, discover these practical solutions:
First, it is recommended to optimize every available space. You can use the corners between cabinets and add built-in storage in the kitchen worktop. The use of sliding doors is also advised for cabinets. They hide already open compartments and do not clutter circulation.
Please arrange the drawers cleverly. To organize them, do not hesitate to use organizers and dividers. Likewise, cutlery trays are practical for storing accessories according to their size. When setting up the kitchen, try to consider the frequency of use of all utensils. You can place those you usually use at the front.
You also have the opportunity to take advantage of the ceiling height to install additional storage solutions. Don’t forget to optimize the corners. For example, you can integrate rolling furniture there. As for storage furniture, the choice is multiple. Take into account the configuration of your kitchen with central island when selecting base cabinets, wall cabinets, cupboards, and many others.
What are the disadvantages of an open-plan kitchen?
Even though many advantages of open-plan kitchens can be cited, its disadvantages are few. It is noticed that some people hesitate to set up an open-plan kitchen because this layout allows cooking odors to spread throughout the house. Due to the lack of separation with the living dining room, this situation may inconvenience guests.
To solve this issue, installing a hood is an excellent idea. It is also possible to use scented candles in the living dining room. Versatile, these also bring a decorative touch.
The layout of an open-plan kitchen space is also criticized for its lack of privacy. Since it opens onto the living dining room, meal preparations have no secrets for the guests, which can sometimes be unpleasant.
Since this modern kitchen is open, it is important to equip it with high-end appliances and trendy furniture. Otherwise, you risk harming the visual aspect of the space. Moreover, when you plan to set up an open-plan kitchen, everything must be carefully organized. You have no room for error, otherwise disorder reigns.
It must be admitted that this kitchen with central island layout can be expensive to implement. If your financial capacity is limited, you can take out a loan after checking your repayment abilities.
How to choose lighting for an open-plan kitchen?
Apparent brightness is among the advantages of an open-plan kitchen. Thanks to the absence of walls, it is easy to light this area which is an essential space in a home. For general lighting, the use of a ceiling light is recommended. Otherwise, you can install numerous recessed spotlights illuminating the entire surface.
In the cooking area and on the kitchen worktop, you need sufficiently intense lighting. LED strips can meet this need. You can fix them above your worktop. Alternatively, opt for a range hood equipped with bulbs. It is equally capable of lighting you throughout cooking.
To illuminate the central island bar table of the open-plan kitchen, it is recommended to choose neutral or warm light. Installed above the central island, a pendant light offers well-focused lighting. The LED strip is also widely used in the kitchen dining room. Practical and versatile, it can be placed almost anywhere.
Which decoration styles go well with an open-plan kitchen?
An open-plan kitchen or open kitchen contributes to the overall success of the home’s decoration. The choice of decoration style should therefore not be taken lightly. If you want to adopt the modern theme, know that it is recognized by the use of contemporary materials and clean lines. Technology also has its place in a contemporary style open-plan kitchen. Many smart solutions make the space functional and modern.
Similarly, the Scandinavian style is beloved in open-plan kitchens. It is characterized by optimizing natural light and using natural materials like wood. Many people also cannot do without the industrial style. This perfectly matches the characteristics of an open-plan kitchen. It favors materials such as raw wood, concrete, and steel.
Finally, please choose the color of the open-plan kitchen carefully. It relates to the tone of the wall, floor, and furniture. If you want to emphasize the conviviality of the open-plan kitchen, opt for warm colors. For those who want to bring freshness and softness to their kitchen, cool colors meet this need. Aubergine, purple, and blue tones give character to the space.
Frequently asked questions about the open-plan kitchen: layout and style
The key to a successful open-plan kitchen lies in installing a high-performance, low-noise extractor hood. It is recommended to choose a model with an airflow rate suitable for the total volume of the room (kitchen + living room). For noise, opt for built-in appliances with a “Silent” label so as not to disturb relaxation moments in the living area.
You have two options: uniformity or contrast. Using the same flooring (such as compatible parquet or large-format tiles) throughout the area visually enlarges the space. Conversely, creating a boundary with a cement tile rug at the base of the kitchen furniture allows you to sector the functions while adding a strong decorative touch that protects the floor from splashes.
It is often the best solution to optimize square meters. By removing partitions, you free up space for movement and allow light to pass through the entire dwelling. In small spaces, the “stand-up eating” counter is often favored, serving as a work surface, dining table, and visual separator without cluttering the passage.
