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Would love to see pics of open kitchen

16 years ago

Hello!

My DH and I are planning to build a kitchen and family room. DH and our architect, who is also my FIL, want to make the kitchen open to the family room. I'm lukewarm to this, but can see the pros of this arrangement. I prefer cozy spaces, rather than large open ones, but this type of setup would make the area seem much larger. FYI the space including both rooms is 16'x 33', with the idea that the kitchen would be 16'x16' and the family room 16'x17'. The kitchen will be u-shaped, an arm of the "u" serving as a peninsula separating the kitchen from the family room. I don't want seating at the peninsula, and will instead have seating on the island in the kitchen.

I would like, however, to have some sort of architectural detail that separates the spaces - either columns or a soffit. Additionally, I want the peninsula to have a half wall hiding the clutter on the counters.

I need help visualizing how the peninsula would look from the family room side. I don't know whether we should put moldings or bookshelves on the family room side of the peninsula.

If you have an open family room, I would greatly appreciate seeing pictures of your kitchen viewed from the family room. I need ideas on how do you create a visual separation between the two spaces and what to do with the peninsula on the side of the family room.

thank you in advance for all of your help!!

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Comments (14)

organic_donna
16 years ago
I have a very modern one bedroom condo and I opened the kitchen into the main room. I love it.
allison0704
16 years ago
Have you looked through the Finished Kitchens Blog? I've linked it below. Lots of great ideas there.

Also check out Kitchens We Love. Copy/paste to your address bar:

http://www.atticmag.com/lookswelove/kitchenswelove.html

My open kitchen/great room is the polar opposite of Donna's. lol

{{!gwi}}

My architect had a raised bar with stools, but I wanted a more furniture looking (but functional) kitchen. We have a breakfast area to the right of the island and I clean as I go, so no counter clutter of dirty dishes.

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB
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mommyto4boys
16 years ago
We are about to finish construction on our third home with an open kitchen family room area. LOVE THEM and couldn't imagine anything else with our family. This one is pretty large with the family room 18x23 and the kitchen 18x26. That gives us about 8 feet of open floor space between the end of the island and the start of the "family" room. I think you are on the right idea with keeping the spaces open, but defined. We are having hardwood floor, except the rectangle for the family area will be carpet. The family room area actually has two "real" walls and we did make a tray/soffit come down on the other two walls (I think it is 1 foot). This does entirely make a rectangle area to define the family room. The original plans called for a column at the open corner, but we changed our minds after seeing it framed. We are adding 3 beams inside the tray of the family room area. In my other homes I had a peninsula like bar area and then an island bar area in the other between the spaces. In each it was important to me that they were raised higher than my sink area. I didn't want to view a dirty kitchen or a sink full of dishes from my couch. I think you will love the set-up. As for the bookshelves on the penensula. That depends on your taste, likes, etc. I wouldn't have them because I hate seeing clutter. I can imagine trying to keep them nice with 4 boys. I wouldn't mind them if they had a few books and some decorations, etc. For me I would say no, but I have seen others love them. I'm the kind that won't display cookbooks or anything in the kitchen too. To me it is all hidden out of the way. I think your areas will be lovely and cozy. Just define the spaces & warm it with color. Can you have a fireplace? Another option if you just can't see yourself with the entire area open is to have a 2-way fireplace between the rooms. Also you could have a large archway between the rooms to cozy things up and define them some more. GOODLUCK!
Susan
16 years ago
if the family room is to have a tv,how would it work to have in installed on that side of the pennisula with the furniture facing it?
or if money is no object,how about a raised two or three sided fireplace? one you can see through into the other rooms,,raised enough so you can have a wide hearth on the family side for resting your feet. i've seen a couple and am trying to figure out how to include one in my next build.
od,i really like what you did in your condo.
patti823
16 years ago
We removed the wall between our kitchen & living room. I love it--I'm so happy that we did it. No regrets!
coleen3201118
16 years ago
Here's mine - open to family room (well, it's all actually just one big room)
vicnsb
16 years ago
Does anyone have the "living room" as opposed to family room opened with the kitchen? My family room is a few steps down from kitchen and impossible to open the wall between.

I would love to open my kitchen with either a pass through or open the wall to my living room, but it just throws me because when you come into the house through the entry way you will look straight at kitchen and have to turn right to go to living room.

Anyone regret having it that way?
lanat
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi !

Thanks everyone for showing me your beautiful kitchens. I would love to see more!

organicdonna and allison0747 I can see from your kitchens that ceilings and a soffit can help differentiate the spaces. Colleen the columns are beautiful (not to mention the stunning windows!) Patti823- love the cat!! She defines the space!!
Mommyto4boys - I had to laugh out loud. I have three boys and after reading your post I could just envision my boys placing their footballs, hockey pucks and baseballs on the open shelves instead. Better to keep everything hidden like you said!!

thanks again everyone - I am always struck by how kind everyone is on this forum to take the time and help others. Happy new years everyone - and happy kitchen designing!
livinwell
16 years ago
I'm a work in progress but here is my semi-open kitchen to family room. My kitchen is 11 x 15 and the family room is 17 X 15. I have a 6ft wall that the refrigerator and pantry are on, so the room is partially open. I needed that piece of wall because I have a huge window on the only other open wall. The family room is also a step down from the kitchen. Please ignore the mess. Tools are still everywhere...

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}
lanat
Original Author
16 years ago
livinwell - I love the color paint on the kitchen walls. What color is it? thanks for posting your pics - the windows from the kitchen give the family room a lot of light.
livinwell
16 years ago
Lanat - The color is Marmalade by Behr. I tried a few because I normally am fairly bland when it comes to paint color, but I wanted to go out on a limb. lol

I also have 4 sons. The youngest are twins in their 3rd year of college. Hats off to you and mommyto4boys.
raehelen
16 years ago
livinwell,

When I first looked at your pics, the only walls I 'saw' were the family room ones, and so when you said you had gone out on a limb with a wild colour, I was thinking- short limb..., then I noticed your kitchen walls were painted, I just saw 'wood' at first glance. I really do LIKE that colour! I bet it's fabulous in real life! (My baby boy is in his fourth year of college, and going back on Friday... kitchen will be empty without him!)
lindybarts
16 years ago
My floorplan is about as open as you can get. When you first walk in, you can see the dining room, office, small hallway, Great Room and Kitchen. Probably too open for some people but we love it. Each room is separated by arches and columns. These pics were all taken on the walk through. I don't have a more recent photo of the angle you wanted (from Great Room to Kitchen) but you can get an idea from these.
holligator
16 years ago
I came across this pic on HGTV and liked it, then I remembered this thread...

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