The Pros & Cons Of An Open Kitchen

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Gone are the days when the kitchen would be a place of blistering heat and pouring sweat. Probably secluding the kitchen from the house is no longer a viable architectural concept. Modern homes are increasingly opting for open kitchens. If you too like the open kitchen design and are planning to have one in your own house, then do a detailed pros and cons analysis.

Modern kitchens are by default 'open' these days. Here are the things that work in favour of open kitchens.

1. This style of kitchen without walls gives you more space at home. The physical absence of walls makes it spacious to move around. Mentally, it gives you the illusion of space.

2. This kind of kitchen is made for watchful mothers with little kids. It gives you the freedom to cook and keep an eye on the little ones at the same time. Lots of home accidents can be avoided in this way.

3. It suits our modern sensibilities because you can entertain guests and cook at the same time. So, be dressed for the evening and still carry on with your work.

4. If you have lots of stylish crockery, then a kitchen without walls is just right for you. You can display all your cut glasses and fine plates on the kitchen shelves.

5. The concept of serving food 'straight from the kitchen' takes an anew meaning in this situation. You can actually have your dinning table right next to the kitchen and lay the table with hot dishes.

Despite these advantages, does an open kitchen design work in the Indian context where smoking 'tadkas' (a type of seasoning) are a daily affair? Here are some of the things that work against an open kitchen.

Cons of an open kitchen:

1. In an Indian household where cooking is a smokey affair, the concept of having a kitchen without walls is not great. The excessive smoke that comes out while cooking will darken the walls of the entire house.

2. The smell of the food will spread from the kitchen to every part of the house. While this may be an appetizing thought, but it does not suit our modern sensibilities. How would you feel when you come home and smell fish?

3. There is no privacy in the open kitchen design. You cannot be cooking in your hot pants or night wear because anybody can walk into the house. There is no wall to hide behind.

A modern kitchen design may or may not work for you. Do you know of any other points that should be considered before choosing an open kitchen.