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Open concept benefits--specifically, kitchen

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Elizabeth35

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 24, 2011
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755
Okay--I need the input of younger folks.
I am in the Midwest and our house is on the market.
Our kitchen--white cabinets, granite counters, cherry floors. It is 15' X 30' with a huge fireplace and 3 french doors opening to our outdoor space with outdoor kitchen, granite counters and outdoor fireplace.
We have double ovens, 6 burner gas cook top with downdraft ventilation, 2 dishwashers. Large pantry closet. We are avid home chefs and our kitchen is extremely functional. We entertain frequently and can seat 12 easily in the kitchen.

BUT--it is not open to the family/great room. Which frankly, I prefer. There is a single french door going to the great room. We like this because it provides a sound/odor barrier for cooking. People can watch TV in great room without seeing kitchen mess. If we are entertaining a large group we use our patio or the family room or dining room or living room or indoor pool area.

I am struggling with a couple pieces of feedback from showings saying the buyer wanted 'open concept'.

So my question to younger folks ( I am 60)---what is the purpose of open concept space? Especially if you can easily fit 12-15 people in your kitchen with a fireplace and open to outdoor living? What am I missing? Is it to watch young children in the family area? Are people frequently entertaining 20-30 people and want to see all of them?
Is it too much HGTV--lol?
 
I’m 41, different country and what you have sounds exactly like open concept enough already. So maybe I’m also too old to understand!
It could be the younger buyers with small children worry that the door between the kitchen and family room means little ones could get into trouble that you wouldn’t see? But to my thinking, with the amount of space you have in your kitchen, small children could easily be safely accommodated there instead.
 
15x30 is bigger than some flats over here! lol

Some people just want completely open plan, no walls, or those zig-zag bi-fold doors at most - you can't change your home to suit these people as other people will like having doors!

You can't please all of the people all of the time, and all that :)

Don't stress about it - as Kenny says, 'people vary'!

If it's such a hurdle but they like the rest of the house, a buyer would offer a slightly lower amount to offset any work required to make it (even more) open plan, so you could get a quotation for the work so you know what is an accurate amount people could reduce any offer by if they were so inclined.

Alternatively, tell them the price is the price and bugger off with any cheeky offers ;) lol

Someone out there will love it for the asking price, it's just a case of how long you're prepared to wait to find them at that price!
 
I think the raft of home improvement shows has certainly contributed to the open plan concept. I think here (in the UK) it stems from people not having dining rooms anymore.

Your kitchen sounds plenty open plan enough for my taste, I prefer not to have kitchen mess/smells travelling all through the house, so we have a good sized eat in kitchen which leads on to our orangery, which is our day living area.

I don’t have small children, but to me, I’d rather not having small children running around the kitchen while I’m cooking, or possibly getting in to cupboards, but I’m a similar age to you, so maybe we’re just ‘old’ :shifty:
 
@elizabethess, while many people do prefer open concept these days ( and the reasons are various but for many it comes down to an open and flowing space within which you can see much of the first floor and what is going on and not so separated from the rest of the house ie kids and guests etc while prepping and cooking) compared to a kitchen that is separate from the dining room not everyone does. As you and others know (age not much of a factor IMO) some separation can be a big plus and it just depends on you finding a. the right buyers (people who prefer some separation and there are those who do for sure and/or b. buyers who don't mind knocking down a wall or two and doing some reno to get exactly what they want.

In Brooklyn we have open concept and I love it. The kitchen and dining room and living room are a huge space and when we have guests over or when one of us is in the kitchen we are still connected and can chat etc albeit loudly lol as it is a big space. At the beach house the kitchen is separated though there is an open wall sort of so I can see into the dining room and living room. What I prefer about that? Having some separation can be nice and the rooms still all flow together. And as @Austina wisely points out smells from the kitchen are more likely to stay there. But yeah when we have company you are just more separated and talking from one room to another is more challenging. Anyway it just comes down to (as with any house because we are all different) finding the right buyers who are the right fit for your house or who are willing to do the work with their vision in mind to make it "theirs".

Elizabeth35 said:
Is it too much HGTV--lol?
Click to expand...
Yes this too. I find when we watch these shows (and we love watching HGTV I cannot get enough) many people are very entitled. They want their "dream" house without doing any work and for a very low budget. I don't get it but there it is. People like this may not be the right fit for your house but believe me people who have vision and willing to put in some money and elbow grease won't balk at buying your house if the bones are right for them and it appeals to them in most of the ways that matter to them. And there will be others who prefer your type of kitchen. For sure. People have different needs and wishes. It's not one universal size for all.

Don't sweat it...you will find just the right buyers. And fwiw your kitchen is a great space IMO. Who wouldn't love a big kitchen right? As ooohshiny writes your kitchen is bigger than many apartments lol. You'll find the right buyers...Good luck!
 
Too much HGTV. People who don't actually cook at home want to see their pretty kitchen from their living room. I would love a kitchen set up like yours so just wait for the right buyers.

I cook in my kitchen and would prefer for it to be closed off so I don't have to still smell my dinner as I'm going to bed. Even with a new power exhaust fan, the smells drift upstairs to the bedrooms.
 
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We have a very small house that was built in the '50s, so it has a separate room as the kitchen. We are very happy that the kitchen is not a constant visual in the living space. If I was house hunting, I would be fine with a separate room, and even finer if it was as well-laid-out as yours sounds to be.

I don't understand the love of the open concept either. Since my house is so small I do get the desire for visual flow and a sense of space. Trust me on this one. But we are serious cooks and would prefer to have the option of the "magic" being done out of view, especially when we've made a mess we've not yet gotten around to cleaning. I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes the "clean as you go" mantra doesn't always happen, and eating while having to actually SEE the mess I made, well, that level of visual distraction is....distracting. My husband is also very fond of high heat searing, (to him the stove has two settings: OFF and HELL. :rolleyes: ) and even with a very good vent hood, airborne grease (and occasionally smoke) is a thing. The doorway into the kitchen does provide some protection for the rest of the house. So yes, I think most serious cooks are going to be fine, if not outright want, a separate space.
 
Your kitchen sounds dreamy. It seems like most builders I my part of the country are doing only open plan kitchen/living space so I'm guessing for some buyers the separation triggers a feeling of "dated"....like Missy said you'll find the right one.
 
Thanks all for such thoughtful and helpful input! I feel much better :)
Making it open to the family room is impossible--would have to remove powder room, pantry closet in kitchen and the second stairway upstairs. And a game closet in the family room.
Sometimes I feel like people who want open concept maybe just don't cook and entertain as much as we do. We cook pretty much 3 meals a day at home and entertain several times a week.

All feedback has been pretty positive--no price complaints, no issues with it being dated. etc.
We just need the right Goldilocks to come along!
 
I sometimes have to laugh at the 'open concept' idea. I see so many of these remodel shows on HGTV doing this and while it surely does free up space when you do away with multiple walls, who wants to see the kitchen sink from the front door? As someone else said, in a staged, completely clean home, it is fine. In reality, the kitchen is often the hub of the house and is often times messy at meal times and such. Your kitchen sounds a bit like mine - not completely closed off but large. I prefer a bit of separation between rooms but maybe that shows my age as well!
 
Elizabeth35 said:
Sometimes I feel like people who want open concept maybe just don't cook and entertain as much as we do. We cook pretty much 3 meals a day at home and entertain several times a week.
Click to expand...

I wish we were able to do that level of cooking - it feels like I get a solid homecooked meal maybe once a week due to work / commuting / evening arrangements! It sounds like you have an ideal setup, you should make sure to highlight how good it is in the sales blurb :))
 
Exactly MissGotRocks...ours is fairly open and my husband had to buy stereo headphones because I make too much noise while cooking/cleaning.
I also have one counter I keep important papers on that have to be dealt with (kind of like a desk). This counter always looks messy no matter how
much I try to keep it organized. If I try putting the papers away then things dont get handled like they should.

Maybe we should go back to the days of the big picture window cutouts between the kitchen and family room:cheeky:. People wont be able to see in (unless
they get right up on it), keeps noise down somewhat, however wont help with the smells.o_O
 
Honestly, I have no idea why there is so much concern with something being "dated". It's not like a kitchen design should be a fashion statement, not IMO anyway. The thing that should matter the most is function function function! Oh, and I think too many people have been watching the food shows where the actual act of cooking becomes performance. I'm a better than average cook, but there are times I really don't want people watching me. The only thing the guest needs to see, is the wonderful end result, not the process. If they want to see that they can come INTO the kitchen. :) And ever notice how the kitchen always clogs up at parties? It's like, "Where is so-and-so?" "In the kitchen!"

Oh, and another thing that a separate kitchen helps with: keeping HEAT from the rest of the house. We have a side door with a screen that can be opened to vent heat (and smells), and the door from the living area into the kitchen provides some slow-down of the hot air into the rest of the house.
 
I have an open concept house which the house is nice, I just hate having the kitchen open to every damn thing. Plus food smells travel more. AND, there's no real sense of separation, not even an imagined one. My house is right at 1600 sqft. kitchen, dining, living are totally open to each other. Blah...Id rather have a closed kitchen frankly (you just don't see a lot of that here unless the house is really old and not renovated) I feel its too apartment like.

I don't want or need an audience in my kitchen. In the old house the dog never came in the kitchen unless she was just passing through. Now? LOL shes in there "helping me cook":lol-2: The only good of this is that she can see me in most parts of the house. She will get anxious otherwise (well if its not during the day...she does check up on me now and again in my office)

Once I'm done with the electral/generator work (has to happen first) the next is to find a way to close off my kitchen some.

The trend is changing some. Yes people will likely want an open kitchen, and some will love the thought until they experience how hellish it can really be. I told the realtor to find me a closed kitchen house that didn't need a lot of work....was near impossible in my price range. I'm pretty sick of stainless steel because its a hassle to clean AND keep rustfree
 
I'm fine with designated rooms that aren't all open to each other. I've had both types, and liked both types. If the floorplan is good overall, it makes no difference to me. People want what's trendy until they have to live with it. Just like we were so excited to have uncarpeted hardwood stairs--until each and every person and animal in the house fell down or up them repeatedly! Don't worry about it.
 
There is a door off of my kitchen that leads into the family room - it is not one big open air area. I can't tell you how much I appreciate having that door when hubby is watching tv and I am on the phone or just not interested in what he is watching. I can't imagine not having the option of closing that door - his hearing is less than ideal these days and the volume is crazy!

It is amazing how these shows have colored opinion of living space. I sometimes think it looks nice but living in it would be another thing. Sometimes even large houses have a living room/dining room/kitchen combo all filled with furniture and these people are told 'you can raise your family' here with ease. There isn't an unfilled space for a child to even play! What a hoot! What about a toy box, playpen and row of stuffed animals - where would they fit in? LOL!
 
I once toured a 10,000 sq ft house that had a completely closed off and mediocre kitchen--because the occupants had a housekeeper/cook and really only did catering in it, lol. The rest of this $30M property was on 3 levels, and it actually only had 2 bedrooms. To each his own.
 
HI:

Eliza35: you will find someone who loves your space...enough to make it their own. And try not to take those comments personally...perhaps that is the "buzz word in order to get a reductions in price....:confused:

cheers--Sharon
 
My friend had her house on the market and she kept hearing the same thing too. The kitchen had a half wall to the family room but the dining room and living room were enclosed. Why would you want it all open (unless you lived at DeeJays magnificent place)!
 
Well, there are thousands and thousands of homes built prior to the 'open concept' idea. That is not an option that you will find in lots of houses. I do believe it has become a bit of a trend due to these television shows. There is a lid for every pot and yes Eliza, you will find a buyer for your home that appreciates the attributes of it.
 
I also loathe “open-concept” living, much prefer the noise & smell of cooking to be separated from the rest of my house! Also open concept homes are sometimes very echoing/noisy - not cosy or homely at all, it’s like living in an art gallery... :confused2: I think joint dining & lounge rooms for entertaining guests is a better alternative.
 
Sometimes I think it just boils down to what you are used to. It is amusing to me to hear these phrases used about living spaces, master bathrooms, etc. tossed around as if they should be industry standards. Living space has to be practical for the folks living in it. Some of the more modern floorplans would probably work well for singles or people with no children but family living is much different than that. Walls and separations of space can be a good thing for families of multiple people.
 
Your kitchen sounds like a beautiful, open, welcoming and functional space. I have an open concept kitchen and at times, wish I had more privacy.
 
I'm just going to ditto what oohshiny said. That some people will prefer open floor plans, but there are plenty of people who will appreciate the house that you have (those who cook), and as they say you only need one buyer. I would be concerned about the kitchen being too closed off, if there wasn't enough room to both do food prep, and have people sit/entertain, but it doesn't seem the case. Honestly, everyone ends up in the kitchen anyways. I've lived in open floor plans and I've lived in more traditional houses and while there are pluses and minuses to both, I don't think one is inherently superior to the other. Is there anything about the house that makes it feel it doesn't have good "flow". If there is, and it is something easily correctable I would change that, but otherwise, play up strengths and minimize detractions.
 
Thanks--we have done everything the stagers asked, and then some. Painted pretty much the entire interior Revere Pewter, re-arranged, de-cluttered, cleaned, etc.
We have gotten fabulous feedback except for a couple folks who said they want 'open concept'. And one couple who said they wanted a first floor master. There have been no complaints over colors, finishes or features. No complaints that any updating at all was needed or that the price is too high.

I was beginning to fear I was the only person who preferred the kitchen separate for noise, odor, heat issues. Clearly there are others who prefer this.
We just have to be patient and wait for the right buyer!
 
When I had really young kids, an open concept kitchen was useful because the kids could play with their toys or watch TV and they were in my direct line of sight at all times. But I never liked how messy it made the living area feel. But it was really useful with babies and toddlers in the house.

When we were house shopping for the house we are in now, having a closed off kitchen was part of my wish list. Luckily we found one. Our living room has a short hallway (6 feet?) and 4 steps down to the kitchen that is separated with a dutch door. After a big meal, when it's really messy, I can just shut the door and walk away.

I'm really jealous of your double oven. I ended up with double dishwashers instead. :roll
 
Beekeeper---haha! We use the two dishwashers much more than the double oven (many times do 4 loads a day if we are entertaining). I would still like double ovens in the next house but would be fine with smaller cooktop. Absolutely never use 6 burners.
DH wants a salamander in the next house---researching now lay-outs and ventilation requirements for salamanders. I have concerns about the heat thrown off.
 
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