Open kitchen design ideas for Indian homes

The trend of open kitchen designs is quite popular in India and many homeowners prefer this layout over closed kitchen spaces. Besides convenience, these design can also enhance the décor quotient of the house to a great extent, when matched with the right décor elements.

We take a look at these open kitchen design and images in Indian homes.

What is an open kitchen design?

An open kitchen is designed as a part of a home’s dining room and living room, creating one spacious layout. That means that you open up the kitchen by getting rid of walls or any other solid partitions.

Open kitchen ideas Indian style

In Indian homes, the kitchen is part of family gatherings. Open, modular kitchens have become increasingly popular. When combining the kitchen and the living room, ensure that the style, material and colour palette blends well. Utility is the mantra to be considered while designing an open kitchen. Ensure that the open kitchen is well organised, with drawers, pantry pull-outs and tall units to organise crockery, utensils, spices and groceries. When implementing open kitchen ideas, make sure it has an exhaust fan and a chimney to prevent the smell and fumes from spreading. The kitchen area opening into the dining space can be enclosed with a half-wall or a shelf, to conceal the cooking area and maintain privacy. Besides a half open kitchen wall, a folding divider can be a useful alternative to a permanent fixture.

Also read all about modular kitchen, price, designs catalogue and installation cost for Indian homes

Open kitchen entrance design

You can also consider an arch design opening up towards the kitchen that will enhance the look of the interiors. You can go for decorative POP pillars to go with the design.

If you do not prefer an open kitchen gate design like an arched entrance, opt for a different flooring design to distinguish the kitchen from other areas of the house.

A simple open kitchen entrance design is creating a partition in the room. Go for room dividers with Jaali designs. You can also hang beautiful curtains to segregate the living spaces.

You also go for wooden partition with elegant sunmica design for kitchen cabinets. Another classic option for kitchen entrance is a glass partition that will add sophistication to the space. Check these beautiful open kitchen images with impressive entrance designs.

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

Also read about Pillar design in home front entrance

Indian open kitchen design with hall and dining room

Open plan living and multifunctional family spaces have been in demand, post-pandemic. From a home office within a living room to spacious kitchen layouts that double as dining rooms, spaces need to be well-designed. Functionality must complement the décor of open-plan spaces. It is essential to be careful with the colour combinations for open kitchen design for a small house. Choose materials and colours to match the hall, then add accent hues, accessories or lighting to subtly separate an open kitchen zone. Use furniture to divide the space. Sliding panels can close off or open areas, as required. The interior design of the hall and kitchen, cleverly created areas, sound control, and an overall integrated approach, are key to designing an open kitchen with a relaxing hall area.

Open kitchen design for small home

Take a look at this small open kitchen design in Indian style. The use of light colours gives the kitchen an expansive feel. Neutral shades can be combined with other colours when planning for small open kitchen ideas. Combinations like white and brown, warm white and olive green, yellow and white, and yellow and turquoise, make a small kitchen look bigger. Opt for an L or U-shaped kitchen but ensure that it accommodates a large amount of storage, cabinetry and countertop space. This works well for an open kitchen design in India as apartments have limited space. Frosted glass for cabinets and glass tiles for reflective surfaces make the kitchen appear bigger. Keep a few open storage shelves to give the kitchen an uncluttered look. Avoid POP false ceiling designs or mouldings in small kitchens as they reduce the height. Use the vertical space to organise smaller items. Geometric patterns for a modern open kitchen design can draw the eye vertically or horizontally to give the impression of a bigger kitchen, so choose tiles designs carefully.

See also: Kitchen design ideas for small homes

Open kitchen design and layout

The layout of an open kitchen design should be functional and family-friendly. An ideal open kitchen design layout will depend on the space available. Consider the kitchen’s size and your budget, before choosing a layout (L-shaped, U-shaped, galley shaped or island). Maintain a comfortable work triangle between your stove, refrigerator and sink. Look for 3D floor plans for designing a practical, yet stylish kitchen that makes optimal use of space. Ensure that there is abundant natural light. Kitchen islands can be the visual focal point in open kitchen models and double up as dining tables in small kitchens. For this, ensure that the countertop is low, so that you can use dining chairs instead of high chairs.

See also: All about kitchen sink sizes and how to choose an ideal one for your home

Open kitchen shelf and storage ideas

Adequate storage solutions are key to designing an attractive open kitchen as this helps to conceal appliances, kitchenware and grocery, making the space look organised and beautiful. Consider a combination of open shelves and closed cabinets for ample storage in an open kitchen. Closed cabinets can hide away all the clutter while open shelves can display fancy mugs, glassware and fresh herbs in pots. Countertop storage and built-in cabinets can also aid storage in open-plan kitchens. For a harmonious décor match the colour of the kitchen cabinets with the tiles, wall paint, countertop and flooring.

For wooden cabinets, go for sunmica design for kitchen based on the design theme. When it comes the kitchen cabinet finishes, you have unlimited options. Laminate finishes are quite popular as you have plenty of colours and patterns to choose from. You also opt for gloss finishes or matte finishes, depending on your décor style.

See also: Sunmica colour combinations for your home décor

Open kitchen false ceiling and lights ideas

The open kitchen models can be made visually appealing with false ceilings and lights. Ensure that the kitchen has ample light, both, natural and artificial. From layered kitchen false ceiling designs to wooden ceiling panels and tray ceiling designs, there are plenty of options. Pendant lights over kitchen islands can accentuate the overall design. Ensure that the lighting scheme in such open kitchen models includes ceiling fixtures like recessed and flush mount lights for overall ambience, and under-cabinet mounted lights for task lighting.

Childproof open kitchen design

Modern open kitchen designs make it more accessible for kids. Ensure their safety when designing the open kitchen. Cabinet and furniture with rounded corners and edges reduce the chances of injury. Keep sharp objects, heavy objects and glassware out of their reach. Opt for cabinets and drawers with internal latches. Consider safety elements like slip-resistant flooring. Ensure that appliances like ovens, switches and plug points in the kitchen are out of reach of children. For glass, use safety glass with a shatter-resistant film on top. Install a safety barrier gate in an open plan kitchen, to keep small children and pets from entering the kitchen.

Source: Pinterest

Also read all about Kitchen direction as per Vastu

Open kitchen design advantages and disadvantages

An open kitchen design saves space and gives flexibility to a house plan. An open kitchen is bright and well-ventilated as it receives natural light from the kitchen and the adjoining room. Open kitchen models are best suited for people who love to cook and entertain, as the open designs allow them to socialise and serve the guests. Open kitchens can also help parents to keep an eye on their children, even when cooking.

On the downside, an open kitchen is always visible. So, it is necessary to keep the kitchen clean and organised. The noise from the kitchen can also disturb those watching TV or studying in the living room. The smell of cooking can also spread throughout the home, even if there is a chimney.

Tips to consider when designing an open kitchen

• Visualise how the open kitchen and hall will work and look before you decorate. Plan the layout in detail – platform, shelves, dining table, TV area, furniture, storage and appliances – to maintain sync with the rest of the house.
• For a modern open kitchen design, plan the lighting and electrical elements in the beginning to have a well-illuminated dining, entertainment and relaxation area.
• Demarcate the open kitchen space with a different flooring design. Nevertheless, ensure that the colour palettes and furnishings complement the hall.
• Decorate the open kitchen with eye-catching miniature tiles, mosaic tiles, glass tiles or vibrant coloured tiles. You can go for a stunning sunmica design for kitchen cabinets and the dining table to give a modern appeal.
• Add greenery to improve the kitchen décor. Decorate the kitchen with plants to add a relaxing vibe to your kitchen.
• Choose soft-closing hinges so that cabinets and drawers shut without noise.

FAQs

(With additional inputs from Harini Balasubramanian)