Dividing doors for an open plan lounge/kitchen/diner

[Mervyn937]

Hi
Has anyone recently divided up their open plan lounge/diner/kitchen with glazed, dividing doors?

I would love to see your photos if you have. And what for you are the pros & cons?

My cons for my current open plan are:-
Kitchen noise (cooking, washing machine, dishwasher)
Difficult & more expensive to keep warm.

The two photos show my home approximately 5 years ago, before I bought it. It has pretty much the same furniture layout, just decorated differently.

Thanks very much.

I sold my last house because it was open plan kitchen, living room and dining area. The noise from the washing machine, cooking etc was relentless. It was also muvh harder to keep the room warm. I wouldn't recommend it open plan.

We have glass French doors where you have the archway through from sitting to dining. it's ideal. we often have them open but can close them when the washing is spinning or at night if the dishwasher is on. the side panels are glass as well as the doors so it doesn't reduce the light or views through to the back garden.

Similar to these https://www.leaderonline.com/products/liberty-doors-white-primed-internal-sa-10l-clear-glass-1-panel-sidelight-room-divider-set-123177

I’ve moved into a house that has glass bifold doors between the lounge and kitchen. I’ve got a similar layout to yours where the stairs/hall and downstairs toilet are straight off the lounge although my stairs have a wall where you have bannisters, and I am going to get some glass French doors put in to divide that area off too.

you could put sliding doors in the archway next to the dining table. then they won't get in the way of the chairs when open.

Would love to move back to my old Victorian house. I disliked it at the time because of all the separate rooms, and the dining room being far away from the kitchen. These are the things I miss now. Never happy haha. However, summer time it's not so much of a problem, but I would not buy a modern home or open plan again. Thanks very much for your reply. Nice to know I am not alone in being anti-open plan.

Thanks very much for your reply. So do you have your white & glass french doors at my furthest archway next to my dining table? It certainly would be great when the washing machine & dishwasher are going, as you say. And also to keep the lounge area & the kitchen/diner both cosier & warmer. And, like yourself, I'd still like to keep the light & views to my back garden. Although having said all this, decor wise I'd like to go much darker & colour drench; painting the ceiling, skirting, doors & radiators. And so would love industrial style glazed, black framed doors, sliding doors or bifold doors. Thanks very much again for your reply, really appreciated.

Thanks very much. This particular company you have mentioned I have googled already. The prices are excellent. Did you use them? Can you show photos of your own doors in your home? Thanks very much.

Thanks very much for your reply, really appreciated. Can you please post photos of your glass bifold doors between your lounge & kitchen? What colour are they? And what are they made of please? Glass bifold doors sounds great. I would love the black industrial style, as would like to colour drench all the rooms much darker. I don't quite understand where you are going to put your new glass French doors, can you explain a bit more please? Or post photos of easier? Thanks very much again for your reply.

Hi thanks very much for your reply, really appreciated. Sliding doors sound ideal, as they take up less room. I'd like to decorate all downstairs in much, much darker shades, colour drenching. So have been thinking of industrial crittall-style, black framed glazing. Though not sure yet if my white pvc patio doors & windows would look odd with these. A lot to think about. Do you have sliding doors or dividing doors? Thanks very much again.

I love old victorian houses they are beautiful. I thought I would love open plan but I absolutely hated the noise. I felt like it was so difficult to keep clean and harder to keep warm.

Completely agree. I viewed this house in Summer & the garden was absolutely immaculate, amazing pots, flowers, shrubs, gazebo, shed, greenhouse. They had completely gutted the garden & redesigned it themselves. The house was beautifully styled, every room. Open plan really lends itself in Summer time. But the rest of the year, as small as the house is, it's still a largeish area to heat downstairs. I have three good sized radiators & it does heat up well, but it is more expensive. The stove looks beautiful with a real fire, but I still find it does not give off enough heat, unless I push my sofa closer to it. The lack of walls really makes a difference regarding less space for all my pictures & furniture. This house was already a downsize to start with. Lust at first sight unfortunately haha. Just re-read my message, really moaning on here now, apologies. Thanks very much again for your messages.

The garden sounds fantastic. I do love a beautiful garden in the summer.

I really noticed the cold much more when I had an open plan house and it cost more than my current house to heat despite being smaller.

Some type of doors would make a huge difference especially if they gave you light. You could even get barn type doors that slide back so you only use them when you want to.

Yes barn type doors are a good idea too, though I think they tend to be more solid, wood etc. But fully glazed would be more expensive and colder. And other doors may be better for noise insulation too. Thanks very much again for your messages.