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Original poster

Open plan kitchen-diner or kitchen-diner-lounge?

21 replies

okthenwhat · 09/10/2023 22:07

Kitchen-diners seem to be popular trend still however the cynic in me wonders if they're not massively popular but get put in new builds to disguise the fact that the kitchen and the dining room would be very small if they were separate rooms....

We have a galley kitchen that needs an update and a large lounge diner.

I'm not sure whether to leave it totally open plan or have a kitchen-diner and separate lounge. I think the wall between the kitchen and dining room isn't load-bearing. The lounge/diner could be split in two and would still leave two decent sized rooms.

Am I right in thinking totally open plan has had its day?

I'm leaning to separate lounge because:

  • less likely to get food / food smells in lounge (we have a toddler and one on the way)
  • less noisy
  • I can shut the door on a messy kitchen and ignore it

The only con I can think of is you'd risk lose space to putting a door in between the lounge and diner however we could put in a sliding barn-style door.

OP posts:
parietal · 09/10/2023 22:11

separate lounge, definitely.

it means people can have different conversations / tv / radio etc in the kitchen versus the lounge, instead of having to always be in one big space.

longtompot · 09/10/2023 22:17

I would always prefer a separate living room where I could close the door to other noises and smells, and have the kitchen and dining in one room

PimpMyFridge · 09/10/2023 22:18

We have completely open and love it. Great for parties and supervising homework/being sociable while cooking is so easy. We don't find the lack of separation an issue but I can how it could be for some families.
So I don't think there's a right or wrong here.

bellamountain · 09/10/2023 22:22

Open plan kitchen / diner is what I'd go for, as long as you have a separate lounge as well.

augustusglupe · 10/10/2023 00:17

We're looking to buy at the moment and massive knock throughs with no separate lounge put me off straight away.
A separate Lounge is a must have for us.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 10/10/2023 00:27

I want walls and doors!

As many as possible!

TheBeesKnee · 10/10/2023 00:31

Do you have any other reception rooms or upstairs rooms that someone could "escape" to? E.g. a library or office?

I think it's important to have at least 2 separate areas unless you're a family solidly made up of extroverted people who love the bustle and noise and never having any separation or privacy.

Seaitoverthere · 10/10/2023 01:57

Kitchen diner with separate living room is my preference.

BMrs · 10/10/2023 03:03

We have a very large kitchen diner and separate lounge. I love having a separate lounge and would be out off with a home that didn't have one. It's nice to have a non food smelling room that I can keep nice and enjoy when the kids are in bed

Mummumgem · 10/10/2023 03:16

I personally like a separate living room, and when your children are older I think you will find it better, I know I did, it meant you could have one child being noisy in the living room and another doing quiet homework at the dining table. It also gives you somewhere to sit and be away from whatever they are watching on tv but not resorting to your bedroom ( I’m talking 5/10 years down the line here)

that said, my DIL has a 6/4/1 year olds and is totally open plan and loves it.

we have just moved into a bungalow and have a large kitche/dinner and a living room through to a conservatory. We’ve just knocked through the dinning end of the kitchen into the living room and fitted double doors. We will keep them closed most of the time but for parties/family get together we can be opened up into a lovely big area.

Riverlee · 10/10/2023 03:16

Separate lounge definitely,

Ragwort · 10/10/2023 03:20

Separate lounge ... do people who have completely open plan genuinely enjoy being 'all together all the time'? It might be great for socialising but surely you aren't entertaining all the time? Do you all like watching the same tv/listening to radio or music at the same time? What if you want to sit quietly with a book and your DH is watching the rugby?
We have a kitchen diner, lounge & dining room (& office Grin) and all like our own private space.

user1492757084 · 10/10/2023 03:27

I would keep a separate sitting/lounge room.

I love your idea of a sliding barn door. (Also investigate a sliding wall which would allow a much wider opening when fully open or it might be appropriate as a connection between kitchen and dining or from kitchen/diner to garden.)

The kitchen diner is most useful, I think, if it can also be open to the garden for casual daytime entertaining and play.

JustWimpy · 10/10/2023 14:00

Defintely a large kitchen diner for me with separate sitting room.

WastingTimeOnTheInternet · 10/10/2023 14:04

I really dislike open plan. We are looking for houses at the moment and I don’t even look at all the photos if it has open plan features. If I had to pick I would say keep the lounge separate and just have a kitchen-diner. Your DC will soon grow up and it would be better to have that extra separated space for them.

NotMeNoNo · 10/10/2023 14:05

Our house (1930s type) has had kitchen,dining room and lounge knocked together. We are looking to reinstate the double doors between lounge and dining room so there is a quiet room.

We get away with it as DC are older and just spend time in their bedrooms so DH and I can please ourselves as to what's on TV. With little ones it would be tricky, the toys would be everywhere.

TakeMe2Insanity · 10/10/2023 14:06

I always think mice. If you have open plan the mice will be everywhere, if you don’t you can shut the door an isolate where they are!

Cotswoldbee · 10/10/2023 14:19

Our newbuild has a kitchen/diner/family room and a separate lounge.
Don't think it was a "ploy" to disguise smaller rooms as both are very generous and exactly the layout we had been looking for (as soon as we walked into the showhouse we knew it was our perfect layout).

Kitchen/diner has always been a no-brainer to us.
We know that with a separate dining room there is the temptation not carry food through to eat at the table but instead to perch on a stool and eat on the kitchen island. With the kitchen & dining room combined the table is used for each and every meal.
With the kitchen/diner being slightly larger we also have room for a sofa, a couple of comfortable chairs and a TV which makes for a nice informal area so we can relax & chat while food is being prepared.

A separate (more formal) lounge is also important to us so we can relax in separate rooms if we so want.

JustWimpy · 10/10/2023 14:21

I can't stand hearing the noise of a tv in the kitchen.

Spacie · 10/10/2023 14:27

JustWimpy · 10/10/2023 14:21

I can't stand hearing the noise of a tv in the kitchen.

Or the dishwasher in the living room. (or even worse the washing machine if there's no utility)

FallingAutumnLeaf · 10/10/2023 14:33

If you have a snug/office/playroom basically another space with doors downstairs, feel free to have lounge/dining/kitchen.
Otherwise, you need to create a room that can be closed off from the kitchen.

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