In 2022, a kitchen remodel remains one of the home improvements offering the best ROI. You could enjoy as much as 70% of your investment back when you sell your home with this improvement.

If you're not selling your home any time soon, a new open-plan kitchen adds another kind of value. That is, it enables your family to spend more time preparing meals and eating together.

Creating the perfect open-plan kitchen means working with what you've got to create a unified space. Here's how to maximize your family dining time.

Make the Most of Your Kitchen's Size

No existing kitchen is too large or too small to maximize an open-plan layout. There are several ways to help your kitchen size fit perfectly with your design.

Open Plan Layout for a Small Kitchen

A peninsula extending from one wall works better than an island if you have a small kitchen space.

This provides uninterrupted counter space and divides your cooking area from your living room. It also doubles as a dining area if you use small stools that slide under the counter when not in use.

Keep the triangle between the sink, refrigerator, and stove tight. A single wall of appliances with a counter-mounted sink close by works well. Floor-to-ceiling storage helps maximize the available floor space.

In small spaces, plenty of natural light and muted colors help create an impression of more space. Studies show daylight has some fantastic health benefits as well as mood-enhancing properties.

Large Kitchen Layouts

An ample space gives you plenty of opportunities to play around with your designs, but it can seem empty and unwelcoming to some.

Adding an island and a peninsula helps maximize dining and preparation space. You can also install extra cabinets for storage and even add a separate dining nook.

Darker colors will also help create the appearance of a cozier space as long as you include plenty of natural light, too.

A large kitchen presents ample opportunities for under-counter storage. So, you can forego upper cabinetry to create a more open and inviting space.

Maximize Your Home's Features

Unless you're building a home from scratch, you're likely to inherit some home features from the previous owner.

Does your living area and kitchen have a vaulted roof? Don't try and hide it.

Rather, plan things on a grander scale. A taller kitchen island, eye-catching countertops, exposed beams, and modern lighting help maximize this design feature.

Create a kitchen with a view by eliminating walls in favor of floor-to-ceiling windows on some of the exterior walls. It only makes sense to highlight the gorgeous views from your home's busiest room.

Lovely views go hand-in-hand with plenty of natural light to boost the ambiance of your kitchen layout. A skylight is another excellent option to introduce light and make your open-plan design appear more spacious.

Old-school features are a fantastic backdrop for unique kitchen ideas. Fireplaces, exposed bricks, and wooden beams are especially effective when creating a traditional-style kitchen design. 

You can highlight these classic kitchen ideas by installing a Belfast sink, ornate faucets, and a range oven. An oversized island looks great paired with exposed brick walls and large, simple windows.

If your kitchen opens up onto a garden entrance, it pays to maximize this thoroughfare with a kitchen table and chairs, rather than a bulky island. You can make up for the lost storage space with overhead cabinet space or semi-custom storage solutions.

Does your home have a little-used alley space alongside it? Extending your kitchen out a little and adding skylights can brighten up your room while adding extra space for storage.

Seamless Integration of Cooking and Dining Areas

It's vital to consider your home's overall design when remodeling a kitchen.

After all, an open-plan kitchen is part of your entertainment area. It may even be the first thing people notice when entering your home.

Go With the Flow

Clever use of lighting helps to subtly delineate dining, cooking, and leisure areas without interrupting the flow of the room.

Your cooking area requires brighter light than the living and dining spaces, but it's best to increase the brightness of the globes gradually.

Alternatively, a dimmer switch can help you change the mood of your room on demand.

Curved furniture and floor coverings are an effective way to direct the flow of traffic around your room and your kitchen. 

Choose Complementary Colors  

Muted colors and touches of wood can help soften the transition between soft furnishings and utilitarian materials such as stainless steel and granite.

Mimicking colors between rooms will create a sense of design continuity between your kitchen and living area. For instance, wooden kitchen features can reflect the tones of your coffee table or wall units. 

Clever use of color can also make your living area and open-plan kitchen seem larger than they are. 

Finishing Touches For Your Open Plan Kitchen

Renovating a kitchen involves more than choosing appliances, countertops, and cabinets. You also need to consider finer details like color, lighting, and materials.

White is one of the most popular colors for kitchen designs, and it's relatively easy to help this stark color integrate with your living areas. You can introduce pops of color in your countertops materials, seating, and small appliances.

Open or glass-fronted cabinets with colorful dishes on display also help introduce extra color seamlessly and discreetly. 

Wall colors can also help to bridge the gap between two areas, especially if you opt for all-white cabinetry. 

Get Started With Your Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

The best way to make the most of your open-plan kitchen design is by engaging with an expert remodeler. Cabinet Wholesalers have over 30 years of experience in remodeling and fitting kitchens across California.

We have delighted hundreds of homeowners with our custom designs, high-quality materials, swish finishes, and durable construction techniques.

What's more, we offer a 20-year warranty on all our cabinetry and boast an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Get in touch today and we'll help you make your kitchen remodeling ideas a reality.