If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then open kitchen living room plans are a source of much heartache. Often presenting a real conundrum for customers who visit our furniture showroom looking for specific pieces to slot into the scheme, it’s easier said than done to integrate all of your kitchen essentials into a broader living space – let alone making their distinct areas transition into one another naturally.
Are there hard and fast rules for getting these elements right? How do you work within the limitations of open concept schemes? Here are 6 steps for arranging, furnishing and styling such a space, complete with plenty of hacks I’ve picked up in my time as a furniture supplier and interior design fanatic.
Skip to:
- Why an Open Kitchen Living Room Plan Works
- Step 1) Key Design Principles to Heed
- Step 2) Layout Options that Complement Open Living Spaces
- Step 3) Maintaining Function & Flow with Clever Storage Solutions
- Step 4) Pulling Everything Together Via Seamless Styling
- Step 5) Dodge Common Open Scheme Mistakes
- Step 6) Visualise Things with a Drawing or Digital Floor Plan
- Final Thoughts: Time to Set Your Plans Into Motion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why an Open Kitchen Living Room Plan Works
Many interior designers would argue that open plan living is a thing of the past; once a powerful status symbol for British families, and now something of an inconvenience to heat, design and live with on a daily basis.
My opinion is a bit more nuanced, while, yes, open concept spaces aren’t sought after by everyone, they don’t necessarily have to conjure up an image of cold marble surfaces, minimalist styles, or seating zones marooned in an expanse of empty space.
Far from it: contemporary open plan living room kitchens are cosier, more well-defined and functional than ever – particularly in period homes like the Edwardian properties you see around York, which are increasingly undergoing small home extensions to capitalise on the sunshine.
Done well, and they initiate a better flow, open sightlines, and an abundance of natural light, which makes them uniquely suited to households that crave the social and functional in equal measures. I’m talking about big families, social butterfly types or even WFH homebodies. If that includes you, an open plan living room kitchen might tick all your boxes.
Step 1) It’s All in the Planning: Key Design Principles to Heed
Since there are no natural boundaries (AKA walls) in an open concept living room kitchen, it can be tricky to approach the design process. To overcome this hurdle, planning needs to start as early as possible, especially for kitchen fixtures, which take a lot more upheaval to change.
This all begins with an evaluation of the space: how you want to use it, what your daily routine looks like, and who regularly spends time in these areas. This will form the backbone of your plan, along with accurate measurements of the space, including furniture, walkways and clearance for the main zones. With that information, you can make the big decisions, from what sized island will work in the space to where you want to place your runs of countertops.
You should aim to keep sightlines and walkways clear, yet the more intimate aspects of the room, like a reading corner or entertainment hub, slightly hemmed in. The idea is to toe a deliberate line between letting the space breathe and creating cosy moments of sanctuary through enclosure!
Step 2) Layout Options that Complement Open Living Spaces
There are several options for structuring open plan living spaces, but they have one thing in common: to work, they require at least three zones for cooking, dining and relaxation, each defined with a focal point to anchor the section.
Straight Through Plans
Straight through plans refer to a simple, linear layout where the kitchen flows directly into the living area in a straight line, often with dining in between or slightly to the side. Commonly seen in small flats or terraces where the ‘middle room’ has been knocked through, they’re hallway-esque in layout and present a challenge to design around.
Here, the long, narrow layout features minimal visual barriers to maximise the perceived space, and the kitchen and living areas are juxtaposed at either end of the room, often aligned along one wall or two parallel walls. As such, a galley kitchen is a real asset here, as it helps you avoid an elongated run of countertops.
Central Island Designs
For symmetrical appeal, central island designs are great. Acting as a natural room divider, your kitchen breakfast bar design becomes the centrepiece, establishing the room as a sociable hub within the home. Usually, you’ll see the main run of kitchen worktops along an adjacent wall and the seating zone on the opposite side.
It works across all sorts of interior design styles, but looks especially captivating within farmhouse or transitional schemes. Do note that the island requires adequate clearance – ideally, 1m around all sides.
L-Shaped or U-Shaped Hubs
L-shaped and U-shaped layouts can be brilliant problem-solvers in awkward open-plan spaces. If your kitchen area is tucked into a corner, broken up by alcoves, or offset from the main living zone, these configurations help define the space without closing it off.
An L-shaped layout hugs two adjacent walls, leaving plenty of room for a dining table or island while keeping everything within easy reach. A U-shaped layout, meanwhile, offers a wraparound work zone that can make even a slightly wonky or narrow footprint feel structured and efficient.
Simple Two-Zone Plans
Perhaps the most straightforward option, this layout simply involves dividing your open plan space into two principal sections: a kitchen area and a dining area. Often the divider in question is a piece of furniture, such as a floated sofa, armchairs or table, or a change in flooring marks the transition.
This is a great option if you enjoy the open, spacious feel but you want to keep the living room and kitchen elements separate, so guests can enjoy a quieter lounge area whilst the host whips up a meal.
Step 3) Maintaining Function & Flow with Clever Storage Solutions
I won’t dwell too long on this step, since I’ve already written a comprehensive blog on the topic of kitchen space savers (check that out once you’re done reading here). Nevertheless, here are a few storage hacks I think are well worth reiterating.
- Integrated appliances: Ovens, washing machines, dishwashers, fridges, these all work best when integrated into your kitchen cabinetry to save you space and visual clutter. I’d only suggest avoiding an integrated waste bin, as this makes them difficult to clean and odours trickier to remove.Step 5) Dodge These Common Open Scheme Mistakes
- Ceiling-to-floor cupboards: To reduce visual clutter whilst serving the household’s needs for storage, why not try sleek, ceiling-to-floor cupboards? It beats having the items usually perched atop your overhead cupboards gathering dust and grease.
- Magnetic strips, hooks & open shelving: This one is self-explanatory – by storing your kitchen essentials up and out of the way, that’s fewer square inches taken up with bulky cupboards, which eat into floorspace and make the room look smaller.
- Custom-fitted storage units: Bookshelves, TV stands, crockery cabinets, why not combine them all into one snugly fit unit? This way, the scheme looks much more intentional, and you can work fluidly with the space rather than against it.
- Kitchen island storage: Kitchen islands present a powerful opportunity for storage; you can place appliances on the surface as part of the décor, tuck the unseemly clutter into deep drawers, or pick integrated solutions like slots for chopping boards and a hidden cubby for barstools.
- Storage benches and ottomans: The best kind of seating is that which doubles up as storage for tea towels, kitchen gadgets, and other knick-knacks. The banquette example above shows how stunning this can be!
- Nesting coffee tables: We love nesting tables at Evelyn Lily – portable, incredibly versatile and a feast for the eyes, they can be tucked away when they aren’t in use.
- Corner solutions in the ‘L’: You might think that the corner of your runs of cabinetry is dead space, but think again: with pull-out drawers, a lazy Susan or sliding doors, that’s so much space reclaimed.
- Multi-height countertops: Split-level kitchen islands aren’t simply a helpful zoning tool, they’re also a clever way to conceal the mess from certain vantage points.
Step 4) Pulling Everything Together Via Seamless Styling
The most appealing open plan spaces are a success because they understand the fundamentals of consistency and layering – yours too can work well if you heed these tips.
Cohesion of Colour & Materials
If you want to avoid any future ‘oh no’ moments, keep simple with your colour scheme. Usually, 3-4 core colours will do: a primary shade for the bulk of your space, such as the walls and cabinetry, a secondary colour for the furniture and other walls, and then a couple of accent shades to pop among your textiles, artwork and décor.
I like to think of it as echoes. For example, if your main colour is a neutral and your secondary a warm chestnut brown, I’d expect to find hints of it echoed in your cushions, blinds, curtains, lighting or accessories. You can do the same with materials and textures too. Think skirted lampshades and fluted glass, or brass cabinet handles and matching pendant lights.
You can even delineate specific zones by contrasting some of these colours and do so very effectively, provided there are accents that tie both together, as in the example above.
Multi-Dimensional Lighting
In terms of kitchen lighting, layered ambient lighting tends to work best, softening the overall look and ensuring no area looks disjointed. Here, don’t rely on a single overhead source, but a mixture of lights at different levels, emitting the same warm glow – some of these can be pendant lights that anchor particular zones. For definition and texture, you can add a few additional points of task lighting to highlight these sections and optimise their functionality.
Furniture that Defines the Space, Without Closing it Off
For your furnishings, you’ll want to pick pieces that help define the disparate zones without impacting the traffic flow or sightlines you’ve established. A solid choice is a low-back sofa, banquettes or sideboard, as these can be effectively floated against a kitchen island or dining table in an aesthetic way. Do bear in mind that they have to look stunning from all angles.
Step 5) Dodge These Common Open Scheme Mistakes
This next step is all concerned with avoiding the common pitfalls that many homeowners trip into when they’re designing open plan spaces. Stay with me – there’s quite a few of them.
Ditch the Outdated Kitchen Working Triangle When It’s Not Working
Perhaps a hot take from me, but the kitchen working triangle is overrated.
For those unaware, it’s an age-old design principle that asserts that the three main working zones in your kitchen – oven, sink and refrigerator – should be in close proximity to one another, and positioned as if the corners of an invisible triangle.
I find that, in practice, this isn’t as helpful as you’d expect and sometimes even impedes the natural workflow. In real life, you don’t want to be toing and froing to the fridge; your ingredients are better sat on your prep counter. In fact, positioning your fridge at the door sounds like a more convenient plan, minimising the distance you have to lug the groceries! So, take this as permission to ditch it if it doesn’t work with your space.
Remember to Consider the Role of Natural Light
I’ve gone over artificial lighting tips, but don’t forget the role of natural light either. Here, knowing which side of the room the sun rises and sets can be a game-changer. For example, say you have an east-facing room, which is blessed with warm morning daylight; you wouldn’t want to block the flow of light with a room divider, instead you’d want to maximise that elusive brightness by positioning a breakfast nook or kitchen island nearby.
Conversely, if you’re lacking sunlight, you should consider strategic hacks like switching out timber doors for windowed ones or even opting for a glazed wall between an adjacent room and your open concept space.
Another thing: factor in the level of natural light into your colour palette and choose shades that react well under those conditions. As Farrow & Ball’s Colour Curator, Joa Studholme, says, “Light is your friend when it comes to decorating – do not fight what nature has given you”.
Try Not to Over-Clutter with Furniture
The difficulty of open concept kitchen living room planning is toeing the line between the cavernous church hall feel and overcramming the space with furniture. While, indeed, your cabinetry and other pieces are a great way to divide and conquer the space, don’t go too crazy there – a handful of carefully placed items is better than tons of beautiful pieces that hamper the flow and sightlines.
The same goes for scale; oversized furniture might sound like a good idea on the surface, but make sure you have enough room for it, otherwise your interior will feel heavy and unappealing. A smattering of smaller seating options, such as armchairs, side tables and hidden storage benches tend to be more dynamic, allowing for flexible day-to-day use.
Don’t Ignore the Intimacy Gradient
One final mistake I’ve seen far too often is people ignoring what architects call the ‘intimacy gradient’. They do this by making the kitchen, brimming with dirty dishes on the side, the first thing guests see when they enter the room, which makes them feel a tad uncomfortable on a subconscious level.
The intimacy gradient resolves this discomfort by suggesting that a home should unfold naturally along a public to private spectrum, rooms becoming more intimate as you delve deeper into them. In an open plan space, you can do this by disrupting sight lines between the different zones with half-walls, partitions or shelving units, for example.
Step 6) Time to Visualise All of the Above in a Drawing or Digital Floor Plan!
Step six and our final step in this whistle-stop tour of open concept kitchen living room planning is getting all of the considerations you’ve been through thus far on paper, or more aptly, on a screen.
While, of course, some of us prefer the tactile touch of a notebook and pen, you definitely shouldn’t discount the power of free interior design software. These nifty tools provide a speedy and accurate way to visualise your ideas in the context of your room’s specific dimensions and layout. Many of these are incredibly easy to pick up, with a simple, intuitive interface and frictionless drag-and-drop features, just like in The Sims!
The best part, in my opinion, is that you can create professional CAD plans, which you can share with your architect, interior designer, kitchen fitter… or other half, if they’re the DIY type.
Here are a few options to look into:
Final Thoughts: Time to Set Your Plans Into Motion
Like marmite, love it or hate it; but open plan concepts aren’t going to disappear anytime soon – contrary to what some of the loudest voices in interior design are saying. While not for everyone, there are plenty of benefits to enjoy, from a convenient, seamless flow to a more dynamic and social way of living.
The prerequisites are knowing your priorities, finding attractive yet flexible storage solutions, measuring your dimensions to the millimetre, being clever about the layout, and, of course, sprinkling in a generous dose of imagination. Once you have these things in the bag, the overall design comes together painlessly.
To get started, grab your tape measure, download your interior design planner of choice, and get stuck in. Remember, it’s all about moulding your open kitchen living room plan to your routines, not the other way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
To wrap things up, here are a few FAQs that come up around open concept kitchen living rooms.
Is an Open Plan Living Room Kitchen a Good Idea?
We’re all individuals, so it will depend on your lifestyle and priorities. However, many people find that an open concept kitchen/ living area is the optimal design for sociability and maximising daylight, especially if you’re lucky enough to relegate your washing machine to another room. There’s also the improved flow with drinks and interaction between guests and hosts.
The downsides, though, are noise when you’re unwinding (think dishwashers and other appliances), heating the space, dirty plates and other mess always being visible, food smells, and the pressing need for greater organisation, flow and spatial planning.
What’s the Best Layout for an Open Plan Kitchen Living Room?
To exploit the casual, free-flowing potential of an open plan space, a suitable layout is essential. I recommend exploring ‘broken plan’ layouts – an approach to your floor plan that reintroduces privacy and shelter through structural elements like room dividers, glazed partitions and kitchen island fixtures.
Other popular structures include a straightforward two-zone plan for large, airy rooms; straight-through plans with a galley kitchen to keep the culinary and living room elements at opposite ends; L-shaped or U-shaped layouts for flexible communal spaces; and those with a large central island as their anchor points. Of course, hybrids of each also exist.
How Do I Divide Open Concept Spaces?
There are many ways to tackle dividing up an open concept room, without impeding the flow, aesthetics and ambience of the space. Relocating furniture and using it as a flexible barrier is the easiest way to define specific zones, but equally, a kitchen island, visual cues like lighting, rugs or decoration, freestanding partitions, and built-in shelving units work a treat.
Can Open Plan Spaces Work in Smaller Homes?
Open concept designs aren’t just for expansive, high-rise apartments flooded with natural light; they work with a cocktail of other properties, from large country farmhouses to tiny cottage kitchens. Sometimes it might even be the smarter choice if you have fewer square metres to play with.
Success depends on how well you zone each area with furniture, rugs, décor and lighting, not to mention managing the potential downsides, like losing the cosy, enclosed feel for an exposed lack of privacy.
What Flooring Works Best in an Open Plan Kitchen Living Area?
Low-maintenance hard flooring is the only sensible choice when you factor in the levels of foot traffic and culinary activities going on in the room. Here, engineered wood and LVT are top contenders, not just in terms of popularity, but performance, since they’re a breeze to look after, extremely hardwearing and beautiful to look at.
Some homeowners even opt for a mix-and-match approach, delineating the food prep area from the rest of the room with a splash of decorative tiles around the cabinetry to create a visual contrast. But be careful – it’s really easy to make the space look disjointed or small if you don’t pull it off perfectly.
