An open-concept kitchen is more than just a design choice; it is a lifestyle statement that turns a separate workspace into the social heart of the home. It’s an inviting hub, a central space where you can connect with family and entertain guests effortlessly every day.
Today I’m sharing a detailed look into this design to help you create your own open and airy retreat. From enhanced spaciousness to the realities of noise and cooking smells, you will discover everything you need to know to design a kitchen that feels as welcoming as it is functional.
U-Shaped (Horseshoe) Kitchen
I just love how a U-shaped kitchen almost creates a little room within a room. This super functional and cozy layout is perfect for huge open-plan spaces or if you just want to give your cooking area a more defined feel.
The truth is, the U-shape works just as well in small or large spaces, giving you tons of cabinets and practical surfaces.
By compactly arranging different kitchen modules, you get a lot of countertop space and well-organized storage that’s always close by. Another great thing about this layout is that several people can cook at the same time without getting in each other’s way.
Image credit: Interjero Architektūra
The U-shaped modular kitchen has such a cozy vibe, creating a beautifully defined cooking corner within an open layout. Having three walls of different kitchen modules, benches, and countertops is not only a super practical solution but also a really welcoming part of the home’s design.
Seclusion, tons of counter space, and efficiency are just some of the perks of a U-shaped kitchen layout.
Image credit: Y Designs
Image credit: Y Designs
Image credit: Y Designs
L-Shaped Modular Kitchen
The L-shaped kitchen is a really popular layout, especially when the kitchen connects to another living space. I think this simple but effective setup creates a beautiful decor that’s not only functional for cooking but also brings a great dynamic for social interactions in the home.
A popular choice is to finish the shorter side of the “L” with a cute breakfast bar. The L-shaped layout offers comfort, a practical use of space, and enough countertops and cabinets for all your kitchen needs. It’s a good, classic choice to go with.
Image credit: Shoko Design
The easy-going and stylish dynamic of an L-shaped kitchen gives you so many design options. With careful planning and clever module selection, you can guarantee a functional space with enough storage and utility units to meet your needs.
L-shaped kitchens have plenty of counter space and an open end for an easy connection to the rest of your living areas. Plus, there’s enough room to work without constantly bumping into things.
Image credit: Shoko Design
G-Shaped (Peninsula) Kitchen
You can think of a G-shaped kitchen as an expansion of the U-shaped layout. It gives you four walls of storage plus an extra peninsula that can hold more cabinets or an inviting kitchen island bar.
In reality, you can see this layout as an upgrade from other kitchen configurations, making the most of an open floor plan.
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
Having tons of workspace, countertops, and functional cabinets all arranged around a single center makes it so easy to operate, cook, and clean up afterward without having to walk a mile.
Also, the extra countertop space in a G-shaped kitchen is easy to reach and use during the whole cooking process. And I love that the open end still keeps you connected to the rest of the social flow.
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
Image credit: Marmol Radziner
Galley Kitchen Layout
This layout gets its name from a ship’s configuration. The galley kitchen is arranged along the back of the living space and stretches lengthwise like a corridor.
Since galleys are naturally confined spaces, this style is especially great for small homes or tricky layouts.
Image credit: platau
Set up between two parallel benches or cabinets, this modern kitchen layout is so efficient and easy to move through that it’s a favorite in busy restaurants.
It’s super efficient for work, but not as great for socializing, since these layouts don’t usually include a dining nook or a spot to sit and chat.
Image credit: A Fresh Touch Interiors
So, whether it’s for a small apartment or a large open space, this type of modern kitchen can be quite fun. I love the idea of arranging the kitchen modules and making the most of that “speed track” between them.
Image credit: A Fresh Touch Interiors
Small Open Concept Kitchen
As we’ve already talked about, the open floor plan with its simple structure and easy movement is so trendy in the contemporary design world.
That connection between the kitchen, dining, and living areas is something designers and architects are always trying to make as fluid and flexible as possible.
Image credit: French Quarter
Getting rid of the physical barrier between the social spaces and the kitchen is just a practical move. A simpler shell means simpler movement and a simpler life. And the best part is, you can totally achieve this even in small homes and urban apartments with limited space.
You don’t need a huge house to create an easy, open layout for your daily life. There are some really impressive and beautiful results out there for small, open-concept kitchens. Let’s take a look.
Image credit: Vaida Atkocaityte
Keep it Sweet and Simple
This is such a golden rule, especially for small spaces, which are the real design challenge. I’ve picked three different projects that show off some super creative and perfect compositions for limited space and open-plan kitchens.
Image credit: GDL Arquitetura
The white walls and the overall lightness of the backdrop and color scheme are an amazing base for an open-plan layout. The mix of wooden surfaces, fresh green plants, and mostly white creates a feeling of ease and freshness.
Image credit: Interurban
Soft, clean-lined seating arrangements look so good with light colors and classic gray elements. This kind of simplicity really opens up the space and gives it a pure, relaxing feel.
Image credit: Redeco
Indoor-Outdoor Appeal
Creating a strong connection between the outdoors and your open kitchen can be a total game-changer, bringing a sense of serenity and unique character to your home.
Establishing a natural feel with openings, views, and materials does require some architectural planning, but bringing nature inside is always possible.
Image credit: SAOTA Architects
This kitchen design, sitting right on the border between inside and out, creates a dining experience that connects the home and nature through its doors, structures, and materials.
I love how the fresh feel of the exposed concrete and rich tile is balanced by the warmth of the wood and the lush green plants. This indoor-outdoor kitchen makes a connection through both its doors and its materials.
Image credit: Tamara Wibowo Architects
Using bigger windows, sliding glass doors, or French doors is a great way to create a strong link between your inside space and the garden outside. Bringing tons of natural light into the kitchen is always a plus. Not to mention the fresh air, natural ventilation, and beautiful views!
Image credit: Carter Williamson
One Wall Modular Kitchen
This type of kitchen layout revolves around a one-wall setup that holds different modules of kitchen appliances in a linear configuration. I think it’s the most simple and clean-lined way to create a cooking corner in an open-plan home.
With this layout, the kitchen area remains a single space without any defined borders between it and the rest of the living area.
Image credit: Fateeva Design
This is where the inventive imagination of modern designers really shines. They search for a flexible, colorful, and practical arrangement of the different kitchen units, from the fridge to the sink, to suit the owner’s needs and personal style in just one straight line of workspace.
Image credit: Daria Zinovatnaya
Open Kitchens With Island
A kitchen island isn’t limited by specific shapes or sizes, which gives you so much freedom to express your personal style. The concept offers a countertop surface and a storage unit that stands on its own in the kitchen, allowing for free movement around it and creating a stylish, dynamic, and unique decor.
Image credit: Amitzi Architects
You can easily add an island to L-shaped, U-shaped, G-shaped, one-wall, or galley kitchens. Or, the island itself can be beautiful enough to create a functional kitchen space all on its own.
Image credit: Olga Akulova
The kitchen island is such a functional piece in an imaginative kitchen design. It can give you extra workspace, hold a sink or other appliances, provide more cabinetry, or just be a simple dining bar. Either way, a kitchen island is always a stylish and useful choice.
It can help you define an extra work surface in an L-shaped layout, or it can help you divide the kitchen into different zones so more than one person can work without getting in each other’s way.
I love how flexible and stylish an island is; it always brings a freestyle and dynamic feel to any kitchen layout.
Image credit: Olga Akulova
Black Open Plan Kitchen
Choosing black for your kitchen isn’t so unusual anymore. Actually, this strong color scheme is super trendy for these spaces, especially in open-plan kitchens for bachelor pads. I love this approach; it gives off a vibe of raw, untainted power.
Image credit: Toota
But it’s not just for that! We found some seriously amazing examples for you in a whole range of styles, from rustic to ultra-modern, that show how a gorgeous design can look incredible in black.
Image credit: Carter Williamson
Let’s be honest, black compositions can be demanding and have a lot of character, which is why a lot of homeowners shy away from a black kitchen.
But with its dynamic and strong presence, black is a really popular choice among bold designers and clients looking for something unique and luxurious.
Image credit: Yo Dezeen
So here are some intriguing examples for you to check out and get inspired by. The super creative Ukrainian studio Yo Dezeen has some amazing projects where black is the main color for the kitchen and living areas. You have to see them.
Image credit: Metaforma
White Open Plan Kitchen
The other end of the spectrum is white. I find that designers and homeowners often see it as a classic refuge from bold colors and strong combinations.
Image credit: Toota
Using a lot of white elements and surfaces creates a feeling of spaciousness and luminous ease, so it’s no surprise that a lot of people prefer it.
Image credit: Kubikoo Estudio
White is a great color for opening up and brightening a decor composition. It’s especially good when you have a dynamic open-plan kitchen on a small scale.
Even the tiniest space can hold enough modular surfaces without looking crowded if you creatively use a light color scheme and simple shapes.
Family Friendly Kitchen
When I think about family-friendly design that’s attractive, playful, and practical all at once, the amazing Taiwanese studio HAO Design always comes to mind. They create layouts where every family member feels comfortable and safe.
They playfully add intriguing design elements, like LEGO-inspired furniture or even trampolines, into their open kitchen-living room combinations.
Image credit: HAO Design
The goal is to let children spend as much time as possible with their parents in a safe and loving environment.
They achieve this by creating a light, modern interior that includes a play area with climbing and sliding structures, plus whimsical details, all within an elegant layout that uses lots of soft, natural materials. I love that they compose open, organic spaces that inspire both kids and adults to be creative.
Image credit: HAO Design
In our busy lives today, layouts where kids can play freely alongside the adults are so precious. It really encourages me to see how modern designers are searching for creative ways to design spaces that promote family time.
Image credit: HAO Design
Divide Kitchen from Living Room
There are so many elegant and creative ways to create a symbolic border between the kitchen and living room without actually putting up walls and doors. One trendy approach in modern design is to elevate one of the zones.
I love this idea! Creating layers in an open plan is a creative and dynamic way to visually separate the different purposes of the space and allows you to use different design combinations in one open area.
Image credit: FGR Architects
Another popular way to separate the food prep zone from the living space is with a glass partition. It’s a trendy and functional trick that doesn’t visually separate the space since light and views can still pass through.
But it does give a certain level of privacy between the two zones, keeping noises and smells contained without disrupting the visual flow.
Image credit: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Image credit: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Using a sliding door or a built-in panel to hide the kitchen when needed is also a popular option. Some luxurious projects use strong textures and materials to make the food prep area “disappear” when it’s not in use.
In this trendy project, the continuity of the materials and the custom structures that mix wood, marble, and matte black surfaces help the designers blend the kitchen in, hiding it behind a sliding panel without disturbing the unity of the open floor plan.
Image credit: ONG&ONG
Image credit: ONG&ONG
Incorporate Color
Just don’t be afraid to use color! When you apply it creatively, it can give you a huge advantage in composing your signature home decor.
Lately, pastel tones are so trendy that I’ve seen great examples of them being used not just in living rooms and bedrooms, but also in unexpected kitchen designs.
Image credit: FU-GE Design
Millennial Pink also isn’t losing its trendy spot. We see it so often as a design color in trendy furniture, as a wall color, or just as a decorative element.
Image credit: October
Different combinations of blue, orange, or yellow can also be a winning composition for your kitchen space. They bring a certain mood and personal feeling into one of the most practical rooms of your home.
Murals are so popular right now and are a great way to express your personality. They can also be used to highlight a specific architectural feature like a chimney breast or alcoves.
Image credit: Moneo Brock Studio
Simple Color Palette
A mix of graffiti gray with white and light beige, accented by strong black elements, is such a trendy and elegant combination right now. The Taiwanese studio 2BOOKS design showed us a very stylish and modern Zen take on contemporary urban living.
Image credit: 2BOOKS design
Lacquered kitchen cabinets, a metal-clad kitchen island, and strong graphic accents create such an expressive atmosphere. The mix of the pure gray base and the warm accent of the beige upholstery is also a winning combination.
Image credit: Studio Wills + Architects
Using pure and simple color combinations lets you bring in bolder colors without making the space feel heavy or crowded. In the second project, the use of unfinished wood cladding and fresh green elements looks so good with the dynamic black of the kitchen modules.
Dominant colors like blue or green are perfect for artistic and expressive urban homes and, when used cleverly, can open up the space and offer a unique atmosphere for your kitchen experience.
Image credit: Fateeva Design
Let There Be Light
A mansard or mezzanine space has such a romantic and cozy spirit, but it can also be a challenging space to design. The sloped roof, exposed wooden beams, and small windows can make the space feel crowded and dark.
But like any challenge, there’s an opportunity here for inventive and highly creative design. Here are three examples of how these spaces can be adapted to a modern lifestyle and offer comfort and elegance by cleverly incorporating light into the designs.
Image credit: Vipp
The modular kitchen by Vipp divides the open floor space into a food prep zone and a living area. The designers use large windows with distinctive shapes to light up different parts of the decor.
Light becomes a key factor in the design, bringing comfort and functionality to the unusual space.
Image credit: don’t DIY Studio
Using light to create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere gives your home a certain appeal, elegance, and unique character. Natural light gives a fresh, healthy glow to everything it touches, including your food, so it’s essential to have good natural light in the food prep zone.
When you’re working at the kitchen counter, it’s smart to arrange the layout so the light comes from behind your shoulder and doesn’t blind you.
Image credit: Softdecor
As these examples show, using light as a main character in your design will not only give you a unique and expressive home, but it will also increase the productivity of your daily living spaces, bring calm and ease to your decor, and ensure a safe and comfortable environment.
Arranging the light to illuminate all your activities, from cooking and serving to relaxing, can be a challenge, but it is totally worth it.
Image credit: Moloney Architects
