Open or closed kitchen in a renovation

The decision looks aesthetic and is settled on three technical fronts: extraction, acoustics and light. Resolve those and the rest is taste.

What each option gains

Open, the light from the kitchen window reaches the living room and the reverse, the home feels larger and whoever is cooking is not alone. Closed, smoke and smells stay put, extractor and appliance noise is contained, and mess is invisible. In a household that cooks daily with frying and long stews, that last advantage matters more than it seems on a drawing.

Extraction governs

In an open kitchen the extractor is sized by volume: multiply the floor area of the joined space by its height and by 10 or 12 air changes an hour to get the airflow required. An undersized extractor turns the living room into an extension of the frying pan. Sound level matters as much as airflow, because in a single space it is heard from the sofa: below 55 decibels at medium speed is a reasonable target.

The middle solution

A glazed screen with a sliding door solves 80 per cent of the problem: it lets light through and allows the space to be closed when cooking heavily or when guests arrive. It costs 900 € to 2,500 € installed depending on dimensions and joinery, well below the cost of getting the decision wrong the other way and having to redistribute the space 2 years later.

In a holiday let or a seasonal home, an open kitchen usually works well because less cooking happens and the sense of space is what is being bought.

What to check first

Whether the wall to be opened is load bearing, in which case a technical project and a major works licence are required, with an opening cost of 1,500 € to 5,000 € including the reinforcement. Where the extract duct runs and whether the building permits connection to a dedicated flue. And whether the community of owners must authorise anything, since any effect on common elements needs prior agreement.