Creating an open plan 3: Designing a kitchen in an open plan

Here is our new shell:

As I progress in my interior designer career, I realise that I love designing kitchen. This might be linked to my background as a French person (being French means a culture around good food and eating) as a scientist (a laboratory is very much like a kitchen) and to the fact that in my childhood the kitchen was the most important room of the house where everything was happening. So I am always delighted when asked to design a new kitchen.

It is always exciting to design a kitchen for a big new opened space. It is time to imagine where and how a kitchen will become this so important place, and be a functional space at the same time. Yes, a kitchen is for social gathering, and need to be functional.

In this case there were many different possibilities for the new kitchen and a challenge to propose the best one (and I love this sort of challenge!!!). The client was quite surprise but understood quickly that the kitchen had to change radically and be re-positioned in what was the un-used office room. The dining area could then be fully used as a dining area and host a big dining table and what was the kitchen would become the place to relax and chill out, with a sofa, a library and a TV.

With this new design this bigger room has now three functions, a cooking place where you can also entertain with no shame, a dining area and a library/snug area. What an improvement!

Many things can be said about designing a kitchen space; to be functional the space has to follow certain rules, including the golden triangle so that you don’t have to walk kilometres while preparing food. We have included an island in this kitchen, to provide a bigger work space and a link to the dining area. The island is also used as a breakfast bar, and provides extra storage.

A good way to define each area in such an open plan space can be by the use of colours, rugs, specific lighting...

Emmanuelle Lemoine

Creating an open plan 2: from idea to doing

 

Of course when it comes to removing internal walls, it just doesn’t happen like this. There are many structural issues to take into consideration, and even though some walls don’t look like being load bearing, they have an important function in keeping the whole structure of the house stable and solid. It is therefore absolutely necessary to seek the advice of a professional and have a structural survey realised to see how to remove the walls.

In this project I called a structural engineer who visited the house and scrutinised and studied how the house was built. At this stage any special structure of the house has to be looked at, including cellars and roof space. The structural engineer did gave us hios report, which was sent to the building and regulation office for their approval and to the chosen builder, who was in close relation to both the structural engineer and the building and regulation office.

After getting all the green lights and approval, the builder was able to order all the necessary material and organise his work on our project.

Of course in such a project there are many things that need full consideration, for example heating and radiators, lighting, windows and door…

The heating: the heating of the new room had to be fully reconsidered as with the removal of a wall a big radiator had to go (a big radiator that was located on the wall). This is when it is important to be able to calculate the right amount of necessary BTUs to heat properly the new room and then decide if you want to have visible radiators or if you would rather go for under floor heating. I must say that I love the under floor heating solution as it frees up all the walls from radiators and it also creates a lovely warmth, and you can even walk bear feet on tiles in winter if you wanted….

In our case the client decided to keep radiators, so we had to calculate the right amount of radiators with the right size, and find a good localisation for them to be included in the finished scheme. As you can see there are many things to be taken into account and can’t be left to chance. Make sure your plumber is up for it!

The electrics: As there is a new space created, a new lighting plan is needed. The kitchen needs an especially good lighting as when cooking or chopping vegetables, you need to see what you are doing! For this project we chose energy saving lighting that provide at the same time a fantastic lighting for a kitchen. We installed LED recessed down lighters positioned in such a way that there wouldn’t be shadows falling in the wrong place. LEDs have improved so much in the last years. They used to be extremely white and bright and only good to light up a garage… It is now possible to find LEDs that produce a warm and comfortable lighting, that doesn’t make you look like a ghost, but which provide a good light. Here again, make sure your electrician knows what he is talking about (I am so lucky to work with an excellent team, including builder, electrician, plumber, decorator…) to avoid any problems later on.

Two pendant lights are also going on top of the island, for atmospheric and task lighting at the same time (not on the photo yet). Plint lights have also been installed, very funky result!

  LED recessed downlighters

New opening: With the artificial lighting we always have to think about how to improve the natural lighting, which is a comfortable and eco-friendly aspect of lighting. In this case we have opened the existing window in the kitchen into a patio door leading directly to the decking area in the back garden. This big new opening gives extra light and a beautiful view to the garden.

Emmanuelle Lemoine

Furniture positioning and the influence of Feng Shui

I do not pretend to be an expert in Feng Shui but I do try whenever possible to bear in mind the principles whenever I am designing an interior.

To many, home is, whenever possible a refuge from the madness of the outside world. A few simple adjustments can make life so much more comfortable. Some adjustments cost nothing, others are more expensive. It is also worth bearing in mind furniture positioning when coming to sell a house, buyers subliminally are put off by for instance, the way the door opens into a room or the amount/position of the furniture within that room.

Firstly, the less furniture/clutter within a room, makes the area look much larger. Below is a snapshot of things to bear in mind when designing an interior.

Hallway/stairs

Any clutter needs to be cleared out of the hallway and, if necessary, install a good coat stand or cupboard for all the family’s coat, jackets and umbrellas. A lot of hallways are very narrow so place a mirror on a side wall to expand the space. Never place a mirror opposite the front door, or opposite the stairs. Placing a mirror opposite the stairs can be extremely dangerous. Think about having a side table under the mirror with a letter rack or tray for your post and a key holder to store keys. Make sure you have good lighting to illuminate the stairs . Think about putting pictures on the walls, nothing too personal, just to bring a little personality.

Living room

A well designed living room will provide your guests with distinct feelings of security about you and them spending time inside your house. The first aspect to consider is whether or not the door into the room needs rehanging. When entering the room does the way the door opens create a vista into the room or does it bang into some furniture and does it have a focal point? Also, in past times, the tendency was to place all the furniture against the walls, this can create a ‘waiting room’ feel. If you have the space, a modular settee placed in the middle of the room with space to move around the sides. This will give the illusion of space. But do not place any seating where the person has their back directly onto the door, this can make them feel uncomfortable. Also, try not to place in the room items which barely get used, for example the odd chair or spare coffee table or nick nacks, these only add to make the room look smaller.

Bedroom

A bedroom needs some planning in order to amplify certain aspects of your life including love, romance, relaxation, and rejuvenation both mental and physical. A bedroom is a personal retreat -- an escape from the real world and its problems. I know it goes without saying, but some do tend to forget that placing bookshelves and pictures directly above the head of the bed is both uncomfortable and dangerous! Much better to place the bed in front of any bookshelving.
Do not place the bed on the wall beside the door where you cannot see how is entering the room until they are almost inside, or in the middle facing the door, this is too exposed.
Have bedside tables and lamps, directional as you don’t want to disturb the person next to you.

Kitchen

Functionality of the kitchen is of the utmost importance, the basic kitchen layout should be based on a triangle. Tables, chairs, stools, and cabinets should be placed in such a way that allows for an easy flow of movement while working your way around the kitchen. Clutter and poorly placed furnishings can reduce the functionality of a kitchen.

It is very important for the cook to be in a “commanding position" when at the stove. The cook should be able to clearly see the doorway without turning away from the stove. Feng Shui-inspired kitchen design combines with the contemporary trend toward cooking together. Instead of isolating the cook, families and guests often gather in the kitchen and participate in the meal preparation. Also, busy working couples use dinner preparation as an important time to unwind together.

Bathroom

In the past very little attention has been given to the design of a bathroom. Things are changing as bathrooms become places of relaxation and sanctuary. My main annoyance is toilets placed opposite the door, placing the toilet next to the bath and… carpet!

I hope my suggestions make for easier and happy living within your home. As with all considerations don’t try to come up with the perfect solution as there is no such concept in Feng Shui. Just take as many aspects into account as possible and try to decide which are the most important then see what you can do to accommodate them harmoniously.

Written by Anne Stuart