A discussion about the necessity, advantages, disadvantages, and legal aspects of installing a door in a kitchen.
Are kitchens absolutely essential to have a door?
Contemplating whether to embrace an open-plan living setup with a doorless kitchen might just be one of many modern kitchen dream ponderings. With the popularity of free-flowing designs, it's no wonder the open-plan layout has taken center stage in many stunning, contemporary kitchen visions.
But is this design concept as great as it seems? Our experts weigh in on the potential pitfalls of constructing a cookspace without a door and offer handy workarounds to these problems.
This practical guide breaks down the variables influencing your home's potential open-plan kitchen design and showcases the less-celebrated aspects often left unmentioned on social media. This way, we can plan our ideal kitchen dreams with a clear mind, allowing our imagination to soar while keeping our feet firmly on the ground.
Is a Door Always Necessary for a Kitchen?
If you're captivated by visions of open-plan houses, a free-flowing layout likely already crossed your mind. However, the abundance of contrasting advice out there can make it tough to get to the heart of the matter. This is mainly due to regulations being tightly linked to the existing structure of your home.
"Knowing whether a kitchen needs a door isn't cut-and-dried," says Claire Garner, director of Claire Garner Design Studio. "Ultimately, it's related to the space, your home's layout, and how the kitchen is utilized."
She goes on to state, "With open-plan living leading the charge in popularity, I often find that a door is unnecessary. Removing it can create a smoother flow between spaces, making the home appear larger and fostering a lively atmosphere."
The main appeal of a doorless kitchen revolves around creating a greater sense of fluidity within your dwelling, enabling communal, relaxed living. However, vital factors must be evaluated before making this decision.
"Fire safety should be your primary concern when evaluating whether to add a door to your kitchen," advises Victoria Brown, from Musson Brown Architects. "Two-story homes offer more flexibility, but homes with three or more floors are subject to extra stipulations. For example, a protected stairwell is compulsory, with fire-rated doors installed on all rooms leading from that particular escape route. As such, a fire door must act as a barrier between your kitchen and the hallway," she explains.
The health and safety standards for your home will be the principal determining factor in whether or not you can craft an open-plan kitchen. Homes with the townhouse-style layout, spread across numerous floors, will likely come with stricter guidelines surrounding a doorless kitchen. You may also be necessitated to implement additional fire defenses.
"A kitchen will require a door if it's near an exit route like a hallway, stairwell, or corridor – in this case, you must have a fire-rated door," says Emily Pickett from Kitchens by Holloways. "However, these restrictions don't apply if the restrictions don't apply, leaving preference and usage of the space to play a part in the decision."
The Potential Permeations of Eliminating a Door in Your Kitchen
We know all too well how easy it is to get carried away by the dream of an open-plan home, envisioning layout and design without considering the potential drawbacks of this style.
For all its benefits, there are instances where you might come to resent the absence of doors, and the accompanying inability to establish distinct spaces in your home. "A closed door is beneficial for keeping children and pets in view while cooking or preparing meals," says Victoria. "In the case of hosting dinner parties, closing the kitchen door prevents noise from disturbing sleeping children."
A doorless kitchen can make it difficult to delineate zones in your house. Victoria continues, "Having a door in your kitchen is crucial for containing cooking smells and stopping them from permeating the remainder of the house. A doorless kitchen is impossible to babyproof or pet-proof."
While containing scents might not seem like an immediate concern, the moment you realize you'll be drifting off to sleep in bed infused with dinner smells, you'll reconsider.
As Emily explains, "Some people prefer the convenience of being able to close the kitchen door to keep smells and noise at bay from the rest of the home, while others embrace the open and free-flowing nature of a home without doors."
Claire concurs, "Without a door, cooking smells can travel more readily, and noise from appliances may be more bothersome, particularly in open-plan layouts. If the kitchen is intertwined with a formal living area or workspace, these factors can become annoying."
To remedy this, consider meticulously examining how you use your home, assess whether the absence of divisions presents a hassle, and experiment with room dividing solutions.
Designing a Doorless Kitchen With Foresight
Our experts have plenty of ideas for crafting the open-plan aesthetic desired in these spaces, while being mindful of potential pitfalls presented by this style of living. "When we discuss design options with our clients, we often suggest concealed fire-rated sliding doors as a viable alternative," recommends Victoria.
Hidden door options, such as the sliding pocket door, have gained popularity in open-plan homes for their ability to harmonize with the more free-flowing design aesthetic and offer privacy when necessary.
Claire agrees, stating, "For homeowners who love the idea of open, airy space but desire some separation, I often suggest sliding doors or Crittall-style glass doors as a good compromise. They allow light to pass through while offering the option to close off the kitchen when needed."
These adjustable door choices not only help with privacy issues but can also mitigate lingering scents and excessive noise. However, this is far from the only modification you can make to help dampen these concerns.
"When designing a kitchen without a door, efficient extraction should be prioritized to prevent cooking smells from invading the rest of the house," Victoria advises. "Heating systems are another deciding factor, necessitating additional radiators or underfloor heating to maintain a warm, inviting environment."
By incorporating soft furnishings into the room, you can amplify the cozy feel while also dampening noise and echoes.
Key FAQs
When Shouldn't You Include a Door in a Kitchen?
The appeal of the open-plan kitchen design may be undeniable, but certain homes are simply ill-suited to this approach. "In the UK, whether a kitchen should contain a door separating it from the rest of the house depends mainly on the property's infrastructure and fire safety considerations," explains Richard Davonport, managing director at Davonport. "Building regulations prioritize ensuring safe escape routes during a fire, making kitchens hazardous zones."
These rules are enacted to safeguard the residents of a home, guaranteeing you are prepared in the event of a home fire. However, these restrictions are contingent on your kitchen's proximity to an escape route.
"For example, if an open-plan kitchen and living area share a staircase, a fire-resistant door is typically required to create a protected escape route," Richard explains. "In older properties, however, this isn't always feasible, and there may be a necessity for alternative emergency exits, such as a large window and fire escape ladder."
Specialists might recommend additional safeguards, like a fire curtain or an installed sprinkler system. "A kitchen will require a door if it is near an escape route like a hallway, stairwell, or exit," intones Emily. "In this instance, a fire-rated door is necessary."
The experts warn against this design concept for reasons extending beyond purely safety-based arguments.
"In certain situations, I would maintain a door, for example, in smaller homes or apartments where noise and smells could potentially be an issue, or if the kitchen is located near the main entrance or hallway, where it's helpful to contain clutter," says Claire.
Ultimately, as Richard can attest, "Open-plan living has swept the nation for the previous decade, and creating a kitchen without a door in your home is undoubtedly feasible so long as the room is segregated from areas such as the staircase."
If your kitchen adheres to any existing escape routes, you should have little trouble designing a kitchen without a door in your dwelling.
But take heed: remodeling a kitchen is a labor-intensive, expensive process. Once you grasp the expenses of a modern kitchen, you'll be well on your way to fashioning your dream kitchen design.
- The popularity of free-flowing designs in contemporary homes has led to an increasing interest in open-plan kitchens.
- However, the question of whether a kitchen needs a door remains nuanced and depends on various factors, including the space, home layout, and kitchen usage.
- Fire safety should be the primary concern when evaluating whether to add a door to your kitchen, especially in homes with multiple floors.
- For homes with certain layouts, stricter guidelines might be enforced, so it's essential to consider regulatory and safety concerns before embracing a doorless kitchen.
