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Open Plan Kitchen Makeovers

Showing how mixed-use living areas can be practical, inviting, and great for entertaining, these open-plan kitchen makeovers offer real-life inspiration to help create a own multipurpose room. The best open-plan spaces seamlessly combine cooking, dining, and downtime in one place, with discreet storage and clever features that make modern life easier. Whether preparing dinner or catching up on work, this efficient layout will make the heart of your home more enjoyable to spend time in. We have collected our favourite examples to help you embrace a more open floorplan, all from real customers’ homers. For more creative ideas, explore our complete round-up of 100 Beautiful Kitchens.

1. Bright and all white

Create a light and bright design by introducing glossy finishes, which will give your social living space a high-end look that draws in guests for dinner and drinks.

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1. Bright and all white

Choosing a single tone for your design can make it appear more open and spacious, as shown by @the_wright_home. Crisp white door fronts, counters, and walls combine to create a clean backdrop for everyday life, whether enjoying dinner or working from home. This blank canvas gives you the freedom to pack in plenty of cupboards while maintaining a neat, clutter-free look.

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2. Stay with grey

In a busy open-plan space where you cook, eat, and socialise, introducing neutral shades of grey will help create a tranquil and soothing backdrop for modern life.

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2. Stay with grey

Grey has evolved from an on-trend tone to a new classic for interiors. In this open layout, @joshna_p_kitchendesigner has used subtle dove-grey cupboards to craft a welcoming design that suits a wide range of activities from cooking to catch-ups over coffee. This serene hue is a versatile choice that is easy to pair with other furnishings for a cohesive decor across cooking, dining, and living areas.

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3. Green and grand

Open-plan layouts offer the freedom to experiment with playful shades, adding a pop of colour to a larger space. Go for vibrant green to channel the great outdoors.

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3. Green and grand

Green is an on-trend hue that draws inspiration from nature to create a comforting and familiar design. @intothildelife offers a great example of how it can help craft a soothing multi-use living area, with cupboards in a verdant forest shade that is an instant mood-booster. This also makes their large floorplan feel cosy and inviting, so whether cooking or relaxing on the sofa, positive wellbeing is at the core of this home.

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4. Smarten up with slab

For a design that fits neatly into an open-plan layout, opt for versatile slab cupboard doors, which are a great match for a functional and flexible floorplan.

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4. Smarten up with slab

Embracing open-plan living is all about creating a practical and spacious room for work, rest, and play. @bettygegg shows how to achieve this with one-piece door fronts, which have a simple, uncluttered surface that offers a minimal canvas. This pared-back scheme has enabled them to pack their place with storage while maintaining a clean and understated look. It is also a great example of how slab doors can be used to form a sleek island, bridging the gap between cooking and dining zones.

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5. Spacious shaker

Bring warmth and character to a large, open-plan space with the enduring style of shaker cupboards, creating a cosy living area that you will love spending time in.

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5. Spacious shaker

Blend a modern layout with a traditional aesthetic by choosing framed shaker door fronts for an open-plan room, as @gagecarpentryandbuildingltd has done. The precise form and vintage-inspired detail of the doors, paired with a heritage shade, gives this large cooking and dining area a look that will last for years to come. This design means you can enjoy all the benefits of a contemporary floorplan, plus the timeless charm that makes shaker design so iconic.

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6. A matt backdrop

Craft a setting for daily tasks and tranquil moments with muted matt finishes, which are a practical and sophisticated choice for an open-plan space.

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6. A matt backdrop

Opting for a simpler design in a busy living area, like @renovation1970s, will set the scene for whatever the day has to hold, from preparing dinner to planning new projects. Matt cupboard doors are at the core of this pared-back look, reducing reflections and glare from devices to make the space feel more serene. This smooth surface is quick and easy to wipe clean and shows fewer marks – a must-have for a family home.

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7. A glossy greeting

Create a light and bright design by introducing glossy finishes, which will give your social living space a high-end look that draws in guests for dinner and drinks.

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7. A glossy greeting

Going for glossy cupboard doors is a great way to enhance the spacious feel of an open-plan layout. As demonstrated in this design by @builtbymason_, the mirrored surface bounces light around the room, making it feel lively and welcoming at any time of day. This effect can make compact floorplans feel larger or soften the impact of a long wall of storage to ensure a multipurpose area is always inviting.

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8. Paint your personality

An open-plan living area is at the heart of the home, making it a great place to showcase your individual style with paintable cupboards for a custom scheme.

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8. Paint your personality

Paintable door fronts offer the opportunity to embrace your favourite shade. Or you could follow the lead of @edwardian_london_terrace and pair contrasting hues to add character to an open-plan layout. This freedom to pick your own palette lets you highlight different sections of a mixed-use space – like in this design, where the island stands out in vibrant green. Plus, with the option to refresh the look with a new lick of paint, your room can adapt as new trends develop or your tastes change.

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9. Focus on freshness

Ensure guests can relax while you prepare dinner by adding an extractor to your open-plan cooking area, which will quickly whisk away steam and smells.

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9. Focus on freshness

When planning a multipurpose living space, it is important to include features that can help you keep food zones clean, like an extractor. Take inspiration from @ourfirsthome116 and opt for a flush-fitting model that sits discreetly above the stove, creating an unobtrusive look that is easy on the eye. With this in place, you can cook and entertain before retiring to relax, with no trace of dinnertime odours left behind.

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10. Floors that flow

Connect the different areas of your multi-use living space with matching materials, like floorboards, to create a cohesive look that flows through the room.

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10. Floors that flow

Using the same floor throughout your open-plan layout can draw the individual zones together, just like @renovation_100ha. This creates a link between cooking, dining, and work spots, highlighting the flexible nature of this design. Chevron floorboards replicate the vintage style of parquet for added character, while also drawing the eye across the space to make it feel even more generous.

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