Lately we’ve noticed chatter on some of our favorite idea sites, including Pinterest and Houzz, debating whether it’s better to have a kitchen that’s walled off from the rest of the house, or one that opens up to adjacent family rooms and dining areas.The debate is timely. For years, designers, architects, and homeowners have been touting the benefits of open floor plans.But all that openness has been around for awhile, and for some folks the pendulum is now swinging back the other way.We’ve got the answer.Related: Why White Kitchens Stand the Test of TimeThe idea of the open kitchen has been around since the 1990s and continues to be popular.For example, in 2006 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported that “the integration of kitchens with informal living space (great rooms) remains a popular design.” The report added that more than half of design firms were experiencing increased interest in open space floor plans.Fast-forward to 2013, and AIA reports that all is well with the open kitchen: “Integrating family space with kitchens remains a very popular design option.”

What’s good about it? Advocates say their open kitchen:“Closed” doesn’t mean claustrophobic. It means that kitchen access is limited to doorways, and that food prep and cleanup is hidden from view.The most popular reasons for having a closed kitchen include:A Houzz commenter posts: “I prefer a closed off kitchen. door knobs at michaelsWhen I cook I like privacy and silence. honda civic fd parts for saleI often make things I have never made before when entertaining and need to be able to concentrate without questions or recommendations on how to do something differently.”lambo door kit for 2011 camaroImage: Richard Landon, NWSID, CMKBD “There’s a middle ground that’s becoming much more common,” says Seattle kitchen designer Richard Landon, who likes to incorporate small prep kitchens or “sculleries” (as seen in the right side of the image above) that are walled off from main kitchens.garage door springs fresno

The idea, says Landon, originates in England, where sculleries were used for washing dishes and laundry, and for messy tasks, such as plucking chickens. Landon puts cleanup sinks, wall ovens, and dishwashers in his sculleries to keep clutter concealed.Meanwhile, he might put a cooktop and small bar sink in the open kitchen area to maintain a communal atmosphere.“triple pane sliding glass door costThe kitchen is still the hub of family life,” says Landon. sliding glass door bulletin board“To me, a completely closed-off kitchen is at the far end of the spectrum.”solid wood doors edmontonTo add a scullery during a renovation, Landon advises to look for adjacent space, such as a pantry or closet that can be converted.

Lacking that, consider rearranging the kitchen altogether to accommodate a prep kitchen.“You can do a lot in just 40 square feet,” says Landon.Ideally, the best kitchen is a compromise: One that closes off the smells and mess, and yet doesn’t isolate the cook. Here’s how you can achieve that ideal mix.Adding a pass-through window is a simple way to connect spaces without tearing out the walls of a closed-off kitchen.Speaking of walls, taking out a non-bearing wall (cheaper and safer than a bearing wall for sure!) and replacing it with a half wall or peninsula is a somewhat expensive but most-obvious way to open up a closed kitchen. Good idea: Hire an architect or designer who can make sure the end result is a happy one.Folding or pocket doors separate the kitchen from living areas by opening up when you want continuous flow and closing when you don’t. (Swinging French doors are pretty but take up too much space.) Sizes for pocket and sliding doors range from small (24 inches wide) to huge (16 feet or more).

Use a clear or translucent glass door to keep light flowing.A peninsula separates your kitchen from nearby living spaces. Include upper cabinets with glass fronts that establish privacy yet let light through.Add a raised bar/eating counter to your island. Face the raised part toward your living areas so it blocks views of food prep areas. Kitchen countertops are typically 36 inches high; raised counters are 40 to 46 inches high.A half wall 40 to 50 inches tall built between the kitchen and living area establishes physical and visual boundaries for your kitchen. Top the wall with a glass partition to reduce noise, yet allow light transmission.A range hood or downdraft unit ensures your cooking area is properly vented to the outside so that odors are kept out of living and dining rooms. Quality, sound-dampening appliances cost more but won’t interfere with nearby conversations.An extra-large, extra-deep sink is a godsend for quickly swallowing messy dishes and pans. Ditto for a second dishwasher.

Related: Prep Kitchens Make Life EasierFrameless glass stacking doors ... Put these in at Plett ~ they are amazingFind out more ... Leyton & Alvar collections from Jeffrey Alexander.KBIS 2017 – New Products from Hardware ResourcesThe sturdiest base cabinet pullout – No Wiggle!Can't decide on a Knob or Pull? New Preassembled 35-Quart Waste Container SystemSelect Knobs and Pulls from our Digital Display Board TowerNew from Elements: Hammond and Merryville collections.Get a Free 30-Minute Design Consultation!Hardware Resources designs, engineers and manufactures an extensive line of products for the kitchen cabinet, bath and closet industries under our three brands: Jeffrey Alexander, Elements and Hardware Resources. We sell our own – and only our own – products, stocking over 24,000 products in 6 warehouses across the country, and typically shipping same-day. Our local field staff provide on-site assistance in product selection, training, and installation.Sunflex systems offer the full package with not only slim sight lines to maximise your view, low U­-values to save you money on heating bills and making your room feel warmer but they also have certified impressive weather test results ensuring the bad weather really is kept outside.

A low U-value does not mean it keeps out the wind and the rain! Whichever system you chose to purchase make sure you find out the systems Air Permeability and Water Resistance test results to get the full picture. Over 25 years of German experience ensure you the very best in sleek design and smooth operation. Sunflex provides the most technically advanced systems on the market, setting the standards for others to follow. Rather than branching in to folding doors as they became popular, Sunflex have been specialists in this field from their very beginnings. For many years to come, following your project completion, you will be glad you chose the best not the quickest, or the cheapest. Every Sunflex folding door is crafted by Sunflex in Germany, one of the only truly German manufactured folding systems. Your door system engineered and manufactured by the system designers and not by a third party. Sunflex offer a wide range of door systems for internal and external applications, listed below are some of the more popular products:

Slim vertical sight line of only 115mm (most are 132mm or more) maximising the view and the light in to your home.  Frame depth of only 55mm (most are 70mm or more) to minimise the stacking area when fully opened and stacked to one side and reduce the feeling of bulk in the door system.  Frames can be finished in a choice of standard RAL colours (or any special RAL colour for extra cost).  The handles and trickle vents typically colour matched to the frame. Certified weather rating reassuringly these systems have been officially tested to ensure that they really do keep that bad weather outside, one of the most weather-tight aluminium systems available 900 Pascals Water Tightness  (Class 9A) & 600 Pascals Air Permeability (Class 4) with our standard weathered track. Resistance to wind load 1600 Pascals (Class A4) for reassurance in the most exposed of locations. (A low U-Value does not mean it keeps out the wind and the rain – please compare our weather test results with other suppliers)

Excellent  security with a multipoint locking system as standard comprising of top and bottom shoot bolt locking with additional side locking point on lead door panels and a 5 lever Euro profile cylinder. Internally glazed as standard with double rebated outer frame sections.  Further high security upgrades and latch lock available. Child safe with unique locking panel catch and stacking clip which enables doors to be locked securely in the open position safe from young children and preventing unwanted operation of the system. Finger cushioning gasket situated on the edge of the panels provides cushioning for young fingers. Made from long lasting EPDM rubber and continuing past the hinge, unlike most other folding doors, ensuring no weak spot in the weathering. Contemporary appearance and the best looking folding door on the market with modern slim line square edged profiles and slim-line gasket between panels.  Small slim line hinges all of equal size and stylish matching handle furniture either colour matched to the frame or stainless steel.

Choice of thresholds with a DDA compliant flush track for a virtually seamless connection between inside and outside or an extreme weather tight track for exposed locations. Additional sill sections available in varying projections. Maximising your opening with panel widths up to 1200mm and 3500mm maximum panel height for narrower panels.  Integrated ventilation option with a full height tilt and turn window within the folding doors. Essentially this is the SF55 with a greater frame depth to accommodate a larger thermal break as well as triple glazed.  The ultimate in thermal efficiency with a massive 44mm multi chambered thermal break keeping heat inside your room.  Not only saving you money on heating bills but making your room feel warmer whilst maintaining the incredibly slim 115mm sight line. Essentially this is the SF55 with a hardwood cladding internally.  The hardwood is finished in a choice of stains or can be painted in any RAL colour.  The depth and sightline increase very slightly to accommodate the timber cladding (sightline is 118mm).  

There is a choice of 3 internal timber styles/mouldings and the SF55C provides almost exactly the same u-values and panel widths/heights as the SF55.  It also has passed the same weather and security tests. This system achieves the best of both worlds with our slim line aluminium doors that have internal timber cladding. Enjoy the warmth and natural beauty of the internal timber whilst benefitting from the maintenance free aluminium externally.  As this system is the modern design of thermally broken aluminium door with a timber cladding on the inside Sunflex offers slimmer sightlines compared to the old style of a timber door with external aluminium cladding. As with the relationship between the SF55 and SF55C the SF75C is essentially the SF75 with a hardwood cladding internally with a vertical sightline of 122mm.  This is very impressive considering it is a timber clad system which is also triple glazed and still provides a  vertical sightline slimmer than most aluminium double glazed systems.

The SF75H is a timber folding door unlike any other.  Typically we use Meranti hardwood but Oak is available at extra cost.  The timber is finished in a choice of stains or can be painted in any RAL colour.  It offers sight lines of 122mm which is slimmer than most aluminium systems on the market! Unlike most timber folding doors the Sunflex SF75H has certified wind and water weather test results.  Using engineered timber for long lasting strength and stability. The unique continuous gasket design sets this apart from any other timber folding door offering finger protection coupled with double rebated tracks providing certified weather protection. The convenience of bottom running makes replacement situations easier and offers a greater tolerance and choice for your lintel. Certified weather rating reassuringly these systems have been officially tested to ensure that they really do keep that bad weather outside.  With double rebated tracks and gasket that continues past the hinges unlike any other timber folding door.  

Offering 600 Pascals air permeability (class 4), 300 Water Tightness (Class 7a) and resistance to windload class B5 to give you peace of mind with our standard weathered track. Excellent security with a multipoint locking system as standard comprising of top and bottom shoot bolt locking with additional side locking point on lead door panels and a 5 lever Euro profile cylinder. Thermal efficiency that exceeds the latest building regulations not only saving you money on heating bills but making your room feel warmer.  Double glazed with 1.0 W/m²k centre pane U-Value = Overall frame and glass U-Value  1.4 W/m²k.  Triple glazed with a 0.5 W/m²k centre pane U-Value = Overall frame and glass U-Value 0.9 W/m²k Child safe with unique locking panel catch and stacking clip which enables doors to be locked securely in the open position safe from young children and preventing unwanted operation of the system.  Finger cushioning gasket situated on the edge of the panels provides cushioning for young fingers.

Countless possible designs including moveable corner posts creating clear open corners as well as facetted sets to create a unique look to your project.  Maximise your opening with panel widths up to 1100mm wide for standard door heights and up to a maximum height of 2900mm when combined with smaller panel widths. Your choice of track with a low level DDA compliant track for a virtually seamless connection between the inside and the outside as well an extreme weather-tight track for exposed locations and enviable weather test results. Sill sections available at varying projections. Designed to last using engineered timber sections comprising of three pieces of timber bonded together to form a lighter, stronger more stable timber than conventional solid timber sections. The SF75H has been designed as a bottom running system avoiding the problems associated with top running doors and making this an ideal solution for replacement situations and offering a greater tolerance and choice for your lintel.