Long gone are the days of the outdated, stuffy kitchen that featured the classic wall hatch through which you could serve food and peep a ''hello'' to your guests while entertaining!

And thank goodness for that, because these types of kitchens were not practical, welcoming, and quite honestly, do nothing for the layout and flow of your home. Today, it's all about the open concept kitchen design.

If your kitchen needs a little updating, or you want to open up the flow of your home, dining, and lounge area, here's why an open concept is a brilliant choice.

What Is an Open Concept Kitchen?

Also referred to as an open plan kitchen, the entire premise is to create free-flowing space between the main living areas of your home, which are usually the kitchen, dining, and living room.

Basically, this layout includes multiple rooms in one space that don't have walls or doors separating them.

Open floor plans are brilliant if you live in a smaller home and have less square footage to work with. However, open plan living works well with tons of square footage, too. Homes on the much larger side might use a partition wall here and there to divide up the space as needed.

Many open concept kitchens still include some form of partition to divide up the space between the kitchen, dining, and living room areas. They're not walls, but they might include a small bar unit, kitchen island, sink area, or glass partition. Suspended shelving and hanging light fixtures are also popular.

Most of the time, an open concept kitchen will include the dining area within the space, with either a small kitchen table, a kitchen island to eat at, or a dining table (depending on the amount of space you have).

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of the open kitchen concept:

1. It's Incredibly Social

There are no two ways about it -- an open concept kitchen is one of the best ways to ensure the cook gets to socialize with family and friends while they're busy in the kitchen.

Not only this, but if you have young children this is a great way to keep an eye on them while they play or do homework in your main living area/s.

Without the barrier of walls and doors between your kitchen, dining area, and living room, you have to chance to cook, clean, and feel like you're part of the conversation!

2. It Creates a Better Flow of Space

One of the greatest benefits of an open plan kitchen is that it creates a beautiful, flawless flow of space from one room to another.

The flow of your home has a huge impact on the feel of your home, and its overall value appreciation by year, too. In other words, a closed-off, boxy home can make it feel stuffy, unwelcoming, and stiff.

Having an open flow of space allows for easier movement, and it looks stylish, modern, and inviting.

3. It Can Lighten and Brighten Your Kitchen

If you have a smaller home, and an even smaller kitchen, then an open concept is one of the best ways to lighten, brighten, and open up the space.

Open plan living has a way of embracing the natural light that flows into your home, making it feel bright and airy. This in itself can make a room look and feel double the size.

4. It Adds Functional Space

There's plenty to be said about the addition of functional space when you have an open concept kitchen. Overall, it makes this area of your home way more versatile.

Your kitchen becomes more than its namesake. It serves as a place to cook, entertain, eat your meals, and even finish off homework/school projects.

If you're smart about your kitchen design you can maximize every bit of space you have and even add storage capacity. For example, you could add drawers or shelving to a kitchen island.

While your spouse relaxes in the living room, or at the kitchen island you can have a conversation and talk about your day. The versatility of the space means you can spend more time with your loved ones and friends.

With the above benefits in mind, it's also important to consider some of the potential drawbacks of an open concept kitchen.

Things to Consider: Your Kitchen Mess Is on Display

Bear in mind that there's very little place to hide when you have an open concept kitchen. If your kitchen is a mess, your friends are going to know about it.

However, with a smart kitchen design, you can ''hide'' your scullery or sink area behind an accent wall or created a designated area that keeps it out of site.

You could also install a dishwasher within your kitchen island so that you can load your dishes as you cook, helping to keep the area tidy.

Noise Travels

Finally, the noise of your cooking and cleaning in the kitchen will become heightened the more open the space becomes.

Enclosed spaces tend to trap noise and block it off from the rest of the house. But an open space can do the opposite.

Keep this in mind if you have bedrooms located close to the kitchen. It might be a good idea to keep at least one partition or wall between the kitchen and living areas to absorb some of the sounds if noise is a concern for you.

Bring Your Dream Open Concept Kitchen to Life

In today's day and age, an open concept kitchen can do absolute wonders for your overall home value. Most homeowners will look for a property that features a beautiful, open, and expansive flow between key living areas.

If you're looking to transform your kitchen and bring your home into the 21st century, Cabinet Wholesalers has just the team of kitchen remodeling experts you need. Contact our team and begin planning your dream kitchen today.