Kitchen: closed or open? What room layout?

just answer the OP's question

done in #6, 8 and 12

I can watch TV alone while cooking, the sofa is protected from view and vice versa.

So you watch from the cooking pot to the TV, but the sofa is around the corner? Do you have it like that?

An open kitchen was never an option for us. I don't want to look at dirty dishes when I'm still sitting in the living room, and smells are still present even with the best extractor hood. So, the kitchen is closed. If there is enough space, a small table for a quick breakfast or homework etc. is welcome. Unfortunately, this will not be the case for us. The proper dining table will then be in the living room.

I don't want to look at dirty dishes when I'm still sitting in the living room, and even with the best extractor hood there are still smells.

Even without odors, the sight of unfinished work would be enough to spoil the end of the day. Kitchens are always shown so beautifully glossy in brochures, but in reality, this condition at least does not maintain itself. Having a super-duper dream kitchen and then only using it for social cooking while having everything delivered in everyday life so that nothing gets dirty—I place a big pack of question marks behind that.

We cook quite a lot, also with the children and with friends. Except for larger celebrations, the kitchen is actually always cleaned up right afterwards. We've always lived that way; pushing all the mess to the next day is not our thing, and at the same time as cooking, we usually clean up the mess quite quickly again. Our children also learn from the start that they should please put their dishes directly into the dishwasher after eating. If it's clean, then it's your turn to unload it.

For those who first make everything dirty and then like to push the cleaning to the next day, a closed kitchen is certainly advantageous.

I can understand the argument about odors. If that bothers you, closed is better, although an open door doesn't make the odors stay there... that would mean you have to lock yourself in there until you're done cooking (ok, in the past they just pushed the woman into the kitchen )... but as a family, we really enjoy having a common center, and cooking is an important part of our leisure activities.

We cook quite a lot, also with the children and with friends. With the exception of larger celebrations, the kitchen is actually always tidied up right afterwards.

When you cook sociably, you also have peace for it. In everyday life, she only came home from work shortly before cooking, his overtime just ends so that he is "already" there for dinner, and afterwards both of them first hear the sofa calling. Without a kitchen door, you go crazy.