Many families opt for open kitchen design to increase the space of the dining room. Even many new affordable housing projects in recent years are designed with open kitchens. Is an open kitchen really that good? Are there any potential problems to consider? What should homeowners pay attention to before renovation? Spacious has listed the advantages and disadvantages of open kitchens for you and shares 3 tips to reduce cooking fumes, helping you create a stylish and practical kitchen!

Jump to: Definition of Open Kitchen｜Disadvantages of Open Kitchen｜Advantages of Open Kitchen｜Tips to Reduce Oil Fumes｜Commonly Violated Regulations

Definition of Open Kitchen

An open Kitchen refers to a design that combines the kitchen and dining room space by breaking down the partition walls between them. It is in contrast to the traditional enclosed kitchen design. Many open kitchens would use a dining table or bar counter to differentiate the two spaces.

Disadvantages of Open Kitchen

There are certain procedures and costs involved in renovating an open kitchen. If it is later found that it is not suitable for one’s needs, it can be time-consuming and wasteful to renovate again. Therefore, it is advisable to understand the advantages and disadvantages of open kitchens and carefully consider one’s own habits before renovation.

1. Smoke and Fumes entering the living room

As there is no wall separating the kitchen from the living room in an open kitchen design, smoke and fumes generated during cooking can easily spread to the living room, and even the entire house.

Large amounts of smoke and fumes are produced, especially when frying and deep-frying, which are common cooking methods in Chinese cuisine. If the ventilation system in the kitchen is not strong enough, the smoke and fumes will leave furniture stained with grease and odor.

Therefore, personal cooking habits should be taken into consideration during renovation. If the occupants frequently cook by frying or deep-frying, an open kitchen may not be the most ideal choice.

Some people believe that using a flameless cooking method can reduce the problem of smoke and fumes, but this is not entirely true. Flameless cooking can reduce the temperature in the kitchen, but the same amount of smoke and fumes are still generated when food is heated.

Solutions to oil fume problems

To solve the oil fume problem, besides changing cooking habits, the most important thing is to install a high-power range hood to effectively remove oil fumes generated during cooking. In addition, you can also consider using a “semi-open kitchen” and adding glass to solve the problem of oil fumes spreading, which will be further explained below.

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2. Building Regulations May Be Violated

Whether open kitchens can use open flames for cooking depends on the building’s Deed of Mutual Covenant. Some buildings or building regulations require residents to use flameless cooking, so you need to check with the management company or the Owners’ Corporation before making any renovations.

For new developments with open designs, flameless cooking appliances are generally pre-installed. For those who cook frequently, flameless cooking lacks the “wok hei” required for Chinese cooking. Elderly people may also not be familiar with using induction cookers, which can cause inconvenience.

Although fire regulations do not explicitly prohibit the use of open flames for cooking in open kitchens, for safety reasons, it is recommended to consult with authorized personnel during renovation.

Based on factors such as the location of fire walls, the distance between the kitchen and the unit’s main door, and other factors, the cooking methods that should be used in the kitchen should be evaluated to ensure home safety.

Method for Cooking with Open Flames

If you cannot give up cooking with open flames, you can spend more effort when purchasing a unit to understand whether the building meets the standards for using open flames.

In recent years, many new developments have adopted an open design, and some have even passed the approval of the Buildings Department for fire safety and have installed open flame stoves, such as Tseung Kwan O TPlus IIIA and J Residence in Quarry Bay.

3. Annual Inspections and Maintenance

According to the Fire Services (Installation and Equipment) Regulations, fire protection devices in open kitchens, including smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler systems, must be inspected annually by registered contractors. If residents violate the regulations, they may be fined up to HK$ 50,000.

The cost of annual inspections and maintenance must be borne by the residents, and additional costs must be borne by the residents if replacement or repair of the devices is required. Therefore, if you choose an open kitchen, you need to be prepared to bear a certain amount of maintenance costs.

Method to Solve the Annual Inspection

Although annual inspections and maintenance require extra costs, they are still related to home safety, and cannot be saved. Whether it is a semi-open or fully open kitchen, they are actually subject to the same regulations and require relevant fire protection devices and annual inspections.

However, some new developments with open designs will arrange annual inspections for residents through the property management company, saving the hassle of finding contractors, but the cost is still borne by the residents. If you want to completely avoid maintenance costs, an open design may not be suitable for you.

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Advantages of Open Kitchen

If you’re planning to transform your enclosed kitchen into an open one, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. However, an open kitchen has its advantages, and that’s why it’s so popular in overseas countries. Here are the main benefits:

1. Enhance the Sense of Space

By removing the wall between the kitchen and living room, an open kitchen creates a more spacious look to the entire area. In Hong Kong where living spaces are limited, an open kitchen can significantly increase the available space for activities. It eliminates the need for walls, blending the dining and cooking areas into one.

2. Aesthetically Stylish

One of the main attractions of an open kitchen is its aesthetic appeal that can reflect one’s personal taste and style as soon as you enter the home. If well-designed, an open kitchen can enhance the overall design of the living room and create a cozy atmosphere.

3. Interact with Guests / Children

If you cook in an enclosed kitchen when entertaining family or friends, the host is usually busy in the kitchen, unable to engage with their guests. With an open kitchen, you can cook and talk with family and friends at the same time, making it much easier for those who enjoy cooking to communicate with others.

Additionally, for parents with young children, an open kitchen allows them to keep an eye on their children while cooking and conveniently see what their children are doing in the living room.

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Tips to Reduce Oil Fumes

It’s not difficult to solve the problem of oil fumes in open kitchens if you are determined to do so. By putting in extra effort during renovation, you can effectively improve the situation.

1. Install a High-powered Range Hood

To solve the problem of oil fumes in open kitchens, the most important thing is to choose a range hood with high power and good oil-absorbing ability.

There are many types of range hoods on the market, and many foreign households use shallow hood European-style range hoods, which are more attractive in appearance.

However, there are significant differences in dietary habits between Eastern and Western countries, and Chinese cooking generates more oil fumes. Therefore, if you want better oil-absorbing performance, it is best to choose a deep hood Chinese-style range hood.

Although larger in size, it can prevent oil fumes from spreading throughout the house, greatly reducing the subsequent cleaning work. At the same time, you can also improve your cooking habits by using air fryers, ovens, and other appliances instead of deep-frying or stir-frying, which can significantly reduce the generation of oil fumes.

2. Choose the Right Materials for Kitchen Floors and Walls

Even if you install a high-powered range hood, there will still be some oil fumes during cooking that will end up on the floor or walls.

Therefore, when renovating an open kitchen, choose easy-to-clean flooring and wall materials, and clean them thoroughly after each cooking session to avoid oil stains on furniture.

In addition, to make the kitchen and living room look more harmonious, try to choose flooring or wall materials in the same color scheme to create a more unified style throughout the house.

3. Use a Semi-open Kitchen Design

If you are accustomed to cooking Chinese food, but still want to maintain the spaciousness and modern feel of an open kitchen, consider using a semi-open kitchen design.

It is a design that has evolved for Chinese cooking habits, and the idea is to add glass to the open kitchen to separate the kitchen and living room spaces. This can maintain the sense of openness of the kitchen while effectively blocking oil fumes from spreading throughout the house.

When designing a semi-open kitchen, you can also choose glass according to personal preferences. For example, families that frequently fry food can use a glass sliding door to block oil fumes during cooking, while families that frequently stir-fry or boil food may only need to add a glass window.

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Commonly Violated Regulations for Open Kitchen

1. Non-compliant Fire Safety Equipment

Due to the lack of walls separating an open kitchen, if a fire breaks out, it can spread faster than in a traditional kitchen.

The “Code of Practice for Fire Safety in Buildings 2011” of the Buildings Department require that, if there is only one entrance to the unit and the open kitchen is located close to that entrance, the following three fire safety equipment must be installed to ensure fire safety:

• Smoke detectors in the unit and on the floor’s common corridor
• Automatic sprinkler system installed in the kitchen ceiling
• Fire-resistant wall with a width of no less than 600 mm and a fire rating of at least 30 minutes.

2. Failure to Obtain Approval from the Buildings Department

The Buildings Department has strict specifications for open kitchens. If a property owner wants to turn their kitchen into an open design, they must hire a professional approved by the Buildings Department to design the layout and submit it for approval. The fire safety equipment mentioned above must be included, otherwise there is a risk of violating regulations.

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