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my husband and i are renovating the kitchen before putting the house "back" on the market. I say we should take down the wall between kitchen and the dining room and put an island in the kitchen with room for bar stools. He says he has been "told" by everyone, that everyone likes a separate dining room. I feel that it would still be separate you would just have a larger opening (possibly arched?) between the kitchen and dining room. Please give opinions on this. Thanks in advance.
We considered doing the same thing, but our realtor advised us not to. She said it would turn away people that want a separate dining room, and most do. I suppose if a buyer wanted to, they could knock it out themselves.
this is true.. i've noticed, though, most new homes being built have a separate dining room but just with a wide opening to the kitchen. Actually a lot of new homes being built have just the island with the bar stools...i thought people liked the open flow of the rooms... please keep the opinions coming lol!!
after having lived with both,I can say it feels more intimate to have a more closed in dining room.It just feels better to not be sitting out in the open.In fact in our current house,we plan to enclose our D.room more with a partial wall and archway.
The trend for the past 10 years has been "an open feeling" as they call it. Knock the wall down. It makes the room look bigger. I am a kitchen designer for 26 years with every certification available. I also know what Realtors advise since they listen to what buyers say. If you find a Realtor that tells you to leave that wall after you tell them you are willing to take it out to make one open room,then get another Realtor.
Im also basing this on what I am reading into from what you say. You have a kitchen and next to it is a dining room and a wall seperates them. Probably that wall has cabinets too. You need to take down that wall, if it is not load bearing and put back in a penninsula. You will lose some upper cabinets but hopefully you can make it up by properly designing more features into the rest of it.
If you have any questions I would not mind answering them for you.
Honestly, it's hard to answer without pictures or a floor plan.
Cabinets? If you remove the wall will the room have enough storage in the island to replace them? Same with counter space.
Flow? Opening up a pair of rooms doesn't automatically mean the flow in the house will improve. If it changes the walking patterns you may find it's not necessarily for the best. Of course if you're selling it likely doesn't matter.
Stand in the kitchen with your back against the wall you want to remove and look around the area. What do you see? Is it a view that you want to have when you're eating? Will it be a distraction to the diners instead of adding to the experience?
I am a fan of "open". Our first floor is very open. Except for a half wall between the kitchen and family room (holds the sink, my wife doesn't like her back to guests when preparing meals, etc) it is completely open. The walkway next to the sink that connects the rooms is 8 feet wide.
Our living room and dining room are comprised of one large space in an "L" shape. The separation is done with a sofa and sofa table with plants on it.
But the opening between the kitchen and dining room is a single doorway. If it was open it would lose the comfort and intimacy it has now.
The family room, kitchen, and dining room are on the south side, which is almost all glass. Even the door to the outside in the kitchen area is a full length glass door. Very bright in all seasons and very warm on a sunny winter day.
sorry, i will get pictures (can you look at an "old" listing on realtor.com?? if not, i will figure out how to upload some pic's).. The wall is bare it is the inside wall between the kit/dr. All the cabinets happen to be on the ouside wall (across from the potential take out wall). the only thing there is elec., heat, outlets and phone line. The kitchen table is along this wall that would get taken out. (i hope i am making this clear for you lol). My realtor (who we will be relisting with this spring) says to leave it. My husband also talked to a Kitchen designer (in the business for a number of years) and she said not to take it down. I'm thinking maybe he didn't relay the information very well, maybe he said "get rid of the dining room" instead of the wall between. He'll be home soon and i will ask him to read this and give measurements/floor plan. Keep them coming lol!!
after having lived with both,I can say it feels more intimate to have a more closed in dining room.It just feels better to not be sitting out in the open.In fact in our current house,we plan to enclose our D.room more with a partial wall and archway.
i see what you mean. when visiting my sister for holidays or bbq's we always end up in the kitchen at the island while eating/preparing food. the overflow crowd end up in the dr which has one big opening so we can all still talk/eat/laugh.. i kind of like that better. BUT we are doing the renovations ..then putting the house on the market, so we are trying keep the potential buyer in mind.
I must chuckle at the "Experts" who know what is best for everybody. That idea of "Open" sort of works in many smaller homes but I hate it in larger ones. Makes the place feel like a barn. Plus the smells go everywhere too quick, can get fire alarms going off if you crank up the cooking.
Also this idea that one type of design fits all situations is flawed. Yep bar type counters with stools is a nice idea but it is so over done in some homes, also that idea of islands all over the place.
Personally I like a seperate fully independent dining room, no tables or extra junk in the kitchen. In my old house the dining room / kitchen had a swinging door that could be closed but easy to push open with your arm, it spring closed.
I also hate cabinets. Give me a big pantry off the kitchen, nice china closets in the dining room. No eating in the kitchen that is why I pay the rent for the dining room. I want totally different atmospheres in both rooms. The open idea works if the total space for both functions is on the smaller side.
These realtors are brain dead and push a "Standard" type of thinking. If you don't do it their way, you must be wrong. Usually also designed to jack up the house price and increase their commission.
Do what you think is best. In the long run, I never feel you can do exactly what the next guy wants. They always claim to want what you ain't got. Any paint color is good as long as it is beige or white. Lord help you if you really do what pleases you.
that is exactly it, my dining room is smaller not too much room with a built in corner hutch so i thought it would make the room feel bigger and since we are tearing out the kitchen anyway, if figured it was a good idea to take the wall down whil we are at it.
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It is really a matter of personal choice........
