Designer suggests opening kitchen to formal living room. Afraid it will look weird.?

I live in a small, 1 story house with no space to build out or up. A kitchen designer suggested opening the kitchen to the living room by creating an island with a cooktop and island fan above then placing stools facing the cooktop. I'm afraid this will look odd, like I'm running a Benihana's restaurant out of my house. When people sit on our living room sofa, their view, I guess, will include a ventilation fan. The house does not lend itself to rearranging rooms. The living room is the first room you see when you come into the house. The kitchen is sqeezed in off to the left. Behind the kitchen is our dining room. I have never seen a picture of a remodel where the kitchen opens to the living room, only where the kitchen opens to the dining room. In your opinion, would going with such a design make our house look ugly? Thank you.|||I agree with you. I wouldn't open the kitchen to the living room. This will reduce noise from the dishwasher and smells from cooking (even though you may have a fan above the stove) when you're in the living room.


If you want to open the kitchen to anything then do it to the dining room. This would enable you to have a quiet area at the dining room table (for homework, etc) whilst others used the living room for TV, etc|||No, it won't look ugly.





It may be more convenient.





The problem is if U cook oily stuff, the whole room may be a bit oily too.|||I would do it if i could afford it, it opens up the whole house, it is good for entertaining, when folks visit they get to visit the the cook.|||Having a kitchen open into a living room is fine but I do see your point. If she is a CKD she pretty much knows what she is doing. There is nothing stopping you from getting another plan from a different designer though. But, you can ask the designer if this is the only option for the placement of the cooktop. It' probably because of your existing ductwork. Ask her/him if the cooktop can be placed against the wall adjoining your dining room. Let them know what your concern is. Downdraft systems (Ex: "JennAire") are available for cooktops also which you elevate when you are cooking and lower when finished. But, your cooktop placement must work in conjuction with your existing type of vent system or be re-worked somehow.|||The designer is responsible for communicating an idea with you visually. Ask for a few drawings of options for the space before proceeding. You shouldn't make a decision before then.