An open space increases the sense of expansiveness in a room. Dream Team member and interior designer Jennifer Adams explains the considerations for this renovation, such as building codes and historical preservation. Give your home an area to relax and entertain without putting a cramp in your style.
Question: I’m in a small apartment (625 square feet) in New York City. Is it better to open a wall and expand the kitchen into the living/dining area or keep the original footprint?
– Laura L.
Call a licensed contractor and open up that wall with as large of an opening as possible! The only reasons not to might be if there are structural requirements of any type, if you’d be losing too much storage, or if there is some historical significance to your building. Even then, there are probably ways to work around the issues.
Before swinging a hammer to DIY the project, talk with licensed contractors and your building management and/or HOA, as there is most likely more to this project than you might realize.
In any size place, especially a small apartment, opening spaces to let them flow together will help make your life better. Seeing a continuous space makes a place feel bigger, airier and less cramped, so you’ll be happier and perhaps less tempted to move. Plus, the openness will make entertaining easier and more fun, even if it’s just you and a friend or two.
-Jennifer Adams