We used to have a house with a closed kitchen with kind of an "L" shaped wall on the other side was the diningroom and livingroom - - and one day we knocked a whole into it, created kind of a Spanish style wrap-around bar with arches (had to maintain a couple of support beams)and that house just "opened up" and came alive. Everybody loved it and it was so much more enjoyable being "in" on everything going on at the bar as well as the adjoining rooms. Now, I insist on an open kitchen. Besides it lets in so much more natural light and view you would not otherwise have.

Marysewfun

I prefer open concept kitchen/den area/breakfast areas in one.

I like the open concept. My hubby does most of the cooking and when he has company he likes to be in the kitchen but listen to everyone talk. Before we change our home around, he burned a lot of food trying to cook and come out of the kitchen to see the TV or to talk to me.