15 enclosed kitchen ideas to make you forget open concept

For those who cook often, an open concept kitchen might seem like a really bad idea.

The grease and smells — made worse if you like frying fish or making your own sambal — permeating the rest of your home doesn’t seem like a good trade-off for the popular open kitchen.

So for practicality’s sake, you decide to go with an enclosed one. But if you think an enclosed kitchen is only second best, you might want to think again.

These beautiful enclosed kitchens below show that closed concept isn’t always an inferior choice, and in most instances, it offers the functionality needed in a hardworking kitchen PLUS the added bonus of being easy on the eye.

1. Grey Number

Modern dark grey cabinets juxtaposed against the rustic faux brick backsplash, the latter offering a certain country charm to warm up this cooking space.

The highlight of this enclosed kitchen? The cabinet-matching sliding doors that conceal the service yard behind.

2. Mid-century mood

The warm medium-toned wood cabinets (part of which feature glass), the subtle curves on the carpentry and the vintage style faucet in this galley kitchen allude to a Mid-century modern style.

The backsplash has a subtle marble grain for additional interest.

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3. Strong as steel

Nothing says functionality like stainless steel in a kitchen.

The main prep and cooking zones here feature this hardy material, while the rest of the spaces are enveloped in white laminates for visual dimension and to prevent the space from feeling too cold.

4. Minimalist like Muji

This enclosed kitchen’s soothing white-and-wood palette, clean lines and sleek surfaces definitely fit your Muji moodboard.

We love the addition of a cantilevered countertop that overlooks the window, functioning as a pantry station and a breakfast nook in the kitchen.

5. Arched beauty

A gorgeous Scandinavian themed enclosed kitchen, defined by the white cabinets, gilded fixtures, wood accessories and most stunning of all, the arched window cut-out.

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6. Packing in personality

This small kitchen is huge on personality, with powder-pink cabinets juxtaposed against a busy terrazzo countertop that extends all the way up to the backsplash.

And if these weren’t enough, the inclusion of the gold sink and faucet coupled with the fire-engine red accessories definitely take this kitchen to the next level.

7. Organised mode

Marie Kondo will be proud of this enclosed kitchen. Open shelves take the place of upper cabinets, with clear jars of pantry essentials arranged neatly.

The open shelves make it easier to reach out for ingredients during cooking. It also compels you to keep things neat in the cooking space.

8. Farmhouse chic

This kitchen comes with a brick wall on one side, adding the rusticity necessary for a country style kitchen.

The butcher style countertop, the wooden open shelves and the eat-in space at the end further allude to this cosy style.

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9. Glassy eyed

Instead of a concrete wall, the designer went with a bordered glass panel to enclose the rest of the kitchen.

Set behind the hob, it doubles up as a splatter screen while also helping to amplify the sense of spaciousness.

10. Go with the flow

The use of transitioning tiles helps to draw the eye into this galley kitchen, where you immediately notice the arched entrance into the service yard.

The rest of the flooring features an elegant marble grain, in line with the modern and sophisticated monochromatic palette.

11. Island life

Rather than go with two rows of counters, this kitchen decided to incorporate a slim island that functions as a space for entertaining as well as for baking.

A marble grain quartz material envelops it on all sides so it appears like a huge monolith block of expensive natural stone.

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12. The little details

It’s the small and subtle details that make all the difference to a space.

Here, an open section of the upper cabinets covered in black laminates and a fixed glass panel etched into a part of the kitchen’s backsplash break up the visual monotony in this enclosed kitchen.

13. Clever contrast

Beyond looking fabulous, the two-toned cabinets here add much visual depth to the space.

We love how the bottom cabinets went with a similar tone to the rest of the flooring, lending the impression of a wider square footage in this cooking zone.

14. Classic black

This black beauty is no-frills, save for the audacious backsplash in gold.

The use of built-in appliances and the minimal décor keep things looking clean and timeless.

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15. Woodland wonder

Wood-framed bi-fold glass panels offer plenty of flexibility in the use of this kitchen.

Keep them open so the kitchen counter can be accessed on both sides, or keep them closed when there’s a need to contain the fumes and grease during cooking.

This article was first published in Renonation.sg.