A kitchen with a view provides the opportunity to gaze out at nature while cooking, eating, and spending time with loved ones. The view ushers in natural light, fresh air, and a sense of openness that makes the kitchen feel expansive. When designed thoughtfully, a kitchen with a view seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living for an inspired cooking and dining experience.
Selecting the Perfect Spot for Your Kitchen Window
Choosing where to place windows is one of the most important decisions when designing a kitchen with a view. Consider the following factors when deciding on window placement:
Take Advantage of Existing Views
Survey your property to determine what scenic views are available from the home’s various vantage points. A kitchen window with a view of the backyard garden, a lakeside vista, rolling hills, or even city skylines can provide peaceful visual interest while cooking. Select a kitchen location that showcases the home’s best outdoor appeal.
Consider Sunlight Exposure
Morning light from an eastern exposure creates a cheerful ambiance in the kitchen, while western light bathes the space in warm afternoon sun. Be mindful of potential glare from southern exposures when choosing window placement. Utilize shade trees or window treatments to control excessive light if needed.
Maximize Natural Lighting
Multiple windows, skylights, and glass doors allow sunlight to wash the kitchen in a natural glow. Abundant natural light creates an airy, expansive feel and reduces reliance on artificial lighting. Place windows to evenly distribute sunlight throughout the whole kitchen.
Ventilate with Cross Breezes
Strategically place windows to maximize cross ventilation. A breezy kitchen prevents unwanted odors and steam from accumulating when cooking. Open windows along multiple walls to create effective cross breezes.
Consider Sight Lines
Position windows to frame pleasing sights that connect the indoor kitchen to the outdoors. Frame focal points like stately trees, gardens, flowerbeds, water features, or landscape design elements. Avoid unsightly views like utility areas, parking lots, or fences.
Allow for Adequate Wall Space
While windows create an airy ambiance, the kitchen still requires wall space for necessary elements like cabinetry, appliances, countertops, and prep areas. Balance windows and open space with adequate solid wall areas for functional kitchen design.
Choosing the Right Windows for Your Kitchen
Once you’ve determined window placement, it’s time to select the right styles of windows to optimize both form and function:
Picture Windows
Large panes of fixed glass provide unobstructed views without distracting window frames. Picture windows are ideal above sinks or prep areas where you’ll be standing frequently.
Double Hung Windows
Both the top and bottom portions of these classic windows slide up and down for complete control over ventilation and visibility. Choose double hung windows above the kitchen table.
Casement Windows
Casement windows open outward from the side rather than upward. Their crank opening style allows complete access to fresh air. Group casement windows to form attractive vistas.
Awning Windows
Hinged at the top with an outward swinging operation, awning windows are perfect above countertops. Open them to ventilate while maintaining privacy and security at lower levels.
Bay Windows
Bay windows project outward from the wall to form an alcove. The angled sides provide views from multiple directions. Bays integrate beautifully into breakfast nooks.
Glass Block Windows
Glass block windows transmit soft, diffused light while obscuring visibility. They work beautifully near the ceiling as a unique design detail.
Skylights & Glass Roofs
Skylights and glass or polycarbonate roofing panels allow optimal overhead daylighting. Carefully position them to avoid direct high-angle sunlight.
Designing a Seamless Indoor/Outdoor Kitchen
The ultimate kitchen with a view erases barriers between interior and exterior spaces through open concept designs:
Knock Down Walls for Open Floor Plans
Removing walls between the kitchen and adjacent rooms creates free-flowing, spacious interiors. Without confined walls, views extend past windows to provide a more immersive experience.
Install Sliding Glass Walls
Slide entire glass wall panels open to unite indoor and outdoor areas into one big living space. Close them during inclement weather or for privacy.
Expand with a Glass Sunroom
Attaching a sunroom addition provides extra square footage of light-filled space. Prepare meals in the sunroom while enjoying panoramic views.
Utilize French Doors
French doors pair narrow glass doors with wide sidelights to form inviting entryways. They infuse the kitchen with natural light and access to fresh air.
Try Garage Door-Style Windows
Retractable glass garage doors completely disappear when open. Counterbalanced mechanisms allow easy lifting. Disconnect the kitchen from the outdoors with the push of a button.
Add a Glass Garden Atrium
Construct a fully-glazed atrium or solarium addition to surround the kitchen in botanical beauty. Grow herbs, vegetables, and houseplants year-round in lush indoor gardens.
Incorporating Nature Into Kitchens With a View
Even small touches of nature elevate a kitchen’s connection to the outdoors. Consider these design details:
Live Plants & Greens
Place herb gardens, succulents, ferns, or flowering plants on the windowsill to bring vitality indoors. Display fresh cut flowers and switched out greens in cups or vases.
Natural Materials
Warm up kitchens with natural finishes like stone, brick, or wood. Add organic texture with rattan chairs, linen curtains, jute rugs, and terra cotta planters.
Images of Nature
Hang framed pictures or prints of inspiring landscapes and nature scenes. Choose images that reflect the actual views from the windows.
Woodsy Accents
Rustic elements like pine cones, birch logs, branches, and stone inject organic ambiance. Incorporate natural motifs into dishes, towels, and decor items.
Soothing Water Features
The tranquil sound of splashing water enhances the outdoors-indoors connection. Install a small water fountain or recirculating waterwall.
Textured Textiles
Linen, cotton, wool, and silk in natural hues and earthy patterns exude cozy, organic flair. Use nubby-textured textiles for window dressings.
Fostering an Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle
A kitchen with a view provides perfect opportunities to carry leisurely indoor activities outdoors and vice versa:
Dine Al Fresco
Furnish the patio, deck, or garden with weatherproof outdoor dining tables and seating. Extend mealtimes outdoors to fully enjoy the views.
Cook Outside
Make use of outdoor cooking equipment like grills, smokers, pizza ovens, and range burners. Prepare entire meals outdoors for a refreshing change of scenery.
Relax in the Open Air
Place comfy chairs or hammocks in the yard just outside the kitchen windows. Sip morning coffee or unwind with a book immersed in the peaceful outdoors.
Entertain Outdoors
Set up beverage stations, buffets, bars, or fire pits near outdoor kitchen access. Seamlessly move the party from indoors to out.
Grow Edible Gardens
Plant herbs, fruits, and vegetables in raised beds for easy access while cooking. Snip fresh garnishes straight from the garden.
Install Outdoor Kitchens
Complete outdoor cooking suites allow full meal preparation al fresco. Add weatherproof cabinetry, sinks, grills, and refrigerators.
Embracing both indoor and outdoor living will help you get the most enjoyment from your kitchen with a view. Seize every opportunity to integrate and harmonize interior and exterior spaces.
Enhancing the View with Strategic Design Choices
A kitchen with a view is only as good as the view itself. Use these design strategies to boost visual appeal:
Frame the View
Utilize trim, moldings, recessed niches, or arched openings to showcase particularly appealing views like a focal tree or garden.
Prune for Openness
Trim back overgrown landscaping, tree limbs, and shrubs to open up pleasing long-range views. Remove any unsightly objects obscuring the outlook.
Add Visual Interest
Install interesting garden structures like pergolas, trellises, sculptures, fountains, and flower towers to give the eye places to linger.
Extend Sight Lines
Running narrow side yards flanking the house into the distance creates a tunnel effect drawing the eye outward. Repeat key design elements throughout.
Curate Colors
Choose exterior paint colors that complement nature, like sage greens, sky blues, and warm terra cotta. Repeat colors in interior decor.
Align with Architecture
Frame views between columns, beneath arches, or through windows grouped together into attractive arrangements.
Light the Landscape
Use well-placed lighting to spotlight trees, architecture, or water features after dark. Uplighting in trees overhead casts a moonlight effect.
Choosing Window Treatments with Purpose
Window treatments serve both aesthetic and functional purposes in kitchens with views:
Direct the View
Draw the eye towards the best scenes by framing focal points with curtains or strategically placed valances. Keep distracting features hidden.
Filter Light
Use sheer curtains, solar shades, or tinted window film to prevent glare and excessive heat gain. Protect furniture, floors, and counters from fading.
Control Privacy
Adjust semi-opaque blinds or curtains to find the right balance between an open feeling and desired privacy or solitude. Add options like removable frosted film when cooking after dark.
Soften Architectural Lines
Draperies overlaying windows soften the hard edges of walls and ceilings. Curtains unify disjointed elements like multiple windows or unmatched doors.
Define Spaces
Utilize floor-to-ceiling curtain panels to differentiate individual living areas within open floor plans, like separating a breakfast nook.
Muffle Noise
Sound-absorbing curtains and roman shades buffer exterior noise from traffic, noisy kids, or chatty guests in adjacent outdoor areas.
Regulate Temperature
Close insulated curtains or cellular shades during extreme weather to prevent heat or cold loss. Reduce reliance on HVAC systems.
Inspiring Design Ideas for Kitchens With Views
These gorgeous kitchen designs exemplify seamless integration of indoor cooking spaces with panoramic outdoor views:
U-Shaped Kitchens with Windows on Three Sides
Continuous windows wrapping around U-shaped kitchen layouts provide views in multiple directions. The long swooping shape maximizes exterior visibility.
Walls of Windows Above Countertops
Unobstructed views fill the space above counters, sinks, and prep zones. Continuous bands of glass overhead connect you to outdoors while cooking.
See-Through Fireplaces
Indoor-outdoor fireplaces with back-to-back glass panels divide kitchen and patio. The shared hearth connects the spaces visually and sensually.
Window Splashes Behind Sinks
Placing a sink in front of an oversized window makes washing dishes enjoyable. Enjoy eye-level views while standing at the sink.
Breakfast Nooks with Bay Windows
Curving bay windows in corner breakfast nooks provide panoramic views and ample natural light. Built-in bench seating saves room.
Glass Box Additions
All-glass enclosed sunroom additions, atriums, and greenhouses become light-filled garden retreats. Abundant windows erase boundaries.
FAQs About Designing Kitchens With Views
What are the benefits of a kitchen with a view?
A kitchen with a view provides a relaxing visual connection to the outdoors that reduces stress, improves mood, and enhances quality of life. Views increase sunlight, foster ventilation, and make the kitchen feel more spacious.
How much do views increase home value?
Homes with attractive scenic views command premium sale prices. Panoramic vistas can increase a home’s value by 10-25%. Quality views significantly boost perceived value for buyers.
Should I choose windows or open concept?
For the most immersive experience, utilize both windows and open-concept designs like indoor/outdoor floor plans. However, well-placed windows alone can still provide marvelous outlooks from enclosed kitchens.
How do I pick window styles and sizes?
Window style and size should correlate with your room dimensions and desired views. Picture windows work best for unobstructed vistas. Multiple grouped casements provide ample ventilation. Bay windows open up corner spaces.
What window treatments work best?
Sheers softly diffuse light while allowing views. Solar shades reduce glare and heat gain. Plantation shutters provide adjustable privacy. Curtains frame views and help zone spaces. Choose options that meet your unique needs.
How do I decorate a kitchen with a view?
Incorporate natural colors, materials, imagery, and ambiance. Allow the view to shine as the main focal point. Frame views, enhance sight lines, and eliminate clutter or distractions. Let the view be the star!
Conclusion
Kitchens with views nourish the soul by connecting cooking and dining spaces with the vitality and beauty of nature. Strategic window placement and intentional design choices optimize seamless indoor-outdoor living. There’s nothing quite like preparing home cooked meals immersed in fresh air, sunlight, and inspiring vistas. A kitchen with a view invites you to linger, relax, and unwind as you cook and dine. Turn to the panorama outdoors whenever you need an instant mood boost or a moment of rejuvenating tranquility. With a kitchen thoughtfully designed around the views beyond its windows, you’ll enjoy cooking, eating and relaxing more than ever before.
