With all of the focus on open floor plans and open concept living, walls between rooms are disappearing in new home construction.  The old kitchen that had a wall separating it from the dining room or living room has given way to a more open feeling with sight lines from the kitchen into the other rooms.

 

This living room and kitchen depicts a popular solution for opening up the walls in a kitchen: the pass through.  The pass through is a cutout in the wall between kitchen and typically the dining area or dining room. Pass throughs are named for the ability to pass food and beverages through the opening.

 

The opening of a pass through can be a narrow opening under the cabinets or, as seen in this space, a large opening between the two rooms.  A pass through can be created without too much consideration for load bearing walls and beams if the pass through is not too large.

 

Because both rooms will be visible, you might want to consider matching or coordinating the flooring between the kitchen and the other living areas.  This will create a greater sense of flow in the home and between the two spaces.