Open concept kitchen remodeling is the most requested layout transformation in central Illinois homes, and it has been for the better part of two decades. The appeal is straightforward — removing the walls that separate a kitchen from the adjacent living or dining space creates a connected, spacious feel that changes how a household lives in a home every single day. The cook is no longer isolated. The family stays connected across meal preparation. Entertaining becomes natural rather than awkward. Light moves through the main floor rather than being blocked at room boundaries. For homeowners in Pekin area homes built before open-concept layouts became standard — which describes the majority of the existing housing stock in central Illinois — the appeal is genuine and the transformation is real. What takes more than a desire to open up the space is an understanding of how to do it correctly, what the structural considerations are, and how to design the resulting open space so it actually functions better than the separated rooms it replaced.
Why So Many Central Illinois Homes Were Built as Closed Floor Plans
The closed floor plan that characterizes most pre-1990 homes in Pekin and the surrounding Tazewell County area was not an accident or a design failure. It reflected the way people lived at the time the homes were built — kitchens were functional work spaces rather than social centers, formal dining rooms were separate from casual eating areas, and the open-concept layout that now defines modern residential design had not yet become the dominant expectation in residential construction.
The result is a significant inventory of homes throughout Pekin, East Peoria, Morton, Washington, and the surrounding communities with main floors divided into compartmentalized rooms that no longer reflect how families actually want to live. The kitchen is isolated behind a wall. The dining room is a separate room that gets used twice a year for holidays. The living room is disconnected from where the family actually spends most of their time — in and around the kitchen during the evening hours when meals are being prepared.
An open concept kitchen remodel addresses this fundamental layout problem. It is not a cosmetic update. It is a structural change that reconfigures how the main floor of a home functions — and when it is planned and executed correctly, it is one of the most transformative single investments a homeowner in central Illinois can make in their property.
The Most Important Question Before Anything Else — Is the Wall Load-Bearing?
Every open concept kitchen remodeling conversation starts with the same essential question: is the wall being opened load-bearing or not? This is not a question that can be answered definitively from the outside of the wall, and it is not a question that should be guessed at. Getting it wrong does not produce a design outcome that can be corrected with additional work — it produces a structural failure that is dangerous, expensive, and deeply disruptive to repair.
A load-bearing wall carries structural load from above — from the roof, from a floor above, or from both — and transfers it to the foundation below. Removing a load-bearing wall without replacing the structural support it was providing causes the structure above to deflect, which produces cracking in finishes, binding in doors and windows, and in severe cases actual structural failure over time. The wall does not have to come down violently for the problem to be serious.
A non-load-bearing wall carries no structural load. Its function is partitioning space. Removing a non-load-bearing wall is a straightforward demolition task that does not require structural engineering or a replacement beam.
Determining which type of wall is being opened requires a structural assessment. The general rules of thumb — walls that run parallel to the roof ridge are more likely to be non-load-bearing, walls that run perpendicular are more likely to be load-bearing — are starting points for the assessment, not definitive answers. The actual determination requires looking at what is above the wall, what is below it, and how the structural system of the specific home is organized. In older Pekin area homes especially, modifications made over the decades can complicate the structural reading of what appears to be a straightforward wall.
Grace Built Construction assesses wall type as a standard part of every open concept kitchen project before any demolition occurs. We do not open walls based on assumptions. We assess, confirm, and plan accordingly.
What Happens When a Load-Bearing Wall Is Removed
When the wall being opened is load-bearing, the structural load it was carrying does not go away. It has to be redirected. The most common solution is a structural beam — typically a laminated veneer lumber beam, a steel I-beam, or a parallam beam depending on the span and the load — installed at the ceiling line to carry the load that the wall was supporting and transfer it to the structure at either end of the opening.
The beam specification is determined by an engineer or by reference to structural span tables for the specific load conditions. The span of the opening, the load being carried from above, and the bearing conditions at the ends of the beam all factor into the specification. A beam that is undersized for the load it is carrying will deflect over time, producing the same problems as no beam at all — just more slowly.
Temporary shoring is required during the removal process to support the structure above while the wall comes out and the beam goes in. This is not optional — it is the step that keeps the ceiling and structure above in place during the period when the wall’s support has been removed and the beam has not yet been installed.
The visible result of a load-bearing wall removal with a beam installation is a flush or slightly dropped ceiling beam that spans the opening. In most Pekin area homes, the beam is boxed in with drywall to create a clean transition. In some design directions, the beam is left exposed as a design feature — particularly in homes with a rustic or industrial aesthetic where an exposed beam reads as intentional rather than structural.
The cost of a load-bearing wall removal — including temporary shoring, beam specification and installation, and associated drywall and finish work — typically runs between $4,000 and $10,000 in the Pekin area market depending on the span, the beam specification, and the extent of finish work required. This is a meaningful addition to a kitchen remodel budget, but it is also the cost of the transformation that makes the remodel worth having in the first place.
Open Concept Kitchen Design Idea 1 — Define Zones Without Walls
The most common design challenge in an open concept kitchen remodel is that removing walls solves the separation problem while creating a new one — the resulting open space needs to feel organized and intentional rather than like a single undifferentiated room. The solution is zone definition: creating distinct functional areas within the open space through design elements that distinguish the kitchen zone from the living zone from the dining zone without using walls to do it.
The kitchen island or peninsula is the most effective zone-defining element in an open floor plan. It creates a physical boundary between the kitchen workspace and the adjacent living area without blocking sightlines or closing off the connection between the rooms. It provides additional counter space and storage, incorporates seating that creates an informal transition zone between cooking and dining, and anchors the kitchen area visually in a space that no longer has walls to define its boundaries.
Flooring transitions between materials — hardwood or tile in the kitchen transitioning to hardwood or carpet in the living area — create a visual zone boundary that is subtle but effective. Ceiling treatments, including a coffered ceiling section over the dining area or pendant fixtures that define the kitchen work zone, reinforce the organization of the space without building walls back in. Lighting design is one of the most powerful zone-definition tools available — recessed cans throughout the open space combined with pendants over the island and a chandelier or statement fixture over the dining area create distinct lighting zones that organize the space even when furniture is not present.
Open Concept Kitchen Design Idea 2 — Treat the Kitchen as the Anchor of the Main Floor
In a well-designed open concept main floor, the kitchen is not a room that connects to the living and dining space — it is the anchor from which the rest of the main floor radiates. This shift in how the kitchen is conceptualized changes everything about how it is designed and finished.
An anchor kitchen is positioned and finished to be seen from the living space. The cabinetry is selected not just for storage function but for visual appeal from across the room. The backsplash is visible from the living area and contributes to the overall color story of the open space. The island serves as a gathering point that draws people toward the kitchen rather than keeping them at a distance from it. The range hood — if the layout includes one — is a design element as much as a functional one.
This approach requires thinking about the kitchen and the adjacent living space as a single design environment rather than two separate rooms that happen to share a wall. Color, material, and lighting decisions in the kitchen need to be made in the context of how they read from the living area, not just from within the kitchen itself.
Open Concept Kitchen Design Idea 3 — Use a Partial Wall or Peninsula Instead of Full Removal
Full wall removal is not always the right solution for every home or every budget. In some configurations, a partial wall removal — opening the upper portion of a wall to create a pass-through or a bar-height ledge while leaving the lower portion intact — delivers much of the visual and functional connection of a fully open plan at a lower cost and without the structural complexity that a full load-bearing wall removal may require.
A partial wall with a bar-height ledge creates a natural boundary between the kitchen and the adjacent space while opening the sightlines above. The ledge serves as a breakfast bar or informal seating area, adds counter space, and defines the kitchen boundary without isolating it. This approach works particularly well in homes where the structural complexity of a full wall removal is not within budget, where the homeowner wants some degree of separation between the kitchen workspace and the adjacent living area, or where the kitchen and living space are oriented in a way that benefits from a defined boundary.
A peninsula — a counter run attached to the existing cabinetry and extending into the open space rather than attached to a wall — achieves a similar effect with even more design flexibility. A peninsula can be positioned to define the kitchen boundary exactly where the layout calls for it, integrated with seating on the living-room side, and designed to house additional storage or appliances below.
Wall Removal Considerations — What to Assess Before Committing
Beyond the load-bearing question, several other conditions need to be assessed before an open concept kitchen remodel moves from concept to construction.
Mechanical systems in the wall being opened are a significant consideration in older Pekin area homes. Electrical wiring, plumbing supply or drain lines, HVAC ductwork, and gas lines all possibly run through interior walls, and any of these systems that run through a wall being removed need to be rerouted before the wall comes down. The cost and complexity of this rerouting depends on what is in the wall and where the systems need to go. We assess the mechanical content of any wall being opened as part of the planning process and factor rerouting costs into the estimate before any demolition begins.
Smoke and cooking odor management is a practical consideration that becomes more significant in an open floor plan than in a closed kitchen. In a closed kitchen, cooking odors and smoke are largely contained within the room. In an open concept kitchen that flows into the living and dining space, a range hood that ventilates to the exterior is more important — not as a code requirement in most configurations, but as a practical necessity for the comfort of the open living space. If the existing kitchen does not have a vented range hood, adding one is worth including in the scope of an open concept remodel.
Sound management between the kitchen and the living space is a consideration that homeowners occasionally raise after the fact and rarely plan for before. Kitchen noise — the dishwasher, the exhaust fan, appliance noise during food preparation — travels more freely in an open plan than in a closed one. This is not typically a deal-breaking issue, but it is worth considering in terms of appliance selection — quiet dishwashers and low-noise exhaust fans are worth the modest cost premium in an open concept kitchen.
Open Concept Kitchen Remodeling Considerations Table
| Consideration | Closed Kitchen | Open Concept Kitchen | Planning Required |
| Wall type assessment | Not needed | Essential before demolition | Structural assessment |
| Load-bearing beam | Not applicable | Required if wall is load-bearing | Engineer or span tables |
| Mechanical rerouting | Not needed | May be required | Wall inspection before demo |
| Range hood ventilation | Recommended | Strongly recommended | Ductwork planning |
| Zone definition | Provided by walls | Must be designed in | Island, lighting, flooring |
| Sound management | Contained | Travels freely | Appliance selection |
| Permit requirement | Varies by scope | Always required for structural work | City of Pekin permit |
| Typical added cost vs standard remodel | — | $4,000 – $12,000 | Dependent on wall type |
Frequently Asked Questions About Open Concept Kitchen Remodeling
How do I know if the wall between my kitchen & living room is load-bearing?
The only reliable way to determine whether a wall is load-bearing is a proper structural assessment that looks at what is above the wall, what is below it, and how the framing system of the home is organized. General rules of thumb — walls perpendicular to the roof ridge are more likely to be load-bearing, walls parallel are less likely — provide a starting point but are not definitive. Grace Built Construction assesses wall type as a standard part of our open concept planning process before any demolition occurs.
How much does it cost to open a kitchen to the living room in Pekin, IL?
The cost of opening a kitchen to an adjacent living or dining space depends primarily on whether the wall is load-bearing. A non-load-bearing wall removal with associated drywall, paint, and finish work typically runs $2,000 to $5,000. A load-bearing wall removal with beam installation, temporary shoring, and finish work typically runs $5,000 to $12,000 depending on the span and the beam specification required. These costs are in addition to the kitchen remodel scope itself.
Does an open concept kitchen remodel require a permit in Pekin?
Yes. Any structural work — including wall removal, whether or not the wall is load-bearing — requires a building permit through the City of Pekin. Electrical and plumbing work associated with the remodel also requires permitting. Grace Built Construction manages the full permitting and inspection process for every open concept kitchen project we take on.
Will opening my kitchen to the living room reduce the resale value of my home?
No. Open concept main floors are consistently preferred by buyers in the central Illinois residential market and have been for over a decade. A well-executed open concept kitchen remodel that maintains appropriate zone definition and design cohesion between the kitchen and adjacent spaces adds to buyer appeal and competitive positioning at resale rather than reducing it.
How do I define different areas in an open floor plan without walls?
Zone definition in an open floor plan is achieved through a combination of design elements. A kitchen island or peninsula creates a physical boundary between the kitchen workspace and the adjacent living area. Flooring material transitions between the kitchen and living spaces create a visual boundary. Lighting design — pendants over the island, a chandelier over the dining area, recessed cans throughout — creates lighting zones that organize the space. Ceiling treatments and furniture arrangement reinforce the organization of the open space without building walls back in.
Can an open concept remodel be phased to manage the cost?
The structural work — wall removal and beam installation — needs to be completed in a single phase because it establishes the new floor plan that everything else is built around. The kitchen remodel components — cabinetry, countertops, flooring, lighting — can eventually be phased, though doing the structural work and then living with an unfinished kitchen area while subsequent phases are saved for is disruptive. In most cases, completing the open concept remodel as a single coordinated project produces a better outcome than attempting to phase it across extended time.
Internal Link Block
Keep planning your open concept kitchen project:
- Kitchen Remodeling Services — What Grace Built includes in every kitchen remodel
- Kitchen Remodeling Cost in Pekin, IL — Full budget ranges for central Illinois homeowners
- How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take? — Timeline guide including structural work phases
- Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas — Layout solutions for compact kitchen footprints
- Free Remodeling Estimate — Schedule your in-home structural assessment and consultation
Ready to Open Up Your Kitchen & Change How Your Home Feels?
The wall between your kitchen and your living space has been defining how your household uses your home for years. Removing it — or opening it intelligently — is one of the most meaningful changes you can make to how your family experiences the main floor every day. The first step is an honest, in-person assessment of what your specific home’s structure calls for and what the transformation will actually involve.
Grace Built Construction will come to your Pekin area home, assess the structural conditions of the wall you want to open, and give you a detailed, honest plan for an open concept kitchen remodel that is designed correctly and built to last. No assumptions, no generic recommendations, no surprises once demolition starts.
Call (309) 241-9593, email gracebuilt329@gmail.com, or fill out the online estimate request form to schedule your free in-home consultation. We serve Pekin, East Peoria, Morton, Washington, Creve Coeur, Tremont, and homeowners throughout Tazewell County.
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Request Your Free Kitchen Remodeling Estimate Today.
Grace Built Construction LLC | Pekin, IL | (309) 241-9593 | gracebuilt329@gmail.com | Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–6:00 PM | Saturday by Appointment