What Is a Kitchen Pass?

Purpose

• A kitchen pass may be built for a variety of reasons. One reason may be solely to open up the space or create a window through which a cook can socialize with guests. The kitchen pass-through can also be useful in transporting food quickly from the kitchen to a dining room or another eating area to prevent food from getting cold as it is carried from room to room.

Placing a Kitchen Pass

• When determining where to put a kitchen pass, you must take several things into consideration. While you can remove cabinetry and counters, for instance, it is easier to just work around them if possible. If you can avoid putting a kitchen pass next to major appliances as well, such as the stove or refrigerator, it will be easier to avoid piping and electrical wires that pass through the walls in these areas.

Cutting a Pass

• Cutting a kitchen pass can be a big job for a do-it-yourselfer. An important first step is to find the studs in the wall, so that you can cut the pass to meet studs on either side, which eliminates some of the work of framing the pass once it's cut. Then, you must cut through both the drywall and the studs in the area where you want to remove the wall, then reframe the wall with a plywood header and footer for the pass to ensure it holds up.

Decorating a Pass

• Since the purpose of a kitchen pass is to provide access from the kitchen into another room, whether for visiting with guests or for food transport, avoid decorating the entire ledge with objects, which will impeded your ability to see guests or pass food through the opening. If you feel that the pass looks plain or empty, consider putting bar stools along it to make it a breakfast bar or just decorate at each end of the pass, leaving the central space open.