This plan finds a good middle ground using a dividing wall to set a clear boundary between the kitchen and dining room while maintaining some openness in the 18x12 footprint.
Small kitchen dining room floor plans.
You can create open concept kitchen living room and dining room layouts with less than 300 square feet albeit that would be pretty much a micro apartment but it can be done.
If your kitchen is in the same space as say your dining and living room set out well designed pots pans kettles and dinnerware right on the stove or counter or even on that weird shelf.
Open floor plan kitchen living room and dining room.
Open plan dining room and kitchen is more common as making them directly connected share the space is more practical.
Open concept trend chart as you can see from the chart below the open concept floor plan concept has grown tremendously in popularity over the last 15 years.
Opens up the space with no walls to separate the rooms you get one big multi function room and are not limited to a small kitchen or a small dining room makes entertaining easier a kitchen and dining room combo allows the cook to still be a host to guests and for guests to help in preparing food a great way to connect.
For example backless stools are easily tucked under kitchen islands while armless chairs too are able to scoot right underneath a kitchen table.