Is An Open Floor Plan Right For You?

Is An Open Floor Plan Right For You?

In recent years, the open floor plan has become a staple of all kinds of homes. Creating a shared space between the kitchen, living room, and other adjoining rooms can add to the feng shui of a room. Being able to effortlessly transition from room to room, and even communicate with others between spaces is often a priority for prospective remodelers. However, even with all of the benefits of an open floorplan, there may also be aspects that don’t fit your particular needs and tastes. Let us help you decide what kind of floorplan is right for you!

Use the slider on this image to see how an open floor plan can be created from a closed floor plan

The Pros Of An Open Floorplan

Click the images to the the full projects

Spaces Feel Larger

Enclosed spaces often feel smaller than they actually are. Tearing down those walls can open a space up and make it feel less claustrophobic. Let’s face it—square footage is expensive, so making your existing home feel bigger without the expense of actually making it bigger is a welcome thought! An open floor plan is also a good option when expanding a living space by adding a room addition simply isn’t an option for a property.

Utilizing Space

Who remembers growing up in a house with a formal living room? Perhaps it had white carpet and furniture, and the space was only ever used for company and holidays. Children were absolutely never allowed in the room. Modern lifestyles have changed—most people are more casual, and people are less and less likely to invite acquaintances or business associates into their homes, so in most households, these spaces are simply obsolete. In an open floor plan, these spaces can be eliminated and redistributed to more practical and usable spaces.

Beauty Shines Through

Open floor plans have a way of putting the beauty of your home on display for all to see. You get to see the gorgeous stone countertops, the stunning light fixtures, and even all of that beautiful furniture you have so lovingly picked out for your space. You can see those beautiful French doors and the beautiful wood-trimmed double-hung windows, the archway into the kitchen, or even simply the custom-etched frosted glass on the pantry door—all of those little features of your home that you just love are visible and perfectly primed to be admired and appreciated at all times.

Togetherness With Family

From a togetherness standpoint, there is nothing better than an open floor plan to bring everyone closer together. Whether it is greeting each other as you pass by or simply existing in the same space, an open floor plan allows for a level of cohesion in a family that other floor plans simply do not offer.

Open floor plans also allow those who prepare meals to not be isolated from the rest of the family. They can join in on conversations, help with homework, watch the show or movie the rest of the family is watching, or simply be part of the conversations happening in the room.

Light

In addition to the beautiful touches around your home, an open floor plan allows for an abundance of natural light as the room is open to every single window in the space. Those French doors out onto the patio, the huge bay window in the living room, the beautiful iron-trimmed windows in the dining room and kitchen—they all bring in natural light that is reflected and spread out across the entire room.

Easy Access

One positive thing about an open floor plan that can’t be said enough is how easy it is to get from inside to outside. People can come and go into an outdoor space without any thought or without weaving their way through the house. It allows for a more inviting outdoor space because it feels like it is just an extension of your indoor space!

Great Space For Entertaining

In an open floor plan, your guests can mingle throughout the space, including the kitchen. Everyone always winds up in the kitchen during a gathering for several reasons. People want to visit with their host, many would like to offer to lend a hand; some want to sneak a taste; and some just want to refill their drink. People always wind up in the kitchen, whether they live there or not. An open floor plan allows this to happen naturally without cutting the rest of the group off and allows those who just want to visit the opportunity to not be underfoot.

Ease Of Decorating

Interior design isn’t everyone’s forte, but one does not have to consider different rooms and how they will be decorated individually in an open concept floor plan. If you like a nautical theme, for instance, similar accessories will work across the entire space. There is no pressure to decorate each space differently or to make separate spaces coordinate since it is one large space.

The Cons Of An Open Floor Plan

No Hiding A Messy House

Do you do your dishes and clean up immediately after every single meal? Do you ever get depressed, and the living spaces around the house get messy? Well, in an open concept, all of those messes are on display for all to see, and for many, the idea of opening the front door to see that mess is absolutely horrifying. There is no way to pretend they don’t exist when you have to look at them, regardless of what you’re doing.

Lack Of Privacy

If you treasure your privacy, keep in mind that there is simply nowhere to hide without retreating to a bedroom in an open floor plan. If you live with other people, there will never be a quiet spot to make a phone call or work on a project you don’t want everyone to see. There is nowhere to wrap a present or to simply get comfortable when you need a bit of alone time.

Heating And Cooling Logistics

Heating and cooling a large space can be very expensive, but it is also not very energy efficient. This is a big consideration, especially if you do not have a large family. It is much more efficient to heat or cool a small space you enjoy hanging out in than it is to heat or cool the entire house, much less a big open space with high ceilings. Open floor plans and high ceilings may be great in areas where there is a mild climate, but they may prove exceedingly costly and energy inefficient in areas that experience more extreme temperatures in the summer and winter.

The Space Can Feel TOO Large

A large space can simply be too big. It can feel cold or even sterile, especially if you don’t have many people coming and going from your home. There is no denying that a large space just isn’t as inviting and cozy as a smaller space can be.

Cost Of Construction

One downside to consider when remodeling an existing home to create an open floor plan is the overall cost. It can cost thousands of dollars to remove a wall that happens to be load-bearing. It is possible, but it is very costly to have beams installed to redistribute the weight that that wall was supporting.

Echo

An extremely large space can make echoes a problem. In a large tiled room with high ceilings, even something like hearing the TV can become challenge. Further, if you have multiple people in the same large space trying to hear different things, the noise pollution can become deafening. 

Need Help Realizing Your Perfect Floor Plan?

Open floor plan or not, there are still innumerable options to consider when configuring your perfect space. If you are having trouble realizing the space you can see in your head, why not contact the experts at McManus Kitchen and Bath to help make your dreams a reality?