The Benefits of Living With an Open Floor Plan
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
By Bill Primavera
As I sit in my home office, I can see openly into my living room, dining room and partially into my kitchen. The plan is referred to as “open,” which in contemporary times has seen walls come down and space expanded, as opposed to separate rooms, closed off for different functions.
As I compare this plan with what I remember of my home as a child, it might be considered a “busting out” plan.
I’m sure my mother would have been stressed out by the thought of party guests seeing her in the throes of food preparation in the kitchen while entertaining. It’s the way I grew up, and early in my house-hunting years, I’m sure I tended to seek out these traditional plans. In fact, the first private home I purchased was an 1826 vintage home where each room was cubby-holed from the other, and a second floor provided for sleeping space.
My second home, even older, built in 1734, was just as contained, with the added space restriction of having very low ceilings. When we would rent the accessory apartment and receive calls of interest, we would ask how tall the individuals were, which must have sounded peculiar. But a 6-foot-4 fellow would have had difficulty with a ceiling height of six feet two inches.
Since growing in popularity throughout the 20th century, open floor plans have been all the rage in home design for more than a couple of decades. Rather than distinct rooms separated by walls, open-concept homes feature one or more common areas – such as a living room, dining room or kitchen – combined into a single large space.
It’s easy to see why open-concept floor plans are popular; they can make a modest amount of square footage feel spacious, they improve foot traffic flow between rooms and they’re ideal for entertaining.
But these designs have their drawbacks, too, such as decreased privacy and increased noise levels. But that’s an acceptable tradeoff in my opinion.
Aiding in the popularity of more open space has been modern construction methods. Not as many supporting walls allow more open flow.
For those who want an open living environment, yet like to delineate spaces for their various functions, there are ways to accomplish that goal. Different zones can be created by the arrangement of furniture. Basically, that’s how I do it in my home with the back of my Lawson sofa backing up to my dining room chairs with space, of course, in between.
Another way is to utilize area rugs to separate spaces. This is particularly effective in very large spaces. Or rugs can be used in some living spaces and bare floors in others. Still another method can be with shelving, preferably open on both sides with enough emptiness left on the shelves to see through the unit.
I remember the separation of space in a Miami hotel (I forget which one) that used long billowy curtains in its lobby from a high ceiling to the floor. When a breeze wafted through the space and the curtains billowed, it was a transporting experience for guests.
Finally, delineation of space can be accomplished with things hanging from the ceiling, such as a chandelier or fan. That’s a way to manage a totally open space.
Actually, it’s fun, maybe even a challenge, to create separate living spaces while maintaining an open flow floor plan.
Happy breezing through your living space!
Bill Primavera is a residential and commercial realtor associated with William Raveis Realty, as well as a publicist and journalist writing regularly as The Home Guru. For questions about home maintenance or to buy or sell a home, he can be e-mailed at williamjprimavera@gmail.com or called directly at 914-522-2076.
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