What Is an Open Floor Plan, and Is It Right for You?
What Is an Open Floor Plan?
An open floor plan promotes a sense of openness and greater traffic flow.
The Spruce / Ashley Poskin
Most often, open floor plans involve some combination of kitchen, dining room, and living room.
The kitchen and dining area are a classic example of separate but related spaces.
The kitchen is for cooking, and the dining area is for eating.
Illustration: The Spruce/Theresa Chiechi
These associated functions deal with food, so it makes sense to join the rooms if desired.
Sometimes, akitchen island or peninsulaacts as a visual dividing line between the two areas.
Connecting the kitchen, dining area, and living room maximizes the home’s social aspect.
It’s especially good for homeowners who frequently cook and entertain guests.
A rear door off of the kitchen allowed for food deliveries or as an entrance for staff.
The kitchen was for cooking, and concepts like an entertainment kitchen were still decades away.
Open Floor Plan Development
Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright sowed the seeds for open floor plans.
Other changes also made the open floor plan more practical since house footprints became smaller as families grew.
An open floor plan began to include the kitchen, offering design flexibility for reconfiguring the space.
It made it possible to watch kids during meal preparation and cleanup.
In the open floor plan concept, the kitchen cooking center became the center for social activity.
By the 1990s, open floor plans became almost the norm for new construction, especially in suburban environments.
Some aim for more efficient heating and cooling options.
Greater city density also drives the desire for privacy among family members in smaller homes.
For most homeowners, an open floor plan is highly prized when shopping for a new house.
Creating an open floor plan is why many people undertake major remodeling projects.
Open floor plans allow for social togetherness.
Family members can do their activities spaced out in the same room yet still communicate with one another.
For entertaining, the kitchen, dining room, and living room blend into one large social space.
This concept works particularly well for families with younger children.
Your intended room use should guide your decision.
Do you want more family cohesiveness to do group activities or for entertaining guests?
Or are you in need of more private spaces to do work or for valued “me time?”
An open floor plan works well in the first case while working against giving you privacy options.
Open floor plans increase home value since more Americans prefer buying a home with this concept.
Appreciation Sensation: the Real Factors That Boost Your Homes Bottom Line.Real Estate News & Insights.
Elliot, L. Evolution of the Open Floor Plan - Old House Journal Magazine.Old House Journal Magazine.
August 9, 2010.
