Is an Open Concept Floor Plan a Good Choice? Maybe, Maybe Not...
While open-concept floorplans have enjoyed tremendous popularity since the 1990s, their origins trace all the way back to the 1880s and then were given most significant attribution in the 50s to renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Though most builders still consider the open-concept floor plan a mainstay, a fairly sizeable shift in popularity has taken hold for many homeowners considering a renovation. With the pandemic sending us all home in 2020, we began seeing some drawbacks to our cavernous spaces that may have been overlooked when we all had other places to go.
In this post, I’ll be sharing some of those drawbacks along with the reasons the concept became so popular. Hopefully, this will help you when it’s time to decide what your right fit will be.
Problem 1: Largely Lacking in Privacy
Open concepts are great for entertaining and socialization! Perfect when no one has anything they need to work or focus on! Great for the Holidays!
But in the mundane day-to-day of life, when everyone has their own tasks to accomplish, it’s not easy to find a spot that is quiet enough. The sound quality in these spaces is often boomy and travels wildly through large rooms. It’s tough to concentrate on a book or paperwork when someone across the room from you is innocently watching Looney Tunes!
Problem 2: Substantially More Expensive
It is still generally understood that opening up spaces to create a flow between the kitchen, dining, and living rooms improves traffic flow and increases the value of the home. But it also increases the cost!
First of all removing load-bearing walls can be tricky and expensive. If building a home with an open concept, it will require costly steel or laminate beams to properly support the structure.
Further, large spaces with high ceilings are obvious energy sucks, making it expensive to manage efficient heating and cooling. Add in the beautiful but ubiquitous floor-to-ceiling windows for further insult to injury!
Problem 3: Decidedly More Difficult to Maintain
Rooms that are open to the kitchen and dining rooms are a boon for the cook who wants to watch their children or socialize while preparing a meal.
However, it’s not easy to shield a messy kitchen from guests! And with a busy family, it can be frustrating to keep the clutter at bay when everything is open and visible.
Are open-concept floor plans on their way out? Maybe not quite yet, but it is good to see another viewpoint on the subject. Personally, having high ceilings keeps me from feeling claustrophobic, but in Southern California, we are not paying a premium to heat our home like many of you are in colder regions. So there are a few things to weigh when considering if an open floor plan is right for your home and family.
I hope I’ve helped to open that mental conversation a little bit for you here. Guidance from an architect can supremely help you evaluate the options that will work best for you.