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Open or Closed? What’s the Best Floorplan for You?

For the last decade, open floor plans have been all the rage — you couldn’t watch HGTV without hearing it 1,000 times!

We watched as contractors knocked down walls to create a beautiful, bright living space that looked so much more spacious than it did before. The open concept seemed to make so much more sense than the traditional floor plan, where every room had its own closed-in space.

Then, Covid happened.

After being cooped up with their families for so long, many people realized that maybe having separate living spaces had a purpose after all. Having different areas would be nice and allow for some privacy.

If you aren’t sure which type of floor plan makes the most sense in your home, read on! 

open concept home with theater

Why Open Concept?

With an open concept floor plan, there are fewer walls between the different areas of the home. That means the living, kitchen, and dining areas may all be in one large space. Let’s look at why so many homeowners prefer the open concept floor plan:

Safety – If you have little ones running around, an open concept makes life so much easier. You’ll be able to keep an eye on your kids while you’re doing other things, like making dinner or doing the dishes.

Entertaining – Open concept floor plans are great for those of us who like to entertain. Open concept floor plans typically have an island or peninsula where your guests can gather around while you prepare food. This way, everyone gets included in the fun.

Maximizes Space – An open concept floor plan makes a space look and feels larger. This also allows you to use the space in a way that works best for your family. If you need a couple of huge couches that spill into what is supposed to be the dining room, you can! The walls don’t limit you.

restored kitchen with marble counters

Traditional Floor Plans Can Be Great Too!

An open concept can be great, but some people prefer their home to have the traditional style with distinct rooms and spaces, separated by walls and doors. That means the kitchen is closed off to the rest of the house, and there are walls between the dining area and living room. Here are some reasons this type of floor plan works:

Easier to Decorate – When the spaces are separate, you can mix and match your home decor. Your dining room can be farmhouse style while your living room is modern, and it won’t look funny.

More Privacy – With a traditional floor plan, you won’t always feel like everyone is on top of each other. You can watch a tv show while your kid is in another area doing homework, and you won’t bother each other.

Easier to Hide Messes – With a traditional floor plan, you don’t have to worry about keeping everything clean all the time since you’ll have walls to hide the mess. You won’t have to look at your dirty dishes while you are trying to enjoy dinner. You can also designate a space for your kid’s toys that will be out of sight when you try to relax after they go to bed.

More Storage – More walls mean more space to install cabinets and shelves for storage.

Regardless of what is in style, the choice in floor plan is really up to you and what you prefer. If you want to open up a wall, we can do that. If you’d like to break up each space with a wall, we can do that too. Let’s get together to talk about your options. 

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