Three Pros and Cons for an Open-Concept Floor Plan
Since 1990, open floor plans have been the biggest architectural trend, but despite its popularity, here are some common drawbacks.
Since 1990, open floor plans have been the biggest architectural trend in newly built homes and remodeling projects across the country. The main objective is to bring down walls between kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms to make a large, open communal space for the whole family. But despite its popularity among homeowners, there are some common drawbacks that many aren’t aware about. Here are the three biggest advantages and disadvantages to note about an open floor plan concept in your next home.
Pro: Make a Small Space Feel Larger
The primary advantage to an open space concept is that it makes a small space feel bigger thanks to the lack of walls dividing out the floorplan of a home. Homes that feel cramped can benefit from opening up the walls and allowing natural light to filter into much of the living and eating spaces.
Pro: Easier to Keep an Eye on Little Ones
Keeping an eye on small children while preparing meals for them is often a benefit of the open floor plan layout, since it’s easy to look into the living space from the kitchen.
Pro: Multifunctional Spaces
Because of the size and openness of the space, open floor plans encourage multifunctional use of the space - including a great place to entertain guests! Rather than just having a kitchen to cook, a living room to watch television, and a dining room to sit around the dinner table, guests can sit, eat, and converse easily in one room.
Con: There is Little to No Privacy in the Home
With the lack of walls comes a lack of privacy in the home - meaning that you are always sharing the space with the entire family. Television time will be impacted by whoever is responsible for making dinner in the living room, and entertaining in the space means everyone in the home is expected to host.
Con: Costly to Heat and Cool Space
Preserving air conditioning and heat in a large, open space is next to impossible. There are ways to help keep hot or cool air in a space, but remember that an open floor concept will impact your overall utility costs.
Con: Sounds Travel Everywhere
Noise travels and is absorbed by surfaces, so without walls to absorb any of the sound, you can expect things to be a little noisier than they once were. All kitchen appliances will compete with the television volume, and voices will travel across the room easily.
Whether or not an open concept floor plan is the right choice for you and your family, Atmos is here to help you find the right partners to build that custom dream home. See why building the perfect home isn’t as scary as you may think but taking this simple quiz.
