Open Floor Plans....how we got here

[Blansky]

An interesting history of the reasons for "rooms" in house building and the evolution to the open floor plans of today.

Not sure I agree with the last paragraphs about closing them down again though.

One thing missing in her theory is the fact of "central heating" and probably central air conditioning as well, which I think started more in the US with a garage or basement furnace that fed the whole house. As opposed to each room having it's own heaters or fireplaces which encouraged the use of closed rooms and door closing, moreso than an open concept home.

I prefer the open concept.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/t...case-for-rooms

[Maleg]

I prefer the perception of open space. My wife prefers the coziness of rooms. We have an old school main floor. My domain, the basement, is wide open. We have a full kitchen and bath down below so that I can feel at home in the dungeon.

[East Bay Rider]

I'm not a big fan of the open concept. Something as simple as a quick nap in the living room is interrupted by the sounds of cooking and watching TV affects someone talking on the the phone in the kitchen. There really is no semi-public privacy like there is in a conventional house with walls and doorways separating the rooms.

[Greenp]

It's been said that those who have open concept kitchen/living room only eat out/take out. (no dirty dishes in sight)

[enjoythemusic]

i miss the sex appeal of sunken livingrooms. Stereo on one end, bar in the corner, a sizeable L-shaped couch that could turn into one big playground....

[Fleetlord]

Good topic I hadn’t thought about really

[Krash]

I’ve lived in both. I have an “open” floor design now. Not sure I’d ever want to go back. I’m actually reading this post in the kitchen while watching a tennis match on TV. It’s also better for entertaining and when having guests over.

Plus, the only part of the house that’s actually open is the family, kitchen, dining areas. Everything else is closed off. We have 3700 square foot, 4 bedrooms, 2 offices…My wife is using an extra room (bonus room) as an office for herself. That could have been a home theater or a second TV room, but that’s fine.




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[JasoninDenver]

Originally Posted by Krash

I’ve lived in both. I have an “open” floor design now. Not sure I’d ever want to go back. I’m actually reading this post in the kitchen while watching a tennis match on TV. It’s also better for entertaining and when having guests over.

Plus, the only part of the house that’s actually open is the family, kitchen, dining areas. Everything else is closed off. We have 3700 square foot, 4 bedrooms, 2 offices…My wife is using an extra room (bonus room) as an office for herself. That could have been a home theater or a second TV room, but that’s fine.




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Love that chair!!!

What is it?

[Rock]

Open-plan Living areas work well when combined with separate bedrooms, media and study rooms. We each have a roomy study when we want some "me-time" but enjoy the open-plan Living/Dining/Kitchen for interacting.
For workplaces however, I am not a fan. In the 80s-90s workplaces seemed to go open-plan. I have worked in places where even managers didn't have a separate office and had to do anything private in an interview or conference room. Open plan is noisy, busy and distracting and not condusive to 'thinking'.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

Love that chair!!!

What is it?

I’m assuming you’re talking about the tan chair. Yes, that is nice. It reminds of sitting in an exotic sport car. The leather is lush. We bought it at a local store that features a lot of mid century modern furniture. The label on it says Fjords.


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[Dan Pierce]

We love our open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, walls of windows, and especially the view.
dP

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

i miss the sex appeal of sunken livingrooms. Stereo on one end, bar in the corner, a sizeable L-shaped couch that could turn into one big playground....

And shag pile carpet with a bowl full of car keys.

[brandrea]

We bought a bungalow built in the late 70’s and did a complete top to bottom renovation.

It had a giant floor to ceiling fireplace smack dab in the center of the living room and lots of tiny hallways with separate living room, and low 8’ ceilings.

We vaulted the ceilings which was the best money we spent, especially since the main floor is small at around 1900 sq ft. It’s makes the space so much more open and feel much larger.

We also built a nice deck off the back which is right off the kitchen. We pretty much live out there in the warmer weather.

While I agree, some separate rooms are nice for quiet space, overall we prefer the open concept especially between the kitchen, dining and living space. It’s just works best for us.




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[subtona]

Open concept is nice, recently moved into this from the conventional rooms.

Nothing is perfect.

The openness feels more spacious & opulent, though it can sometimes create interference between the use.

Living room conversations are sometimes impacted by pots pans and blenders.

One other consideration that I have noticed,
Growing up in the old school ways, it was common at family gatherings for the men and women to separate after dinner and have discussions about things that were typically of interest to their genders.
The open concept may not afford the continuation of the old ways.

[1William]

I like the concept of the open floor plan and expansive space. In practicality, every time I visit someone who has this, I am less than impressed. I prefer rooms with defined walls and reasonable ceilings, 9-10 feet. I prefer personal privacy, if it is so desired, and many of the open concepts are inviting but in practicality maximize noise and chaos, to me. I always think about heating and cooling these large open spaces with high ceilings and wonder how you can get it done efficiently. My living situation is far from ideal with a 90 year old brick, two story, Georgian style home. I have 9 and 10 foot ceilings, hallways that could make up another room and a kitchen that was made to serve a small army with food and seating. I also have a formal dinning room, breakfast room, music room and a detached apartment that I have turned into a man cave. In the next few years we will be empty nesters and have looked around at moving into one of the spaces pictured and described above. Maybe, but it will be difficult to find the right space for us. I do like the pictures and can appreciate what other have and like but the pragmatist in me has a tendency to come out when looking at houses, watches, cars, etc.

[Kreyzhorse]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

We love our open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, walls of windows, and especially the view.
dP

Great view DP. Love the view from NKY.

We had a house built and it's all open as well. Don't miss the closed off feeling at all.

[RichardBartlett]

Kitchen in the lounge is student level living or at best a staff canteen.

Open plan would only stretch to dining living room in my world.

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[Krash]

Originally Posted by 1William

I prefer rooms with defined walls and reasonable ceilings, 9-10 feet.

My ceilings go to 11. lol. But seriously, my ceilings are 11 feet.




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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

Kitchen in the lounge is student level living or at best a staff canteen.

Open plan would only stretch to dining living room in my world.

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I’m super happy that my dorm days continue on





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[Maleg]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

Kitchen in the lounge is student level living or at best a staff canteen.

Open plan would only stretch to dining living room in my world.

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That is very traditional. You’d be hard pressed to fine a new home in the US with that design. Open concept is the most common new construction these days. Almost nobody (other than my wife) builds a traditional home anymore.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

Kitchen in the lounge is student level living or at best a staff canteen.


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Not many students can afford all these multi-million dollar new homes with open floor plans. And what about all these $25 million plus condos in the Miami area? They would look ridiculous all closed up. Nobody would want one.





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[Blansky]

I'm sure the popularity of the open concept is part of the "informality of daily living" that people enjoy now.

In my youth, the kitchen was the center of the home as it still is, (during parties people still gravitate to the kitchen) but still the mother was the slave to the kitchen while everyone else had moved to the family room/dining room to do homework, watch TV etc.

She was isolated from the kids she needed to watch over and from the family interactions. Men rarely or never cooked in the kitchen, maybe did some BBQing but only went to the kitchen to get a beer from the fridge or to eat.

Also the kitchen housed the dining except for maybe 3 times a year. Christmas dinner, Easter Dinner and maybe some family get togethers went to the dining room.

The dining room table was often covered with school book and other "junk" and the living room had the good furniture in it and was only used for company. And some people's furniture was covered with plastic.

Later in my 20 the homes had an entranceway and to the left was the dining room...never used, and to the right, the living room almost never used, and all the action was from the kitchen or the family room.

In my 40s I started to see the cathedral ceiling appear in a lot of higher end homes.

So I guess the natural evolution was open floor plan to join the kitchen, family room and dining room with an added island to eat at or snack at. Both adults can cook if desired and they are both present for TV, and all interactions.

If you want to be alone go to your office/spare room, or to the bedroom or outside deck if weather permits.

This is the way we've been living for the last 30 years I guess.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by brandrea

We also built a nice deck off the back which is right off the kitchen. We pretty much live out there in the warmer weather.

In Canada, is that any time it gets above freezing?

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Kreyzhorse

Great view DP. Love the view from NKY.

We had a house built and it's all open as well. Don't miss the closed off feeling at all.

Thanks! It's the best side of The River.
dP

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

In Canada, is that any time it gets above freezing?

Why yes that’s correct! We even installed Schwab’s gas fired ceiling heaters to get more out of the shoulder seasons .


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[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

And shag pile carpet with a bowl full of car keys.

Keys bowl yes, shag perhaps not (tho depending on party type, large plastic sheeting could be a big plus to keep oils and such in check).

Oh, and ashtrays.

Seriously folks, a bit of courtesy goes a long way so put out some ashtrays BEFORE your guests arrive. Thank you.

[herts9]

Love an open plan. Ours from when we moved in a new build in NKY last April.


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[RichardBartlett]

Originally Posted by Maleg

That is very traditional. You’d be hard pressed to fine a new home in the US with that design. Open concept is the most common new construction these days. Almost nobody (other than my wife) builds a traditional home anymore.

What goes around, comes around

[Maleg]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

What goes around, comes around

That makes no sense at all.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

What goes around, comes around

I agree some trends come and go, I’m just not sure most people want to go back to isolated rooms and boxy floor plans anymore. Especially with the size of homes now, that generally have room for offices, and things like entertainment rooms, where people can choose to disappear to.

I think the open concept “great room” usually with high ceilings is here to stay.

A friend of mine is a home builder and in Santa Rosa and after the fires destroyed an entire subdivision of around 3000 homes, most were the 1200 sq ft 3 bedroom bungalows. Everyone wanted a 4 bedroom open concept replacement, but unfortunately the lot size was not up to spec for what people expect today. So they changed the law to accommodate their wishes.

People just want that open concept design today.