The open floor plan has been tops in new-home design trends for years. People love the airy feel and inviting atmosphere that typically combines the kitchen, dining, and living areas. An open floor plan can make a small space feel larger or a grand home feel friendlier, and it tracks with a longtime trend toward more casual entertaining.
But after a year in which many people navigated work, school, play, and everything in between all from the same space, the trend may be changing.
“I don’t think the appeal of the open floor plan will go away,” said one designer, “but I can see new homeowners looking for more separation going forward.”
Here are some of the pros and cons, as discussed in an article from Real Simple.
Some Pros
- Open floor plans create a sense of community where families can be doing separate tasks while still being together.
- Parents, especially in young families, can keep an eye on the kids.
- They’re great for hosting and offer plenty of space to entertain.
Some Cons
- They’re often messy – if you’re entertaining formally or casually, it’s impossible to hide your prep space. And some spots are just magnets for clutter.
- There’s no sound barrier across the space.
- They can take away some of the “cozy” feeling.
- They’re a challenge to decorate – it’s just hard to make a lot of different spaces feel cohesive or to make individual spaces feel unique. It can also be difficult to estimate how much or how little furniture will work best.
Some Fixes
- Regroup furniture and rugs in different ways to create new zones within your space.
- Add flexible barriers, like screens. They’re a quick way to create both a visual barrier and sound barrier to help with focus. Similarly, a group of potted plants can provide just enough privacy to run a Zoom call, and you can easily move them around later.
- Designers don’t recommend construction-level fixes to the open floor plan. But if you have any little nooks, French doors with glass insets or a sliding barn-style door can create separation.
- Change is good. It’s OK to sell or donate furniture to make room for something new that will help your space function better.
At Crystal Creek, we like it either way. Our designers would be happy to talk with you about your vision!
