Pros & Cons to Open Concept Homes

Open homes make socializing easier, even when people are doing different things. While someone is cooking dinner in the kitchen, he or she can still interact with someone else playing video games in the family room or paying bills in the home office. Entertaining also is easier, as mingling with guests is much more convenient when walls are not getting in the way.

 

A smaller home can feel much larger if it employes and open concept. The square footage is not divided into smaller quarters, which sometimes are rooms (such as formal dining rooms) that are only used a few times per year. This eliminates underused spaces and opens up sight lines in the layout.

 

The value of real estate has risen dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and prospective buyers may prefer an open-concept plan because it can help them minimize building costs.

 

Disadvantages of open floor plans

 

Open layouts are not for everyone. The same sense of space that occurs when walls are taken down may make rooms feel cavernous and less cozy, particularly in home with ample square footage. In addition, privacy can be hard to come by when all rooms feed into one another.

 

When the kitchen is not separate from the family room space, that makes it easy for noise to compromise the areas’ comfort levels. There is no hiding from noise in an open floor plan, as sounds from voices, television shows, and appliances tend to echo and blend together. And if the home is a single-story layout, these noises from the main living areas also may carry to adjacent bedrooms.

 

Smoke and smells are another thing to consider. When something on the stove spills over, a small range hood will not be practical for clearing smoke from a large space. Though the aroma of freshly cooked food is enticing it can make it hard for cooks to keep guests out of the kitchen.