For many families, an open-plan ground floor seems to be a no-brainer. Open-plan living undoubtedly has its advantages. Many modern homes are now designed with the idea that open-plan is definitely how the owners of the house will want to live.
However, open-plan ground floors can also pose a number of challenges that a more conventional layout manages to avoid. If you’re considering buying a house with an open-plan layout, or have been considering renovating your own home to make the most of the space, you’re definitely going to want to read on…
Pros and Cons of Open Plan Ground Floors
PRO: You can still create separation
An open-plan floor does not mean that the space available to you is vast and cavernous. It might resemble an aircraft hangar more than somewhere people live. There are countless ways you can break up space into designated areas. You can use glass partition walls, or head to https://shopdiscountdirect.com/shop/living-room for sectional sofas that are a perfect way of separating a space into areas without the need to build brick walls.
Even rugs and decor can help create an “individual but united” look through an open-plan space. This helps to prevent your ground floor from just looking empty due to the lack of walls. Instead, space looks deliberate, considered, and individual-but-united— the perfect look for an open-plan ground floor.
CON: Containing noise can be difficult
One of the major downsides of open-plan living is how difficult it is to contain noise. If you keep your washer in the kitchen, then you’re going to be able to hear its progress through the cycle across the entire ground floor. The same applies to the noise of the TV in the living space, cooking sounds when you’re preparing a meal, and a variety of other forms of noise. They will all be able to cross through the living space and invade other areas.
Arguably the best way to do this is to take note of all the moments you shut the doors on the ground floor of your non-open-plan home. If you use the doors frequently to dampen noise from individual rooms, this is a sign that your family might not suit open-plan living.
PRO: Hosting and cooking becomes a more sociable event
If you’re a fan of hosting dinner parties, then open-plan living could be the gift that keeps on giving. Rather than having to cloister yourself away in the kitchen to cook, you’ll be able to enjoy the company of your guests as they relax on the sofa or at the dining table. As a result, you’ll feel more included in the evening. The whole experience should be more inclusive and enjoyable. Open plan living along with a few ideas from https://www.lacrema.com/hosting-101-hosting-dinner-party/ should help to ensure your future dinner parties are always a hit!
CON: There’s nowhere to hide
We’ve all had those moments when an unexpected visitor arrives and we panic. We open the door to their smiling, joyful face and try to smile in return. But all the while our internal monologue is screaming: “the house is a mess! What am I going to do?”
Most of us deal with this issue by ensuring our unexpected guests steer clear of the areas that aren’t in the best of conditions. For example, steering someone towards the living room rather than the kitchen. Your guest can sit and chat with you for hours on the sofa. And they would have no way of knowing that the kitchen sink is piled high with plates and cooking pots.
This scenario isn’t possible in an open-plan ground floor. Everything is going to be seen. This can be complicated if an unexpected visitor arrives and your house isn’t in the best condition possible.
PRO: Engage more with your family
Finally, the ultimate positive: the ability to engage more with your family. With the ground floor open, there’s no need for you or your family members to shut themselves away in different rooms for different tasks. For example, for the parents to be cooking in the kitchen while the kids do their homework in the dining room. Now, you can all be together, enjoying one another’s company. And if a member of your family finds they need an extra layer of privacy, they can always retreat outside or to their own bedroom.
In conclusion
Ultimately, the decision regarding the viability of an open-plan ground floor is something that has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Open-plan spaces work for some families. For others, they make life more complicated. However you decide, you can at least be confident you have a well-rounded, realistic idea of what open-plan living entails. This is thanks to reading through the pros and cons as above.
