Home design is an exciting topic and a huge consideration for homebuyers looking to move into a new home. Regardless of size, floorplans can drastically change how you perceive the space within a home. You may have been inside a small house with high vaulted ceilings, which made the area feel huge, or you have been in a large home with many sectioned-off rooms and connecting hallways that make it feel smaller and homey. Architects are always looking to change how we experience residential living spaces; however, open floor plans are not a newly found trend. Open floor plans have integrated themselves as a popular theme since the 90s, yet they remain a prominent style to this day!

What Exactly is an Open Floor Plan?

Traditionally, homes were built with highly segmented interiors, meaning defined areas for the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, etc. Over time, homeowners flocked to open these spaces up by removing the partitioning walls to create areas that felt spacious and less confined. An open floor plan is simply a space comprised of two or more common rooms. Hence, with an open floorplan, you may find a kitchen that blends into a dining room or a combined dining and living room, and even all three merged into one great room. To support these vast open spaces, you may notice vertical or horizontal structural beams, which are needed to support the weight of the floor above.

 

What an Open Floor Plan is Not

One common misconception is that a home with an open floor plan has minimal interior walls leaving rooms across the home connected. The term open floor plan refers to shared common areas such as living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, kitchen, with other spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms and offices partitioned as usual. Another misconception commonly made is that an open floor plan refers to a loft. While many open floor plans include a lofted space, not all open floor plans have a loft. On the flip side, while less common, it is possible to have a loft without an open floorplan, so make sure you understand the terminology. 

 

Let There Be Light

If you are a fan of a naturally lit house versus artificial light, an open floor plan may be the perfect style for you. Depending on your home's orientation compared to the sun's daily cycle, naturally lighting your home may be difficult. By eliminating the walls in common areas, sunlight can spread from one room to another freely providing a brighter look and feel. That added sunlight may even help you save on your electricity bill since you will not need to run the lights to use the space.

 

Buying on A Budget

Buying a home is a big step in life, and buyers are always looking for ways to stretch their dollar as far as it will go. If your budget does not justify a roomy multi-million-dollar home, you are still in luck. As mentioned before, purchasing a home with an open floor plan can greatly improve how big your space feels. With fewer hallways and added sunlight, you can make a smaller space feel spacious. Additionally, with fewer walls to contend with, you have more options to maneuver furniture to maximize your home's potential footprint.

 

Bring on the Guests

One reason buyers flock for open floor plans is their ability to be utilized for entertainment. Say you are hosting for the holidays this year, and you plan to have 40 guests coming. Your open floor plan is here to save the day! Having open space, allows guests to move freely and not get stuck in traffic patterns. The wide-open area allows for better social interactions and prevents groups from being secluded. From the couches to the kitchen, guests can converse freely from room to room, creating the perfect atmosphere for social gatherings. Additionally, having your rooms connected opens the opportunity for additional seating arrangements without cramping up any particular room.

 

Whether an open space seems like the right fit for you, or you are still exploring your options, we are here to help! Our agents are always available and ready to help you identify homes in your search area that match your needs. Give us a call at 802-735-2167 to schedule a complimentary consultation today!