‘Open floor’ or ‘open plan’ designs have grown increasingly fashionable, and for many people, an open design is a ‘must-have’ when purchasing a new house. The value of Cornish homes has recently skyrocketed, and many homeowners are finding ways of increasing their house’s value. If you are thinking of selling your home soon, or are interested in increasing the value of your house in Cornwall, then we will be releasing a series of blog posts over the next few weeks that will guide you through some top tips.
Open floor design refers to when two or more traditional rooms of a house (such as the living room and dining room) are brought together to form a much bigger space in an open floor plan. Typically, a barrier such as a wall or a door would divide these rooms, making them feel small and walled off. An open floor plan’s major goal is to connect your home’s three common areas: the living room, dining room, and kitchen, to create the ultimate social living space. Because of the extra space, open floor designs produce a clear, fluid flow from room to room, which homeowners often appreciate.
However, some homeowners have recently returned back to the idea of living in more traditional, closed, private, cosy rooms, that often offer an escape from the noise and busyness of the rest of the house. With more of us working from home, the need for us to each individually have our own spaces is becoming more and more obvious.
If you are planning on selling your Cornish home, and want to know whether creating an open-plan space will increase your home’s value, then this article will help you make that important decision!
So here are 10 pros and cons of open-plan living, and whether an open-plan design is the right choice for you.
Open floor plans are simply interconnected spaces that allow for a smooth transition between your living room, dining room, and kitchen. This design has grown in popularity over time since it makes entertaining family and friends fun and simple. Hosting a dinner party or having relatives around for the holidays may be stressful, and as the host, you’ll be pulled in a million different directions, which is why an open floor plan is so useful. Because there are no borders between these locations, you can be in three separate places at once, making hosting a joy! One of the most major reasons why people prefer open floor layouts is this.
Open floor plans are considered a part of modern home design. The openness of a home’s common areas often determines how modern it is. A modern home is ideal for larger, growing families because of the amount of room it provides in the areas where they spend the most time. Many open floor plans, for example, connect the kitchen and living room, which is ideal for multitasking working parents. It’s a win-win situation for parents. Carers and parents can cook dinner or finish up on some work while watching their children play or do homework.
For homeowners without young children, open-plan space also brings brightness and space for guests and residents. The lighting in an open-plan design extends from room to room because there is more open space and fewer obstructions. The mood is enhanced and the spaces are made to feel warmer by the shared light from multiple light fixtures. The open area allows for additional windows, which will bring in natural light throughout the day, in addition to the shared bulbs, lights and fixtures that will carry light from room to room. It’s crucial to consider how many windows you can include in each room when planning the layout of your home. Because of the abundance of natural light the more windows you can place in your home, the better. Natural light has been shown to boost productivity, improve sleep quality, and improve overall mood. So, if you’re thinking about starting an open-plan project, keep this in mind.
Another modern feature is the various big windows and doors that connect the internal and outdoor rooms, seamlessly blending multiple regions of the residence. Connecting indoor and outdoor spaces is becoming more popular, and it is a feature that many people look for when purchasing a home. If you’re planning to build your dream home, make sure it has an open floor plan. Because this type of plan provides usable square footage, which is desirable to many homebuyers, it will raise the value of your home in the future. As well as creating an open-plan space, there are lots of other ways to increase the value of your home, if you are thinking of selling anytime soon (which, if you are looking to make a good sale for your Cornish home, might be a very lucrative idea!)
Your communal rooms will appear larger with open floor plans. Barriers such as walls and doors divide areas of your home, making you feel more confined. By removing these boundaries, you will be able to open up the area and make your entire home feel larger and more spacious. To feel comfortable and content, open up the shared area in your home, such as the living room and kitchen. Because you spend the majority of your time in these areas, it’s critical to keep them open so that you and your guests always feel comfortable and spacious. The ability to move freely between rooms also gives the feeling of more space. Getting rid of bulky, thick walls, and doors also literally frees up more space!
An open floor plan allows for multi-functional spaces, one of our favourite features we offer in our homes that showcase this design is the hidden pocket sliding glass doors. These doors offer a seamless connection between the living room and outdoor patio and backyard. Opening these doors (especially during the cooler months) is an extra benefit to the expanded communal space you are afforded year-round. This is also a perfect feature if you enjoy having summer dinners on the patio, the ability to move from the kitchen through the living room onto the patio effortlessly is priceless. This is one of the most popular reasons why homeowners love open floor plans.
There are some conflicting arguments about the energy efficiency of open floor plans, however, one argument is that because an open-floor plan is an open environment, there are no impediments to air passage, such as walls, making these spaces easy to heat and cool. Having a lot of natural light will also help you save money on your energy bill because you won’t have to use your lights as often.
So those are the pros of open-plan living, now let’s have a look at the cons.
It’s all well and good having a multi-functional area until the kids start screaming because they can’t hear the TV when you’re boiling the kettle, or the dishwasher’s thunder ruins your dinner party mood. While rugs and fabrics might help reduce noise, you may find yourself hiding in your bedroom to avoid the children’s singing toys.
With more of us working from home than ever before, our kitchen or dining rooms also often double as our office spaces, and living open-plan can mean that you lack privacy and peace and quiet to get on with your work.
Smaller areas do get warmer, faster, and for less money. Whereas, in an open plan arrangement, you must heat the entire space, which takes longer and costs more to heat. It’s definitely something to think about! You might want to think carefully about how you will heat the open-plan space, and whether things like ground-source heating might benefit your heating bill and be a more sustainable option if you do go open-plan! If you plan to install big patio doors (as many do who develop an open-plan structure for their home), then you will have to ensure that these glass doors do not lose too much heat.
Whilst it’s a lot of fun for the adult occupants and guests in your home to feel a part of the cooking experience, it can mean that little ones are able to access potentially dangerous kitchen appliances.
Additionally to keeping children out of the kitchen, cooking in your immediate relaxation space can mean that aromas don’t stay in the kitchen. Think carefully about your lifestyle and diet… are you going to be happy with smelling mackerel whilst you watch TV in the evenings? Time to get a good extractor fan!
Whilst you can create your own ‘wall space’ and room dividers by using standing bookshelves and other inventive storage units, a reduced amount of walls does mean that there is less room for items of furniture such as sideboards, dressers, cupboards, sofas, chairs, telly cabinets, etc… There is also less room for artwork and wall hangings.
It takes expertise to know how to knock down load-bearing walls. Open-plan spaces take trained constructionists to plan the build and assess the current structure of your home. Be sure to hire a reliable and trustworthy company or subcontractor who can complete the work safely, on time and to the highest standard. This doesn’t always come cheap, but it is always worth investing in a business that will transform your house into a top-quality home.
Ring or email Hysmark for an estimate on your building and construction project.