Intimidated by your open-concept space? When open-concept floor plans emerged in the housing market, many purchasers were excited yet weary. Will I have enough privacy? How will I fare with no 'rooms'? For the design-challenged, the thought of outfitting a large space to suit many functions became a daunting task. Stop losing sleep over it! There are so many reasons to love open-concept living, and it doesn’t take a designer to see it.
Ideal Entertaining Space
Why does the host always get stuck in the kitchen? Missing out on jokes and juicy gossip while scurrying about, getting the meal ready, can make you feel more like the cook rather than the host. An open-concept kitchen/dining room keeps you part of the evening's conversation while your guests get to enjoy your superb knife skills! Now, if your knife skills are nothing to write home about... (It’s also not ideal if you're trying to pass off takeout as a home-cooked meal.)
Watching Kids
People with no kids tend to judge the toy-littered living rooms of people with kids. The childless need to understand that until your little one can be trusted alone in a play room, they go where you go, or at least where you can see them. This usually means in or around the kitchen, typically the home's command centre. Open concept offers maximum visibility of the home, and a great opportunity for creating satellite play areas that stand in for walled-off play rooms. Now you can cook, fold laundry, sort mail, and even work from home with one eye and/or ear on your little ones' whereabouts.
Larger Rooms
Let's face it: the elimination of walls makes small spaces look and feel bigger. With especially smaller homes (condos or townhomes), an open-concept layout can do wonders for creating an airy feel, adding depth and even the illusion of grandeur.
Fun with Areas
Don't be afraid; embrace the space! A blank canvas can be intimidating, but also liberating. Now you can lay out your living space in a way you've always wanted. Take realistic stock of everything you'll be doing in the space on a regular basis, and designate an area to each task -- tape it out if you need to! In no time you'll see that open concept can actually save you space. For example, a home office may not require an entire room but suffice with a well-compartmentalized desk between the kitchen and TV area.