Interior design trends come and go, but open floor plans are still ruling the charts. First gaining traction in the 1950s, open plan concepts have dominated the home décor scene for more than six decades.
But what exactly is an open floor plan?
More importantly, what does it do for your home?
Open floor plans come to life by merging two or more spaces into a single, free-flowing whole. They generate a much larger, inviting layout by removing all barriers, including pillars, partitions, and walls.
You’re probably wondering if an open layout is worth taking a sledgehammer to your load-bearing wall. The short answer is, yes. There are several reasons why open floor plans continue to be a must-have for modern homes.
Top 10 Reasons Behind Open Floor Plans for Modern Homes
- Increases Natural Light
Natural lighting can work wonders for your space- and your health. Besides saving you a ton on energy expenses, sunlight improves bone health, reduces stress/anxiety, boosts immunity, and increases your lifespan. What’s not to love?
However, walls and doorways get in the way of natural light entering your home. Once you get rid of these barriers, the daylight can flow in uninterrupted. Not only does this help the room look larger, but it also makes it easier to light up.
Moreover, artificial lighting travels farther in an open floor plan. So, you can illuminate more spaces with fewer lighting fixtures.
- Great for Entertaining
Are you tired of being holed up in the kitchen while everyone else enjoys game nights? With an open floor plan, you won’t have to. Because open layouts are interconnected, they keep communication lines open at all times. So, you will be able to mill around and socialize while preparing snacks on the kitchen island.
Additionally, open floor plans provide enough room for everyone, reducing the risk of overcrowding. Your guests will surely appreciate the extra space to spread out and lounge comfortably. Nail the open layout, and you might just be crowned Best Host of the Millennium!
- Improves Traffic Flow
We all know how hectic Monday mornings can be, especially in large families. Everyone is in a rush to get ready for the day, and walls don’t make things any easier. Fortunately, an open layout can help you sidestep this problem.
As long as you don’t block doorways with furniture (a rookie interior design mistake), an open layout will enable you to move around freely. So, if you’re tired of the awkward shuffles in the hall, open plan living may just be the perfect solution for you.
However, when it comes to creating an open floor plan, knocking down random walls isn’t the way to go. You can accidentally tear down a load-bearing wall and compromise the structural integrity of your home. It’s best if you consult a load-bearing wall removal specialist before taking any action.
- Link to Outdoor Spaces
An open floor plan can take your outdoor barbeques and summer dinners up a notch. Glass doors and large windows allow for a seamless transition between your living room and patio/backyard. Simply leave the doors open and let people move from the kitchen through the living room and onto the patio effortlessly.
Even when you’re not hosting, you can enjoy a gorgeous view of your backyard from an open kitchen or living room. It’s a win-win!
- Makes the Kitchen the Focal Point of the Home
Purely utilitarian kitchens are a thing of the past. Nowadays, the kitchen is a hub of activity, bringing families together after a long day. People tend to bond over food, and few things are as enjoyable as sharing a hearty meal around the kitchen island.
But most Utah homes have a load-bearing wall between their kitchens and living rooms. Although it’s easy to remove, you may want to give Load Bearing Pros a call first. Since we specialize in load-bearing wall removals, we’ll get it done in no time. And, once we’re out of your hair, you’ll have a kitchen where you can cook and chat with your loved ones, no problem!
- Increases Your Square Footage
There’s nothing wrong with living in a small home. In fact, 56% of Americans are willing to invest in tiny housing. After all, it’s cost-effective.
However, if you’re dealing with an acute space crunch, consider removing partitional elements and repositioning load-bearing walls. Doing this will make your home look bigger and leave you with more usable space.
In other words, switching to an open floor plan will help you maximize your available square footage. You won’t have to work around walls or worry about them taking up valuable area.
- Enables More Flexibility
Closed indoor spaces don’t leave much wiggle room for big furniture pieces and accessories. You would likely have to sacrifice aesthetics for practicality.
For example, a giant antique cabinet may look stunning in the catalog, but it probably won’t fit in a small living room.
On the other hand, open layouts enable you to reconfigure your furniture any way you want. Since it’s easier to shift larger pieces, you can experiment to your heart’s content.
Furthermore, open spaces are multifunctional. The same area can serve as an office, dining room, and home gym, all at once!
- Easy to Supervise the Young Ones
If you’re a parent, you know how tough it is to supervise young children while you’re working, hosting, or just having some quiet time. Kids are naturally active and can stir up trouble when left alone. Worse still, they can hurt themselves.
In this regard, having an open floor concept means you can easily keep a watchful eye on your kids while going about your day. Whether they’re playing in the living room or doing their homework on the kitchen island, you’ll be able to track them at every step.
- Wheelchair-and Walker-Friendly
Over time, you or a loved one may require a wheelchair or walker- and you’d still want to move around your home as painlessly as before. Open floor plans take away walls and keep your quarters accessible for everyone. You’ll have less trouble navigating a wheelchair with fewer walls in the way.
- Increases Energy Efficiency
Open floor homes are known to be highly energy efficient. There aren’t any walls obstructing airflow, making your home easier to heat and cool. Furthermore, you won’t have to shell out for lighting costs, thanks to the abundance of natural light in your home. Talk about sitting easy on the pockets!
The Bottom Line
It’s easy to see why open floor concepts have made waves in world of home décor. Aesthetic appeal aside, they offer several practical benefits. Hopefully, this post has given you some insight into what they are.
But you may have to knock down a load-bearing wall or two to turn your dream home into a reality. All things considered, this is easier said than done. Since load-bearing wall removals take a lot of technical precision, you should leave the job to experienced load-bearing wall removal specialists, like us!
At Load Bearing Pros, we can take on load-bearing wall removal projects of any size. Furthermore, we’re cautious about safety, so you can rest easy. Give us a call to talk to our experts today!