Despite all the walls knocked down on your favorite home improvement shows, it turns out that the ever-popular open floor plan is not without drawbacks. In fact, more and more homeowners are rethinking open concept living in favor of designated, cozier, and more energy-efficient floorplans.
Here are 7 reasons to think twice about open floor plan living.
1. Expensive to Build
Since open floor plans don’t have interior walls for support, the supporting beams have to be heavier or made of steel, which can increase the overall construction (or remodeling) cost significantly.
2. Less Privacy
Whether you’re in the living room, dining room, or kitchen, everyone can see what everyone else is doing. It’s certainly great for social activities or if you have small children to keep an eye on, but an open floor plan can make it hard to find a quiet space for reading, studying, or simply relaxing.
3. Food Odors
You may love the aroma of tomatoes and garlic while you’re whipping up a batch of grandma’s pasta sauce, but you probably don’t want those smells settling into your carpet, sofa, and upholstery. With an open floor plan, food odors have a tendency to waft and linger throughout the house.
4. Visible Messes
Traditional floor plans confine furnishings and accessories to their designated spaces. An open floor plan means open visibility which can make it more difficult to conceal the clutter that often accompanies a busy lifestyle. Plus, you and your guests have a front row seat to the kitchen mess while you enjoy dinner.
5. Noise
It’s challenging to keep noise in check in an open floor plan. For example, sounds from the dishwasher, kitchen sink, or blender spill over and intrude on the TV or music in the living room or conversation in the dining area.
6. Hard to Keep Clean
Open floor plans are by definition open, which makes them harder to keep clean. Messes are easily tracked from room to room, children’s toys fill any available space, and pet hair goes everywhere. Individual rooms are not only easier and faster to clean, but they also have doors to control and conceal clutter and messes.
7. Less Energy Efficient
Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks to open concept living is that it is more difficult and therefore costly to heat and cool, especially if vaulted or cathedral ceilings are involved. Open floor plans cannot be split into HVAC zones, so you wind up paying to heat and cool the entire area rather than just the occupied spaces.
Whether you have an open floor plan, a traditional layout, or something in between, the home comfort experts at Zach Heating & Cooling can optimize your indoor air system for enhanced comfort, energy savings, and safety. From annual maintenance and repairs to new system installation, Zach can do it all and to your complete satisfaction.