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Kitchen remodeling

What's the Difference Between an Open Concept and a Traditional Floor Plan?

Open concept houseMany people believe since the start of the pandemic open concept floor plans have gone out of style and are no longer of great use to the general public. But with more and more vaccinations rolling out everyday people are starting to gather in their homes again. Open concepts are ideal for entertaining large groups of people.

Open concept floor plans are defined as living spaces with no borders. In these homes, communal spaces aren't closed off by walls. This allows for bright sunlight in every room. With the recent development of the kitchen being the main entertainment area, this allows for it to become part of the living spaces. This creates a feeling of togetherness for big groups and families. If you live in a smaller home, this is the best way to maximize your space. 

If you have an open concept home but want it to feel more sectioned, you can strategically use furniture to divide the space. Using things like partial screens and plants can easily section a larger space. In the picture on the right, they used rugs to section their space. Cased openings also create a separate but still open feel.  

You can also look into a semi open floor plan. This combines the likeness of both open and traditional floor plans. It compartmentalizes certain aspects of your home. It can be a combination of just about any communal space. You can combine the kitchen and dining room, and close off the living room. Or combine the dining room and living room, and close off the kitchen. This can even be an open floor plan but use items like shelving to divide a room. Using large pocket doors give you the option of closing off a space while still having the open concept floor plan.

Traditional style houseA closed or traditional floor plan doesn't have a definitive style but consists of formally defined spaces. Notice, on the right, this entry/living area is separated by a hall from the rest of the house. These type of homes were starting to go out of style with the surge of open concept floor plans in real estate. But when the pandemic hit, separate rooms became a more desirable feature in the market. These offer more privacy and sound control. This excerpt written by Kate Wagner from www.bloomberg.com is a great example as to why traditional style homes are making a slight comeback in this day and age, "The best thing about the closed floor plan? It offers what it has always offered: aural, olfactory, and spacial privacy. Humans have aways needed the sense of comfort and refuge that defined rooms provide. That may explain the rise of "man caves" and "she-sheds" -closed spaces that rebel against the open concept."

A traditional floor plan is a maximalists dream, it offers creative freedom since you don't have to coordinate one large space. It offers more wall space for hanging art and pictures. It provides the opportunity to decorate each room differently if you choose to do so. Having separate rooms for each particular activity prevents everything from looking cluttered, not to mention these floor plans make it easier to heat and cool the home. 

One floor plan isn't better than the other. One might work better than the other based on you and your needs but it's different for every person. This makes both floor plans still relevant and useful no matter what is happening in the world. If you're looking for someone to build your open, or traditional home, give us a call at 209-772-9200 or toll free at 800-498-1833. 

 

Sources: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/is-the-open-floor-plan-really-dead

https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-a-traditional-style-house.htm

https://stonehillbuilders.com/3-types-of-floor-plans-and-benefits/

https://www.veranda.com/home-decorators/a32356068/how-the-quarantine-will-change-home-design/

https://nebldgsupply.com/floor-options-for-your-boston-remodel/