Open floor plans - function or fad

I'm in favor of the L shape. Kitchen then dining then family room. One big room?  Hard to watch tv while someone is cooking.
 
O to the izzo is my preference.

You get a Great Room/Open Kitchen concept... AND... separate spaces for formal dining/den/living/music/whatever.

Only problem is it takes up more space than the box format.
 
While I do like an open floor plan, I don't like how the majority of the plans don't have a window near the kitchen.  Might be trivial to some, but having a window over the kitchen sink that overlooks the yard brings some serenity to me in our hectic lives. Gives me something to do while washing dishes or loading the dishwasher. 
 
I think what people have to remember is builders don't just create floorplans based on buyer wishes, they spin it so it seems as such but they have their own motivation too.

The Great Room is one such "invention". Before it became a "feature" of current homes, it already existed. You can see it in homes built in the 80s except back then it was called "kitchen/nook/family room". People spent more time in these spaces and they wanted them to be "larger" and since home footprints were getting smaller, it made it easier to create floorplans to get rid of the formal dining and living areas.

It worked for the most part, but some people still wanted additional living space and the best way to do this without killing the box format was an area attached to the back of the home... thus The California Room (or Conservatory if you wanted it in enclosed) was born.

But the CaliRoom/Conservatory, due to being so close to the Great Room, doesn't provide the separation some people want. And as you can see in the PP floorplans, builders are addressing that with the flex space that can function as an additional dining room, den or living room. Even in sub-3000sft ones like Whistler, you can see builders acknowledging a need for space other than The Great Room.

Open floor plans will always be in vogue, but it just won't always be the ONLY space on the first floor as people find the one room concept a bit limiting (although like IHS says, easy to give a tour of).
 
I do like open floor plans but I preferred a 2,500 sq ft home I used to rent:

- Grand entrance with 20ft ceilings
- Living room and space for dining room in one big room with 20ft ceilings, spiral staircase
- Upstairs hallway overlooking the living room / dining room
- Downstairs bedroom (could be used as an office) and full bath
- Kitchen overlooking the backyard and connected as one room to a kitchenette and TV room with/fireplace.

The downstairs had two distinct (with a door in between) open sections. When we threw parties we could have three groups downstairs:
- Main living area (I had the TV here)
- TV room (I had a small TV and a pool table)
- Backyard (with a grill, darts, beer pong, etc and overlooking the golf course)
 
paperboyNC said:
I do like open floor plans but I preferred a 2,500 sq ft home I used to rent:

- Grand entrance with 20ft ceilings
- Living room and space for dining room in one big room with 20ft ceilings, spiral staircase
- Upstairs hallway overlooking the living room / dining room
- Downstairs bedroom (could be used as an office) and full bath
- Kitchen overlooking the backyard and connected as one room to a kitchenette and TV room with/fireplace.

The downstairs had two distinct (with a door in between) open sections. When we threw parties we could have three groups downstairs:
- Main living area (I had the TV here)
- TV room (I had a small TV and a pool table)
- Backyard (with a grill, darts, beer pong, etc and overlooking the golf course)
Click to expand...
Heh... you just described the 80s/90s O-style homes... my favorite.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
paperboyNC said:
I do like open floor plans but I preferred a 2,500 sq ft home I used to rent:

- Grand entrance with 20ft ceilings
- Living room and space for dining room in one big room with 20ft ceilings, spiral staircase
- Upstairs hallway overlooking the living room / dining room
- Downstairs bedroom (could be used as an office) and full bath
- Kitchen overlooking the backyard and connected as one room to a kitchenette and TV room with/fireplace.

The downstairs had two distinct (with a door in between) open sections. When we threw parties we could have three groups downstairs:
- Main living area (I had the TV here)
- TV room (I had a small TV and a pool table)
- Backyard (with a grill, darts, beer pong, etc and overlooking the golf course)
Click to expand...
Heh... you just described the 80s/90s O-style homes... my favorite.
Click to expand...

That's like my parents' house (from the 1990s)...It is nice except 1) a lot space is used up by the dining and living room (which is largely unused) and 2) it's insanely difficult to clean.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
That's like my parents' house (from the 1990s)...It is nice except 1) a lot space is used up by the dining and living room (which is largely unused) and 2) it's insanely difficult to clean.
Click to expand...

What makes it so hard to clean? We paid cleaners so I wouldn't know from experience. We used the living room as our main TV room and converted the dining room into a play room for the kids so we used that area the most.
 
paperboyNC said:
Irvinecommuter said:
That's like my parents' house (from the 1990s)...It is nice except 1) a lot space is used up by the dining and living room (which is largely unused) and 2) it's insanely difficult to clean.
Click to expand...

What makes it so hard to clean? We paid cleaners so I wouldn't know from experience. We used the living room as our main TV room and converted the dining room into a play room for the kids so we used that area the most.
Click to expand...

Mostly the high ceilings and windows make it difficult for cleaning...you would have get on a 15 foot ladder to get things clean.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
Mostly the high ceilings and windows make it difficult for cleaning...you would have get on a 15 foot ladder to get things clean.
Click to expand...

Those didn't get cleaned. They didn't look too dirty.
 
I understand that there are many who don't use the formal dining or living room but we use them quite a bit:

1. Kids do their homework and school projects on the dining room table because it's a large space.
2. We relax in the living room while the kids are watching TV in the family room.
3. My wife takes a nap in the living room while the kids are outside playing so she can hear them if they need her.
4. When we have people over (at least several times a month), the living room area is great for entertaining.
5. Our piano is in the living room
6. If you are a serial refi-er (ps9), the dining room table is a nice roomy signature area. :)

The interesting thing, is in my parents' house, we barely used the dining/living unless there were guests over but they would not consider a home without them.
 
I think it's key to mention.. while you do find some function with it.. just a lot of space that is not used efficiently.  Just my two cents.. we recently made a bid on a 2700 sq foot home in Tustin Ranch.. just a lot of space.. but not use properly.  I'd rather have less but more functional.  Some people want space.  To each their own. 
 
I would love to have a home with a semi-finished basement. 2,500-3,000 sq ft of living area, garage and another 1,000 sq ft in the basement. I don't think that'll happen in Irvine.
 
jmoney74 said:
I think it's key to mention.. while you do find some function with it.. just a lot of space that is not used efficiently.  Just my two cents.. we recently made a bid on a 2700 sq foot home in Tustin Ranch.. just a lot of space.. but not use properly.  I'd rather have less but more functional.  Some people want space.  To each their own. 
Click to expand...
I can understand people not wanting vaulted ceilings... which isn't a concern in most new builds today, but the extra dining or living space I think everyone can find a use for. I don't know of anyone who can't find a purpose for one extra flex space (other than a downstairs bedroom) on the first floor... it doesn't have to be a formal dining or living, it can be a library, a music room, an office etc.
 
I know a lot of people.. if not all my friends.. they just don't use their living room much.  It mainly stays as a room with furniture that is rarely used. 
 
jmoney74 said:
I know a lot of people.. if not all my friends.. they just don't use their living room much.  It mainly stays as a room with furniture that is rarely used. 
Click to expand...
To semi-quote Steve Jobs:

"They're using it wrong." :)
 
LOL true

The spacing is definitely nice.. just wish the builders made something else from the room. 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top