Open Concept Floorplan - Loathe

[Superman]

We have a fairly open floor area where the LR DR and kitchen are, with a vaulted ceiling. Which is good, since my speakers need this. My sound system is.....pretty good.

[id10t]

One thing I said the guy doing electrical work really liked - "I want to be able to perform surgery or run a sensory deprivation tank" when it came to lighting. Prior living room lighting were two half-azzed 4' flourescent bulbs up above on that shelf above the opening to dining room. And, when we moved in, that nice big hole to the dining room didn't exist. Lighting in the kitchen was equally bad - 3 sets of 4' flourescent bulbs on two switches. Was kinda OK as far as just having light, but due to placement when you were actually cooking your body would block most of it.

[Superman]

Different sound system in the garage, and different geometry. The garage has the acoustics of a cannon barrel. My neighbors enjoy very good low frequency response, though they are across the street.

[Superman]

Lighting is VERY important. More so as we age, but it also is part of the "art" of a room. Combination of flood and spot and other kinds. Lighting is VERY important.

[Por_sha911]

Open layout is the "flavor of the month". Cherry cabinets used to be the hot ticket. Then when white came into favor everyone painted their solid wood cabinets. Guess what? Cherry will be back. There was a while when open cabinets or glass doors were in vogue. Gone. Carpet came and went. Wood paneling came and went.

The design and decorating industry picked up on the trick the fashion industry uses. You HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NEW to keep people spending money. Everything comes back around (but hopefully not shag carpet, swag lamps, and avocado appliances).

[A930Rocket]

I like a somewhat open floor plan but obviously you need places for privacy.

Speaking of privacy, does your owners bathroom have a water closet or is it a one room with the toilet in plain view?

For some reason, we’ve always had a water closet. I like to put window in, so I can look out while I do my business.😂

[id10t]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I like a somewhat open floor plan but obviously you need places for privacy.

Speaking of privacy, does your owners bathroom have a water closet or is it a one room with the toilet in plain view?

For some reason, we’ve always had a water closet. I like to put window in, so I can look out while I do my business.😂

Our en-suite is kinda split. Double sink in front of the walk-in closet and then a very small room w/ "regular" door w/ toilet and shower stall.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by id10t

One thing I said the guy doing electrical work really liked - "I want to be able to perform surgery or run a sensory deprivation tank" when it came to lighting. Prior living room lighting were two half-azzed 4' flourescent bulbs up above on that shelf above the opening to dining room. And, when we moved in, that nice big hole to the dining room didn't exist. Lighting in the kitchen was equally bad - 3 sets of 4' flourescent bulbs on two switches. Was kinda OK as far as just having light, but due to placement when you were actually cooking your body would block most of it.

Lighting is my thing. It part science and part art. If you like or still need help, get me a floor plan and I'll mark out the location for ya. Recess lights? Get undercounter lights. Notice the toe kick light under the vanity cabinet in the bath with the black and white floor tile? We often install that in out kitchen remodel. We use a very, very mall LED hooked up to a regular switch on the way out of the kitchen so when you go to bed, flip on switch and leave that on all night. No fun stubbing the big toe on the way to get a drink of water in pitch darkness. Sure beats the heck out of the $.99 plug in the socket night lights.

[id10t]

Oh, we're also replacing the tile we put down in some areas when we moved in (2000) and the original carpet from the mid 80s in the living room and hallway down to bedroom. We'll do kids bedrooms as they move out (18 and 11... first is already out) and then finally our bedroom probably at same time as last kids room.

And joy of joys... I paid $114k for the house in 2000.... the construction work is costing not quite 90, but close to 95k by the time extra power, the new stove, new microwave, light fixtures, etc. are all accounted for.

But hey when I refinanced in February the bank said it was worth $350k... so I'll still be OK.. just depressing to be starting over on paying for it. Only 15 years though!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Open layout is the "flavor of the month". Cherry cabinets used to be the hot ticket. Then when white came into favor everyone painted their solid wood cabinets. Guess what? Cherry will be back. There was a while when open cabinets or glass doors were in vogue. Gone. Carpet came and went. Wood paneling came and went.

The design and decorating industry picked up on the trick the fashion industry uses. You HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NEW to keep people spending money. Everything comes back around (but hopefully not shag carpet, swag lamps, and avocado appliances).

To a certain extend, we refuse to follow that fashion. If I am involved from the beginning, I try to use timeless, clean and straight line designs. You have no idea how many times I talked owners out of flip up alum doors on upper cabinets with glass inserts. Thankfully, I have not done one yet. On flips, like the one in the photo with the blue backsplash, I use the different colors and wood top to attract the fashion conscience buyers who has been bombarded by the thousands of magazines and photos of the latest trends over the net. They have been conditioned so when they walked in, they already expected it. BTW, those are custom, wood cabinets. No fillers used. Some savvy buyers notice it and my agents advertises it.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I like a somewhat open floor plan but obviously you need places for privacy.

Speaking of privacy, does your owners bathroom have a water closet or is it a one room with the toilet in plain view?

For some reason, we’ve always had a water closet. I like to put window in, so I can look out while I do my business.😂

second bath, no, but my master has a water closet and the closet is actually inside the bath.

[A930Rocket]

^^^ yes, the water closet is always inside the owners bath. I suppose one reason I like it is, somebody could be in there with the door closed and the other person can use the bathroom.

[Brian 162]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

The old lady and I watch several shows on HGTV. I think its because we've lived all over and owned a bunch of houses.

Just wanted to get the temperature of you all on whether you like or loathe open concept floorplans.

I literally can't stand them. I want separation and don't want my kitchen in my living room. Partly because my wife has an issue with the kitchen sink faucet and generally being noisy in there without ceasing.

I also don't get the need for the kitchen to be twice the size of the living room and ditto having gigantic master bathroom. (oops, saying master bedroom or bath is grounds for getting kicked off HGTV)

I get a kick out of hearing the homeowners on HGTV saying stuff like, "we want to open the kitchen up so we can see the kids in the living room" or "we like to entertain and don't want to be cut off from our guests".
A. what are your kids doing in the living room? Crack?
B. no way you entertain soooo often that you need to put your kitchen in your LR and if that is a problem have a menu that isn't so overwhelming that you need to stay in the kitchen 24/7.

Rant over but I'd love to hear what others think. If my wife hears me say it one more time I may get a black eye

Ha. You just described the house I just bought. I went from a 1300 sq. ft. 100 yr. old house with a small kitchen/living/dining room to a 2900 sq. ft house.
I really like the open concept and huge bathrooms.
I was also able to get an 83 inch tv with surround sound for the basement
I forgot to mention there's only two of us here

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

Ha. You just described the house I just bought. I went from a 1300 sq. ft. 100 yr. old house

I probably should have prefaced this entire thread with the following. Since 2006, we have lived in 3 houses all over 100 years. So I'm pretty jaded I guess and really prefer the older style.

Watertown NY, 1890s build. Two large LR connected by double sliding pocket doors. 15ft ceilings. Kitchen and DR relatively connected and pretty large.



Schofield Barracks Hawaii around 1900. Our house can be seen in From Here to Eternity behind Burt Lancaster. House is actually U shaped with a lanai in the middle. LR/DR/ and second LR at the base and 3 beds on one side. Kitchen and more rooms on other leg of U





Then another craftsman bungalow on Fort Bliss (can't find an image). Circa 1900

[3rd_gear_Ted]

I live in a "Eichler" mid century modern .
14' tall glass windows around an Atrium
I have a black plaster swimming pool too

Eichler | The House | Floor Plan

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Open layout is the "flavor of the month". Cherry cabinets used to be the hot ticket. Then when white came into favor everyone painted their solid wood cabinets. Guess what? Cherry will be back. There was a while when open cabinets or glass doors were in vogue. Gone. Carpet came and went. Wood paneling came and went.

The design and decorating industry picked up on the trick the fashion industry uses. You HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NEW to keep people spending money. Everything comes back around (but hopefully not shag carpet, swag lamps, and avocado appliances).

My bachelor pad house I bought was a 1948 house, 950 sq feet, two bedroom and a single car garage. It had shag carpeting, and pink and green bathroom fixtures. A pink toilet, and pink bathtub and I got it at a mortgage rate of only 12.5% which was a bargain at the time as my bank wanted 18%.

I replaced the carpet, and just lived with the pink and green bathroom until I was ready to sell the place. I redid the bathroom with modern appliances and sold the place after a couple years of fun as a landlord. Never again will I be a landlord.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

To a certain extend, we refuse to follow that fashion. If I am involved from the beginning, I try to use timeless, clean and straight line designs.

that's the thing, that's completely possible. You can buck the current fashion trend and still have something very nice that most folks will think is beautiful. Fashion trends are often horrible (think hair, make-up, and clothes from the mid 80s) even if everyone thought they were great at the time.

[Cairo94507]

Like most things in life, it's all about moderation. I don't want a big giant open space, but I do not want lots of tiny rooms. Strike a nice balance and everyone seems to be happy. The thing I will not abide, is multi-level flooring for the sake of just having step-ups and step-downs. Recipes for disaster. I have always owned 1 level homes and that is the way I like it. Fewer trip hazards and easier on the Dachshunds.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Cairo94507

Like most things in life, it's all about moderation. I don't want a big giant open space, but I do not want lots of tiny rooms. Strike a nice balance and everyone seems to be happy. The thing I will not abide, is multi-level flooring for the sake of just having step-ups and step-downs. Recipes for disaster. I have always owned 1 level homes and that is the way I like it. Fewer trip hazards and easier on the Dachshunds.

Same here.

As a kid we lived in two different houses that were multi story. No big deal, and kinda fun to run upstairs or downstairs as a kid. No fun as a geezer. We have one step up from the garage or front and back door. Everything else is flat.

Our house in San Marcos, TX was a full two story house and an attic that was the full size of the bottom floors. It also had two basements. One was just storage, and the other was originally for coal storage. It was a blast to hide from our baby sitters. They must have hated us. They spent the entire time looking for us.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Open layout is the "flavor of the month". Cherry cabinets used to be the hot ticket. Then when white came into favor everyone painted their solid wood cabinets. Guess what? Cherry will be back. There was a while when open cabinets or glass doors were in vogue. Gone. Carpet came and went. Wood paneling came and went.

The design and decorating industry picked up on the trick the fashion industry uses. You HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NEW to keep people spending money. Everything comes back around (but hopefully not shag carpet, swag lamps, and avocado appliances).

That's sort of what I was thinking from the beginning but forgot to mention. Some of these homeowners / buyers just automatically switch on to the open concept without even thinking about it. Simply because it is what is 'in' right now.

I'd love to see a follow up in a few years when they get tired of watching TV on the sofa that is in their kitchen.