The floor plan that works best for your home depends on your needs! Do you want to be able to watch your children or the TV from your kitchen? Do you prefer having a dedicated space where you have more control over your surroundings? There are advantages and disadvantages to any type of floor plan, so let us help you decide which fits your situation best.

What Is an Open Floor Plan?

An open floor plan is a type of home design style where, instead of walls separating rooms for different purposes, there is one open space that creates a single, much larger room. Open floor plans will sometimes combine a living room with a kitchen, creating clear sight lines from one side of the space to the next. Open floor plans are often considered more multi-functional than other types of floor plans, because the single, large space must accommodate many different needs.

What Is a Traditional Floor Plan?

A traditional floor plan is a home design style in which several smaller rooms are divided by walls and doors, and each room is often assigned its own purpose. For example, if there are five separate rooms on a home's main floor, one might be assigned as an office, another as a dining area, a family room, a master bedroom, a kitchen, etc.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Floor Plans

There are advantages and disadvantages to both open floor plans and traditional floor plans. Learn more about different aspects of home design and decide which best fits your needs:

• Space: A room with an open floor plan can make a space feel bigger and more inviting. Several separate rooms allow for more storage options, like more walls for cabinet space.
• Privacy: Traditional floor plans might feel cramped, compared to open floor plans, but can give you more privacy with dedicated spaces to enjoy. If you work from home and have a dedicated room for a home office, you'll have more control over your environment for video calls, for instance.
• Social interaction: One open room that includes a living area and a kitchen can make it easier to communicate during parties or even when your family is trying to catch up after a long day.
• Sightlines: If your kitchen is connected to a space with a big table or a play area, it's much easier to keep an eye on kids while you're cooking (or help them stay focused on homework!).
• Light: Depending on the window placement, open floor plans might have more natural light, which can reduce electricity costs.
• Sensory Input (noise, smells, temperature, etc.): Volume levels can be more difficult to control in one shared room, which can also make it easier to get distracted. The same thing goes for smells (which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your cooking skills). It might also be challenging to control the temperature. Instead of focusing the heat or A/C in one small room, you’ll need the temperature to circulate in a much larger area.
• Aesthetic: If you enjoy hanging art, you might prefer a traditional floor plan with more wall space for decorations.
• Resale value: If you plan to resell your home in the future, the market in your area might have a preference between open concepts and traditional concepts, which could make it easier or more difficult to sell your home.

Consider your lifestyle when determining how to design or improve your home. Ultimately, the best home style is the one that meets your needs.